Strategic Analysis for a Not-for-Profit Research Institute

The National Research Council Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation (NRC-IFCI) (Vancouver, Canada) is a not-for-profit governmental institution. The NRC-IFCI is a leader in the research and development (R&D) of fuel cells, and maintains a leadership position in the Canadian fuel cell industry. The current economic recession has strongly affected the NRC-IFCI’s targeted fuel cell and battery markets, and has required a re-evaluation of strategies. This internal and external stra-tegic analysis provides alternatives for corporative development. The external analysis reviews such targeted markets as fuel cells and rechargeable batteries. The internal analysis evaluates fuel cell and battery development in terms of the resources, strengths and core capabilities in the value creation chain at NRC-IFCI. Alternatives are provided based on an evaluation of a modified re-search portfolio and external collaborations in order to increase NRC-IFCI business sustainability.