| Abstract: | The results of a survey of the research, design and development activity of firms listed on the UK Unlisted Securities Market are reported. The significance of different corporate objectives, types of market structure, forms of rivalry, different groups as project initiators, and techniques of project evaluation, is reported. Technically progressive firms could not be distinguished from less technically progressive firms using univariate tests. Multiple discriminant analyses indicated that technically progressive firms operate in markets where products characteristics and advertising are significant forms of rivalry, the growth rate of profits is more important as a corporate objective and the significance of interdepartmental committees as an initiating group is higher than for less technically progressive firms. The latter firms judged price competition and the objective of achieving a target level of units sold as more significant than the former group. |
