he globalization of R&D activities is one of the key management topics of the nineties. The most important forces driving internationalization of R&D are market-oriented development and access to the best resources worldwide. In order to realize synergistic effects despite decentralized R&D locations it is necessary to improve transnational cooperation.The drawbacks of internationalized R&D are particularly visible in the loss of efficiency. Often the critical mass of personnel and capital which exist in traditional centralized R&D laboratories are not available in decentralized R&D units. In order to exploit the advantages of international R&D and at the same time overcome a sub-critical mass of separate R&D sites, dispersed teams conducting joint large-scale projects across national boundaries are increasingly being created.The main challenge is the communication between the worldwide spread team members. The often cited empirical study by Allen (1977) shows that the probability of communication P(D) between two R&D employees decreases markedly with increased physical distance D. The logarithmic relationship between P(D) and D was demonstrated both in the microrange (meter distance) and in the macro-range. However, due to massive utilization of information and communication technologies (IT) in R&D and the increasing R&D Management 28, 1, 1998. In recent years, international corporations such as IBM are increasingly relying on dispersed R&D teams in order to keep pace with resource availability and the demands of global markets.The advantages of this approach arise mainly from the utilization of differences in personnel costs and gaining access to a broader knowledge base to satisfy the demands of international clients. The disadvantages of teams of this kind are obvious: geographic distances, differences in culture and work habits as well as the necessity to bridge time zones place greater demands on communication, synchronization and management.The application of specific project management methods and the intensive use of information technology (IT) lessens the disadvantages in transnational development projects. Recently completed projects involving large-scale commercial software development at IBM demonstrate the potentials of IT in transnational development. The authors advocate the application of IT adapted to specific situations. The central fields of application of IT in dispersed R&D teams are the development of a personal network, the promotion of creativity, the exchange of technical information, and the coordination of decentralized project activities.T experience with transnational R&D projects this relationship is expected to become weaker.Industrial R&D processes are increasingly being supported by IT. Initially the focus was placed on numerical calculations and later the support of information processing and construction activities (CAD, CAE). Although communication has traditionally been one of the main productivity problems in R&D (De Meyer, 1991, p. 49), the communicative aspect of IT in R...

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