EN
Enterprises today are forced to satisfy their customers’ ever growing needs, and should therefore continuously improve their principles and methods. They should introduce new products and services on the market, thanks to which they will bolster their chances to succeed. One of the most important management systems influencing company success is research and development activity. The paper presents the idea and constituents of R&D systems, the process of managing R&D systems, models for organising R&D activity, and the globalisation of R&D activity.