THE NEEDS OF RESEARCH-AND-DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS IN THEIR FIRST AND 2ND MANAGERIAL APPOINTMENTS - ARE THEY BEING MET

This study sets out to examine the practices of research professionals who are undertaking a research management role for the first or secon d time. Most of these managers are in their late twenties to middle th irties and are usually employed as team leaders. R&D personnel early i n their managerial career are served badly by the innovation literatur e. Much of this literature focuses on describing the behaviour of the participants rather than providing information with the potential to c ontribute to their managerial practice. A major objective of this stud y is to provide some messages for academics and others of how they may contribute better to the managerial function of first and second time R&D managers in the 21st century.