BEYSAD Strategy Paper’s target committees carry on with their works without ever slowing down. We had been working for quite some time to specify training subjects and conducting meetings with relevant companies concerning the training programs which could be given under our efforts as the Committee on Innovation and Improving R&D Capacity; as a culmination of these, the first training event was organized with Inotec.

BEYSAD established cooperation with Inotec for the R&D Management/Engineering Certification Program which was organized by Inotec Technology and Management Consultancy and supported 70% by the Turkish Ministry of Economy in order to provide and develop R&D skills in its members.

With a purpose of improving the R&D capabilities of its members, BEYSAD Board of Management and the R&D Committee diligently investigated the program alternatives; the R&D Management/Engineering Certification Program designed by InoTec Teknoloji ve Yönetim Danışmanlığı Ltd. Şti, which studied the 12K R&D Model, was deemed appropriate and offered to our member organizations. The program, taking 6 days in total between 24-25-26 and 31 October, and 1-2 November 2013 was held at Green Park Hotel, Pendik, Istanbul.

18 persons from a total of 12 organizations, 10 of which are BEYSAD members, took part in the program. The attendees, working at the R&D processes of their respective companies, stated that they took part in the training so as to be able to configure the R&D processes of their organizations. Two organizations participating in the training said that the training would be instructive for them as they are striving to obtain the status of an R&D Center. The training was presented by Hayati Çağlar, previously an R&D manager with great experience and currently an InoTec Master Trainer.

In parallel with the program, at the end of the training on November 1, 2013, BEYSAD organized an interview between the participants and İffet İyigün, Manager of Innovation and System Development at Arçelik’s Directorate for R&D and Melda Polat, Innovation and System Development Specialist from the same directorate, during which the said persons shared their experiences with the attendees. İffet İyigün and Melda Polat gave illuminating responses to the many questions of the participants.

The program started with the meet-and-greet of the participants. Four groups were set up and these groups engaged in strong competition with each other in the implementation and Q&A sessions held throughout the training. The teams were separated in desks during the training; they devised distinct corporate scenarios and laid down the R&D Vision, R&D Department Strategies, R&D Department KPIs, and R&D subjects for their companies. Moreover, in the greater part of the program the attendees analyzed the R&D processes of their companies on basis of the 12 basic and 83 subordinate criteria designed by InoTec, and rated it over 1000 points.

The participants were given a plaque at the end of the program which was carried out with intensive practical training and knowledge transfer. They watched the video made with the photos taken during the training; after the cake was cut, a graduation ceremony was held for the Green Group who performed the best.

We would like to thank all our members who took part in and supported this activity.