Yamaha 2008 Annual Report Download - page 42

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40 Yamaha Corporation
R&D and Intellectual Property
04/3 05/3 06/3 07/3 08/3
0
25
20
15
10
5
R&D Expenses
(Billions of Yen)
R&D Expenses by Business Segment
(Year ended March 31, 2008)
(%)
Others
Lifestyle-Related
Products
Electronic Equipment
and Metal Products
AV/IT
Musical Instruments
Research and Development
Core Technologies and Business Direction
Yamaha leverages the core technological expertise that it has
acquired over many years in the fields of sound and music to
increase the value of the Yamaha brand and to stimulate new
demand by developing and offering innovative, high-quality
products and services. At the same time, the Company has
cultivated an excellent global reputation for original design. This
attracts customers worldwide while boosting the competitive-
ness of the product range and raising the Yamaha brand profile.
Core technical expertise and innovative product design consti-
tute important functions for Yamaha.
Going forward, Yamaha will focus attention on developing
network-based sound technologies that bring about “sound-
filled” lifestyles, as well as materials and devices connected with
human senses and emotions. By doing so, Yamaha can gener-
ate new business opportunities using its expertise in sound, and
continue expanding as “the sound professional” company, even
in the realms of human voice and environmental sound. The
Company is working, for instance, on blending acoustic, digital
signal processing and network technologies to enable sound to
become the basis for important aspects of home life, such as
conveying information or security.
To further its use of core technologies to support future busi-
ness, Yamaha invests in core technology improvement as well as
employee training to ensure that these skills are passed on and
nurtured within its workforce. Other key aspects of R&D at
Yamaha include programs to maintain and upgrade technologies
for product development and manufacturing. These efforts
strengthen the Yamaha brand and boost the value of the Com-
pany’s intellectual property and other intangible assets.
R&D Organization
R&D at Yamaha comprises three elements. First, technical
departments attached to each business segment work on prod-
uct development. Second, the Innovative Technology Division
and the INFO-Sound Division focus on new research and techni-
cal development projects spanning the entire Company. Third,
separate Companywide project teams work on specific strategic
research and product development themes.
Within the Innovative Technology Division are separate R&D
centers—the Center for Advanced Sound Technologies for com-
prehensive R&D of musical instruments, audio equipment, elec-
tronic equipment and software, and the Center for Materials &
Components Technologies for new materials and devices. In
addition, the INFO-Sound Division develops technologies for new
sound systems. The Companywide project teams, meanwhile,
include the eYamaha Division, which promotes R&D into new
business models for the Internet age.
Technological expertise underpins the Yamaha Group’s base of broad operations. Yamaha invests substantially in research
and development (R&D) activities that support its progress in advanced technology. Securing, protecting and utilizing related
intellectual property is another prime aim at Yamaha Group to ensure that the Company retains and enhances its competitive
technical edge.
R&D Organization Structure
Research and Development Group
Musical Instruments Business Group
Sound and IT Business Group
Productive Technology Business Group
Yamaha Livingtec Corporation
Business Division
Business Division
Business Division
Business Division
Technical Development Department
Technical Development Department
Technical Development Department
Technical Development Department
Technical Development Department
Innovative Technology Division
INFO-Sound Division
Product Design Laboratory
eYamaha Division
Center for Advanced Sound Technologies
Center for Materials & Components Technologies
■ Musical Instruments
47%
■ Others 6%
Electronic Equipment ■
and Metal Products
22%
■ Lifestyle-Related Products 5%
AV/IT 20% ■
Total = ¥24.9 billion