Research Planning and Management

This textbook aims to help the reader to organise and execute projects that involve a degree of academic research and also to recognise the commercial opportunities that can arise from these. Project planning is first considered from the standpoint of a feasibility study. The example is a case study of a hypothetical Wind Power generation project. Techniques of PERT/CPM and their role in the planning and organisation of project tasks are also included. Some guidelines are also given on the writing style in technical reports. Examples of funding opportunities and factors that influence the funding of research and development projects are presented. Enterprise as related to innovative research in science and engineering is considered. Here the emphasis is on exploiting the commercial potential of ideas that are generated from research in universities and other academic institutions. For this reason some guidance on how to prepare a business case for your high-technology enterprise are also provided.