ABSTRACT
Research and development (R&D) represents a series of high-value activities that play a critical role in the future competitiveness of an organisation. This chapter provides an empirical examination of the management control systems (MCSs) that were designed to coordinate the development and manufacture of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It describes the institutional exceptions framework developed by Orr and Scott. Boeing is one of the world's leading aerospace companies, and it relies heavily on the revenues contributed by the Boeing Commercial Airplanes Group (BCAG). The 787 Dreamliner is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner with a seating capacity between 242 and 330 depending on the model. A crucial development in the 787 project occurred in December 2008 when Boeing launched a Production Integration Centre (PIC) with the help of Blue Sky Integrated Technologies. According to A. James, its purpose was threefold: to monitor the activities of its counterparts, to resolve problems, and to keep advancing the project.
