The effects of perceived needs and means on the generation of ideas for industrial research and development projects

A flow model is presented which identifies some of the organizational factors influencing idea generation behavior in industrial R&D laboratories. The model is constructed from literature-based propositions which make explicit the role played by several organizational factors identified in the model. Data were collected on about 300 ideas created in a divisional laboratory of a major U.S. corporation. In general, these data support the a priori propositions. Further, data analysis suggests that two pieces of information are required before an idea is generated: 1) knowledge of a needy problem, or opportunity relevant to the company; and, 2) knowledge of a means or technique for satisfying the need, solving the problem, or capitalizing on the opportunity. These results are discussed with respect to the stages of creative thought proposed by other investigators. Finally, the organizational events, which were associated as “needs” events or “means” events for the ideas studied, are identified and analyzed with respect to both quantity and quality of ideas.