Get to know the research and development (R&D) unit, the innovative brain of every organization!
The research and development unit is a part of the organization that helps the organization grow by improving its existing services and introducing innovative ideas. It’s unlikely you remember old cars, but you’ve probably seen pictures of them in old movies. The first automobile was invented by Karl Benz in 1886. Once upon a time, these carts had two-wheeled fans and were used on the streets of the city of Qizhqizhkanan.
It is certain that traveling with these cars is not easy at all; The hard body of the engine, its strong vibration and noise disturbed the passengers, but still these cars were the latest technology of transportation vehicles of that period and using them meant living in prosperity! Now let’s compare old cars with their modern descendants, new luxury cars.
Car manufacturing technology has advanced so much over the last few decades that there are no longer any similarities between these two generations of cars. Today’s cars are equipped with systems such as anti-theft, navigation, airbags, shock absorbers and ensure that the passenger’s heart does not tremble during the journey! Some automobile companies, such as Tesla, have also gone beyond this limit and reached the technology of producing driverless cars. However, the real question here is: How was so much progress achieved in the field of automobile production in just 150 years? The answer is summed up in one word: Innovation!
Over time, only businesses that can keep up with technological progress and maintain their place in the market and in the hearts of their customers by offering innovative products will survive. For this, organizations need a unit that researches new technologies and technologies and creates innovation in products, and this heavy responsibility falls on the research and development unit.
What is a research and development unit?
R&D plays a vital role when it comes to product innovation, service improvement and process improvement. Research and development in business refers to projects implemented by the company to obtain information and knowledge related to a particular field. This new scientific or technological advance leads to the production of new products and services or improvements to old products that the company can make money from selling.
When it comes to research and development, most people imagine a secret, high-tech laboratory filled with scientists in white coats performing scientific experiments. Of course, research and development of this working method is also included, but the performance of this unit is more than these words. Research and development is essential for every business, regardless of its size, profession and success rate.
Research and development is a tool through which companies can grow in the future and maintain their relationships with the target market. To achieve this goal, the research and development unit is responsible for researching and testing new products or finding a new way of doing things. In addition, supporting the development of existing products is among the other duties of the research and development unit.
In which fields of study is research and development needed?
The title research and development may conjure images of advanced technologies or pharmaceutical industries, but it is used across a wide range of industries of all sizes; This range starts from research-oriented industries such as pharmaceuticals, laboratory sciences, automotive, software and technology, and continues to the food and beverage industries. For example, many consumables need to go through research and development processes in order to be improved, so that newer versions can be produced and their designs can be changed. This unit also plays an important role in the construction industry and engineering sciences.
Why do we need innovation?
Research and development is closely related to innovation. Innovation is a broad term and difficult to define. This term often refers to new and different ideas, products, services, methods and processes. Research and development activities and projects are one of the main ways a business achieves innovation. Although not all R&D efforts lead to innovation, innovation is unlikely to occur without some degree of research.
If we pay attention to the purpose of the research and development unit, we realize that the ultimate goal of this unit is not to benefit from innovation, but the research and development unit uses innovation to help the company remain competitive. This means keeping in mind new market and customer trends and the path taken by rival businesses. Additionally, research and development involves the analysis of information in the marketing environment and helps the organization create an accurate picture of the conditions and situation in a particular market or area.
The research and development unit provides the organization with key information and new ideas that will assist in decision-making strategies and hence it can be argued that this unit helps guide the future of the business. By investing in innovation, businesses invest in future technology and capabilities and transform them into new and innovative processes, products and services.
The role of the research and development unit in the organization
As we mentioned earlier, the research and development unit involves innovation in all departments and processes of an organization; Everything from the production of new products to the improvement of old products and services is the task of this unit and therefore this unit is divided into different departments within itself. Below we describe some of these tasks in more detail.
Research for new products
It is not possible to introduce a new product to the market without research. Every new product, whether it is already on the market or not, needs research and information to support it. In addition, in this research, the technical specifications of the product, production cost and operating period should also be determined.
Most of the time, the R&D unit and the product development unit work together. Rapid changes in consumer demands and evolving technologies mean there is always a need to adapt and adapt. Before developing new products, the organization needs to have a deep understanding of the market and customer needs. This is the basis of new product development. In this way, many concepts and designs are created, tested, and eventually accepted or rejected. The designs are then developed into the final product and prototypes for future research.
Update products
Another task of the research and development unit is to evaluate existing products. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the products are still used effectively in the market. , the ability to improve or make changes to the product is determined and the product is sent to the design department for updating. In some cases, defects can be detected in existing products. this case, the task of the research and development unit is to identify these problems and offer appropriate solutions to solve them.
In this process, changes may need to be made in the production process of the products. If a product, service or process is no longer relevant in the market or does not create value, continuing it will be a risky practice and will impose additional costs on the organization. Changes in the laws of any industry or the demands of users may also mean that the product or service needs to be changed and modified so that it can still create value for customers and the company.
