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portrait of John E. Ettlie

John E. Ettlie

Saunders College of Business

JOHN E. ETTLIE IS THE BENJAMIN FORMAN CHAIR FOR RESEARCH IN THE SAUNDERS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS. HIS RESEARCH COVERS A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS RELATED TO THE INNOVATION PROCESS: GLOBALIZATION AND R&D MANAGEMENT, NEW PRODUCT AND NEW SERVICE DEVELOPMENT, COGNITIVE STYLE AND CREATIVITY, AND THE ADOPTION OF MANUFACTURING PROCESS INNOVATIONS. HE ARRIVED AT RIT IN THE FALL OF 1999 FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN WHERE HE TAUGHT FOR 15 YEARS.

Dr. Ettlie and his colleague, Dr. Sandra Rothenberg, in the Saunders College recently published an article in the California Management Review on the auto industry which is under considerable pressure to not only perform but convert its products to more environmentally friendly technology. They show data from the industry and interviews that strongly supports the theory of internal and external integration of functions as a key to survival and success in this global industry.

The continuation of this research on the auto industry, which is being funded by the National Science Foundation, brings together researchers in China (Dr. Ozer) and Portugal (Dr. Veloso) and compares the R&D management process for new sustainable technologies using the economic theory of dynamic capabilities. The final report on this project is in preparation but early and preliminary results show remarkable similarities between primarily landed transplant firms in China and U.S. companies in their processes of pursuit of R&D excellence leading toward sustainability in this industry.