Abstract: Harmonized interface between the R&D and marketing departments is essential to develop new product in an effective and efficient manner. In this paper, we propose a conceptual framework on it.Then, an exploratory empirical study is made. We gathered the information about the Perceptions of the importance of interface management through surveyed R&D managers and marketing managers for 1258 Beijing firms. Furthermore, we use the techniques of factor analysis and variance analysis to analyze the information. Four principal factors are identified which accounted for the majority of variance in studying subjects’ Perceived importance of the variables tested. We analyze the relationship between firms’ interface integration and its technology strategies. Differences between R&D and marketing managers’ Perception of the importance of interface variables are analyzed, too.

Key words: interface management, technological innovation, empirical study