CIMS - Center for Innovation Management Studies

Membership Benefits

CIMS has spent a great deal of time changing its value proposition so that it reflects more accurately the needs of the CIMS sponsors in today's economy. CIMS offers a multitude of services designed to meet the needs of our sponsors. The Center's research priorities are always on the cutting edge. With having done that there has been many more services added while maintaining all of the pre-existing ones.

CIMS FELLOWS

One of the most exciting elements that we have added to our list of programs is the Distinguished CIMS Fellows. We have a total of seven Fellows that are broken out into Industrial Fellows and Academic Fellows. We have four Industrial Fellows, three of which are retired high-level R&D managers and one is still active in the industry. Our three Academic Fellows all have long and extensive backgrounds as technology management researchers and are chaired professors at leading universities across the country. Our Fellows assist us in keeping up with current issues/trends in the area of Innovation Management and work with our researchers to insure industrial-ready reporting at the end of a project. They attend all CIMS Sponsor Meetings and can be contacted throughout the year for electronic or phone discussions on relevant and important issues.

ANNUAL ONSITE VISITS

Another new addition to the CIMS list of sponsor benefits is the annual onsite visit. Our Executive Director and/or our Director and CIMS Fellow conduct this visit. The CIMS staff comes to the sponsor's location where a series of meetings/interviews are held to determine specific subject areas for upcoming research and what benefits the sponsor will gain from an onsite workshop. This discussion session can last up to one day. Corporate representative(s) and any person(s) who feel would benefit from discussing innovation management from the perspective of that particular company should be involved.

The Onsite Workshop has been a true success. The workshop is a chance for the employees of the company to participate and discuss the topic that is predetermined during the onsite visit. The CIMS executive staff generally coordinates the workshop with assistance from one of the CIMS Researchers who specializes in that particular topic. It is open for as many to attend as the space will allow.

SPONSORS MEETINGS

The CIMS Sponsors come from a multitude of industry backgrounds and geographical regions throughout the United States and world. As a CIMS Advisory Board Member one is given the opportunity to network and meet with representatives from competitive companies and industries in a non-competitive environment.

CIMS host two conferences a year where the Corporate Sponsors are asked to attend. The bi-annual conferences have two purposes: review current CIMS research and select new CIMS research as well as to determine what new challenges in the areas of innovation and technology face our Corporate Sponsors.

CIMS Sponsors are given the opportunity to nominate research topics to be studied each year. Sponsors also are encouraged to provide ideas and issues for research seminars and workshops.

CORPORATE RESEARCH PROJECTS

Each CIMS Corporate Sponsor is encouraged to become actively involved in one or more ongoing projects. For instance, a Sponsor company may provide a research field site or data; or offer guidance to a principal investigator in framing the research, or in interpreting research findings. The Corporate Sponsor's involvement in the CIMS research program helps assure relevance and credibility, and gives the Sponsor early access to the research findings. All CIMS Sponsors have priority over reviewing findings from CIMS research.

LEVERAGED FUNDING

CIMS is supported by:

National Science Foundation

Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Sciences

College of Management at NC State University

and these following major corporations:

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Armstrong World Industries

BP America Inc.

Corning, Inc.

E.&J. Gallo Winery

IBM

MeadWestvaco Corporation

Novozymes

Xerox

A Corporate Sponsor's yearly dues are thus leveraged many times each year to fund various research projects and CIMS activities. All administrative operating expenses are paid through the College of Management, and other granting organizations such as the National Science Foundation.

TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT SEMINARS

Corporate Sponsors have the opportunity to identify timely and important research for inclusion in special seminars on the management of technological innovation where Sponsors, Researchers, and University Representatives are present. Depending on the scope and level of interest as well as support, this type of activity could take place either onsite of the interested Sponsor's offices or offsite and include other participants from outside the Sponsor company.

RECRUITMENT

Corporate Sponsors gain a significant recruiting advantage for students enrolled in the programs of the universities participating in the CIMS research program. Corporate Sponsors also have the opportunity to share their experiences and research activities with faculty and students, and thus help to strengthen the research and teaching capacity of the universities.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Corporate Sponsors get added brand recognition through visibility on CIMS website, brochure, Call for Proposal and newsletters. All companies receive a full subscription to the CIMS Technology Management Report newsletter as well as an informal linkage to the Research-on-Research Committee of the Industrial Research Institute.

The Center is continually updating its website to ensure the most accurate and up-to-date information is available. One of the largest undertakings that the Center has done is to make all final Reports of Research available electronically on our website.

CIMS has many more offerings and benefits for its Corporate Sponsors. Should you have any questions regarding those listed or would like additional information, please contact Michelle Grainger Smith.