Research On Stage-Gate In R&D Management

The article analysizes the crucial strategic position of new product development in enterprises and the characteristics of its high investment, high risk and high return, and suggests the necessity of effective management on R&D. Basing on the introduction of the current status on domestic and oversea researches as well as the three most widely used management modes on R&D nowadays, the article details the Stage-Gate Management Process developed by Dr. Robert G. Cooper in 1980s.After lucubrate, the Stage-Gate theory basis has been built, which indicates the significant role of Stage-Gate Management --- a new product development process in effectively controlling the risks in new product development, reducing costs in new product development, effectively managing resource portfolio and reduce new product development cycle.After elaborates specific application of the Stage-Gate Management in new product development via analysizing the development process of the light filter with multi-protection-functions from 3M, and then further discusses the unique advantages of the Stage-Gate Management in management process on R&D. Meanwhile, basing on my market researches, I summarize the shortages of Stage-gate Management in actual development and discuss some corresponding improvement measures.Through the further research on new product development and the analysis of practice, I improve the system of Stage-Gate to adapt to different new product projects. For simple new product projects to meet customers' demands, two-phase simple Stage-Gate System would be enough. For low-risk new product projects, three-phase tracking Stage-Gate System could be used. For normal new products, we could use typical five-phase Stage-Gate System. For important new products, we should add "Finding Phase" to typical five-phase Stage-Gate System to filter ideas. And for those first-era new products, we should add customer feedback selection phase after launch. And then go back to Gate 3 for next-era new product development. Hoping the theory research, case study analysis and improvement measure could be used for reference by enterprises in their relative R&D projects.