Another important role of the research and development unit is quality control. The research and development team must constantly control the quality of the products according to their knowledge of the technical characteristics of the products, and they can cooperate with the quality assurance unit to fulfill this responsibility. In order for the research and development team to evaluate the product’s features and capabilities well, it is necessary to cooperate correctly with the technical teams.
Debugging processes and ways of doing business
The performance of the research and development unit is not limited to products and services; in cases where it is necessary to re-examine the business process and product production processes, problems are identified and resolved after a full evaluation. This shows that innovation and development are not a goal, but a tool. To improve the process and method of doing business, the same steps are taken as before in development and research, in this way, basic information about the desired process is first prepared, problems and defects in the process are identified and necessary corrections are made. With the help of tools like prototype design and other Development tools, suitable solutions are provided to solve the problems.
Various research and development methods
All research and development projects start with providing ideas; It doesn’t matter whether the ultimate goal of the project is to identify and fix existing problems or create new opportunities and products. The R&D team then focuses on research and testing to determine whether these ideas are feasible. There are two main methods of conducting this research, which we will learn about later.
Simple Research
Basic research is usually done when the overall aim of the research is to gain a general understanding and comprehensive understanding of a particular field. In this method, there is no need for detailed and practical research on the target area. Here the research and development team only wants to improve their knowledge level and has no specific business goal. To get the most benefit from this research, companies need to be consistent and allocate a lot of resources to the project in the long term.
In short, the team’s aim at this level of research is to provide information about a specific area to decision-making and strategy development teams, so that the company’s management units can use this information as the basis for their plans. they make strategic decisions. For example, a car company’s research and development unit examines ideas and technologies and issues of market importance and realizes that protecting the environment and reducing pollution is one of the issues that customers are paying attention to lately.
Then, this team brainstorms, presents the idea of designing an electric car, researches production technologies, and finally presents the results of their research to the decision-making team. The decision-making unit then examines the project and, if approved, develops appropriate strategies for producing and marketing such a product using research information.
Applied research
Applied research is another branch of research carried out by the research and development team. The purpose of this research is to explore new market opportunities to create new products and services. In this method, the team first checks whether a new solution and idea can be reached with the help of information obtained from previous research. If the results of previous research are not effective, the team begins new research to find new solutions and ideas.
The ultimate goal of applied research is for the company to find a solution that will meet the needs of customers and the industry simultaneously. As a result, this method is placed in the second step of the research and development process, after which the company is able to identify problems, provide suitable solutions and gain profits from all areas, which is welcomed in the industry.
7 benefits of research and development for small businesses
In everything that has been said so far, we have talked about the importance of the research and development unit and the benefits it can provide to an institution. But research and development also provides other benefits to the company, each of which can benefit the organization in different ways. Below we will briefly discuss some of these benefits:
private sale
Research and development can help you produce unique products and services. Of course, these products do not need to be completely new; Research and development can apply innovations and improvements to existing products, adding new benefits to them or offering customers easier ways to use them.
more income
New products emerging as a result of R&D research can bring more income to the company. Any new product can target a specific group of customers and solve a problem, converting potential customers into new customers. Additionally, having a strong research team can garner positive feedback from customers and attract new investors to your company.
Donation
Carrying out research projects can be costly for the institution, but the R&D unit can still identify new opportunities for revenue generation, and better yet, companies with a strong R&D unit can benefit from special research support funds offered by Universities or the government. get help.
competitive advantage
With the help of research and development, you can surpass your competitors and establish your position as a market leader. In marketing, the first company that can offer a new and appropriate solution to a problem can penetrate the market and gain price leadership. Developing new products and services can lead to intellectual property rights for your company, which can add a new revenue stream to the company.
Collaboration and partnership
Collaboration is one of the most important elements of research and development projects, as it sometimes plays a vital role in the progress of the project. This collaboration may be between your company and another research unit such as a company, university or public sector. This collaboration will allow you to transfer skills and knowledge, giving you access to opportunities, expertise and ideas outside your business.
Fame
Getting on the list of startups that use research in their business will help strengthen your brand and credibility. If you cooperate with a reliable and credible partner or an important scientific institution, the chances of success of your products and services will increase, and the success of these partners will help raise the position of your brand. The benefits of forming an R&D team and using scientific results in business life go far beyond this list, but what you should remember is that establishing an R&D team is not the end of the road.
Innovation and creative thinking in all processes is a work culture that very large companies have managed to implement in their organizational cultures today. It’s also good to know that not all research projects will be successful; When faced with such a situation, remember that failure and getting back on your feet is a basic and common step in science and research projects, and that giving up will not do any good.
In this article, we tried to introduce you to the research and development unit of the institution, its goals, benefits and performance. If you have experience working in a research and development team, we would be happy to share your experience and learnings with us. You can also express your opinions about the content of this article and exchange ideas with others in the comments section!
