Innovation Research Interchange (IRI) is a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, a

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

association based in

Washington, D. C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, United States. IRI was founded as a private non-profit association in 1938 and merged with the NAM in 2022. IRI's mission is "''To enhance the innovation leader's and innovation teams' ability to create new value and growth by providing platforms and learning opportunities to share best and next practices, improving team and individual competencies, providing strategic information on the future of innovation execution and leadership, and enhancing and supporting a vibrant community for innovation leadership."'' Innovation Research Interchange 2017 Logo

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 (DEIR). 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(c)(6) A 501(c) organization is a nonprofit organization in the federal law of the United States according to Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)). Such organizations are exempt from some federal income taxes. Sections 503 through 505 set ou ...

organization, incorporated in the

State of New York New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...

Original Member Companies

* American Optical Company * Bigelow-Sanford Carpet Company * Champion Paper and Fibre Company * Colgate-Palmolive Peet Company * Collins and Aikman Corporation * Crane Company * Fitchburg Paper Company * Handy and Harman * Hercules Powder Company *

The Hoover Company The Hoover Company is a home appliance company founded in Ohio, United States, in 1908. It also established a major base in the United Kingdom, where it dominated the electric vacuum cleaner industry during most of the 20th century, to the point ...

* Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation *

Procter & Gamble The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/con ...

* Taylor Instruments Company *

Universal Oil Products Honeywell UOP, formerly known as UOP LLC or Universal Oil Products, is an American multi-national company developing and delivering technology to the petroleum refining, gas processing, petrochemical production, and major manufacturing industries. ...

Timeline

* 1938, IRI is established as a department within the National Research Council's Division of Engineering and Industrial Research (DEIR). * 1945, IRI separates from the National Research Council and forms an independent organization. * 1946, IRI establishes the

IRI Medal The IRI Medal, established by the Industrial Research Institute (IRI) in 1946, recognizes and honors leaders of technology for their outstanding accomplishments in technological innovation which contribute broadly to the development of industry and ...

. * 1952, IRI hosts a meeting with the

Organisation for European Economic Co-operation The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; , OCDE) is an intergovernmental organization with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade. It is a forum whose member countries ...

(OEEC) and the

Mutual Security Agency The Mutual Security Agency (1951–1953) was a US agency to strengthen European allies of World War II through military assistance and economic recovery. History The Mutual Security Agency was established by the passing of the Mutual Security ...

to discuss the management and organization of applied science. * 1958, The need to publish research findings results in the creation of IRI's journal ''

Research Management Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness to ...

''. * 1960, IRI collaborates with the

Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate school, graduate business school of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university. Located in Allston, Massachusetts, HBS owns Harvard Business Publishing, which p ...

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 (EIRMA). * 1968, After failing to convince the

National Science Foundation The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an Independent agencies of the United States government#Examples of independent agencies, independent agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that su ...

(NSF) to sponsor the creation of "research-on-research" centers in U.S. universities, the IRI Board appoints a

Research-on-Research (ROR) The Research-on-Research (ROR) Committee was created by the Arlington, Virginia Industrial Research Institute in 1968 to fill in a perceived gap in the arena of technological research and development (R&D). The Committee oversees working gr ...

Subcommittee to initiate the work. * 1971, the ROR Subcommittee evolves into one of IRI's central units: Research-on-Research (ROR) Working Groups, each exploring a specific topic in research and innovation management, with oversight of the diverse groups managed by a central committee. * 1973, IRI establishes th
IRI Achievement Award
* 1982, IRI establishes th
Maurice Holland Award
* 1984, IRI creates a

fellow A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned society, learned or professional society, p ...

ship program to allow an individual to serve in the

Office of Science and Technology Policy The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is a department of the United States government, part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, Executive Office of the President (EOP), established by United States Congres ...

(OSTP) at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

. * 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. * 1989, the IRI Board decides to relocate IRI headquarters from

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

Washington, DC Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...

. * 1994, the ''Special Industry Training Program'' at Harvard University is relocated to the

Kellogg School of Management The Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management (branded as Northwestern Kellogg) is the graduate business school of Northwestern University, a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois. History Early ...

Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, and renamed the ''Shaping Innovation Leaders Executive Program''. * 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 Ingenta is a provider of content services for the publishing industry, based in Oxford in the United Kingdom. Customers include both academic and trade publishers as well as information providers. Ingenta plc is listed on the Alternative Invest ...

. * 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 IRI 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.IRI Constitution and Bylaws
accessed Feb. 13, 2012. Membership includes free attendance to IRI events and a subscription to IRI's official journal, '' Research-Technology Management (RTM)''.

Publications

IRI maintains a bimonthly journal, '' Research-Technology Management (RTM).'' 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, led by the Editor-in-Chief. The Managing Editor provide day-to-day management of RTM. IRI also issues weekly e-newsletters, press releases and other marketing materials on important events, and occasional white papers on a variety of topics.

Awards

IRI Medal

IRI Achievement Award

Maurice Holland Award

References

External links

Innovation Research Interchange (IRI)

Research-Technology Management - Homepage
{{authority control Research institutes in Virginia Trade associations based in the United States Innovation organizations