Sequencing Apple's DNA

8On Research and Development

8.1. The chasm

Research and development (R&D) is that self-centered activity that underpins tomorrow’s technological edge. Here is an, often internal, activity that, if not secret, at least arguably deserves protecting its results, if only it were to safeguard the usufruct of what it yields.

And this may explain why R&D may have been shielded from sight, having had corporate forms becoming entrenched silos. IBM conducted vast research activity that it published about, but in a form that nobody could directly exploit. In its voluminous annual “Technical Disclosure” books, IBM customarily published the past ideas and inventions and let them enter the public domain immediately, thus making them not protectable anymore. Which was also a way to neutralize lurking competition in areas outside of its direct interest.

Furthermore, there still exists that eternally conflicting marketing-research rapport within firms. A poisonous divide that renders them somewhat schizophrenic sometimes.

8.1.1. Business school

The marketing department specifies the products to be developed, while the technical teams develop them accordingly.

R&D sources innovation.

Whatever the complexity of technology, marketing is the way to push it to people not intelligent enough to use it.

Find a market for that product (push); fill that market with a product (pull).

8.1.2. Apple