Introduction

This introductory chapter discusses the objective of this book, which is to propose an R&D approach that would create a chain of technologies and markets through an operation that utilizes products and services-that is, an approach that would ensure sustainable R&D results due to successively innovating technological and market processes. All R&D processes are discussed using real examples, and a new R&D approach, concept-oriented R&D, is proposed as being effective in promoting a sustainable society and economy. Recently systems have been largely dependent on information technology (IT), and concept-oriented R&D is discussed in terms of IT. R&D approaches are dependent on four factors: Needs: why and for whom R&D is necessary; Subject: what to focus on for R&D; Situation: when to pursue R&D; and Evaluation: how to direct R&D. The autonomous decentralized system (ADS) concept-oriented technologies and innovative applications have been extended to fields of information systems and control systems.