The Industrial Research Institute, Inc. is a nonprofit association based in Arlington, Virginia, United States. In 2018, IRI changed its name to the Innovation Research Interchange. The stated mission of IRI, which was founded by the National Research Council in 1938, is “to enhance the effectiveness of technological innovation by networking the world's best practitioners and thought leaders to seek, share, learn, and create”. IRI is a nonpartisan, membership-based organization that brings leaders of R&D together to discover and share best practices in the management of technological innovation.
History
IRI held its first meeting on February 25, 1938, after the National Research Council established it as a branch within its Division of Engineering and Industrial Research. IRI’s original membership consisted of fourteen companies; the organization's first president was Maurice Holland, then director of DEIR. On April 17, 1945, IRI separated from the National Research Council and formed a nonprofit, 501 organization, incorporated in the State of New York.
1958, The need to publish research findings results in the creation of IRI's journal Research Management.
1960, IRI collaborates with the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration to develop an executive management course called Seminar on Management of Industrial Research and later the Special Industry Training Program, which is offered annually henceforth.
1966, The organization assists the OEEC in developing a proposal for the construction of a college in Europe meant to teach scientists how to manage and lead. This eventually leads to the creation of one of IRI's sister organizations, the European Industrial Research and Management Association.
1968, After failing to convince the National Science Foundation to sponsor the creation of "research-on-research" centers in U.S. universities, the IRI Board appoints a Research-on-Research Subcommittee to initiate the work.
1971, the ROR Subcommittee evolves into one of IRI’s central units: Research-on-Research Working Groups, each exploring a specific topic in research and innovation management, with oversight of the diverse groups managed by a central committee.
1985, IRI and its journal begin publishing the results of an annual survey regarding expected expenditure levels among R&D labs. The report is known as the R&D Trends Forecast.
1988, Research Management is redesigned and renamed Research-Technology Management as part of the Institute's 50th anniversary celebration.
1995, the IRI Board changes the constitution of the Institute to allow for organizations without a U.S.-based lab to become members, helping to expand membership internationally.
2001, RTM begins to be offered online via Ingenta.
2003, IRI headquarters is moved from Washington, D.C., to Arlington, VA.
2007, IRI celebrates RTM's 50th year of publication.
2008, IRI drafts policy speeches on science and technology for both candidates in the presidential election.
2012, IRI's journal, RTM, is redesigned and reformatted starting in the January–February 2012 issue.
2013, IRI celebrates its 75th anniversary.
2018, IRI changes its name to Innovation Research Interchange.
Governance
IRI governance resides in its membership. Each member organization is responsible for choosing a voting representative to vote on its behalf in IRI elections. A simple majority is required for any action to be taken. The membership is led by an elected sixteen-member Board of Directors, with each member serving three years. The board also appoints a president who serves as Chief Staff Administrator and deciding voter should a tie occur.
Membership
To qualify for membership, an organization should have as its primary purpose the creation, production, and marketing of physical or intellectual products or services based on technological innovation. Federal laboratories involved in technological innovation, research, design, or technical support of products and services may also join as Associate Members. The Board of Directors retains the right to offer limited membership to others at its discretion. Membership includes free attendance passes to IRI events and a subscription to IRI's official journal, Research-Technology Management .
Publications
The Institute maintains a bimonthly journal, Research-Technology Management , originally titled Research Management. It publishes peer-reviewed articles covering the full spectrum of technological innovation, from R&D through product development to commercialization. Oversight of the journal is provided by an appointed Board of Editors; the Editor-in-Chief and the Managing Editor provide day-to-day management. The Institute also issues monthly newsletters, press releases on important events, and occasional white papers on a variety of topics.
