The RF/microwave industry is comprised of a wide range of companies, from giants like Texas Instruments and Agilent Technologies to smaller houses where the president of the company may just as easily be found working on the production line as he or she might be in front of a personal computer running a copy of electronic-design-automation (EDA) software to create a next-generation product.
In terms of design innovation, company size means very little. In fact, to remain competitive, large companies should consider ways to remain agile in terms of design strategies and to encourage employees to follow entrepreneurial instincts for the development of new products. While smaller companies may lack the support infrastructure that can provide design and measurement assistance when developing a new product, they may also lack the bureaucracy that can thwart the creativity needed to fully imagine and implement a new electronic design. Even as the small companies grow, it is important for their management to remember those, early, hungry days, and the thinking that motivated the company's growth in the first place. A healthy operation is one that properly blends the best aspects of smaller and larger companies.