Creating and exploiting market knowledge assets

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the components of a knowledge management system that contribute to superior new product program performance.Design/methodology/approachAn extensive review of the academic and managerial literatures that deal with knowledge management's contribution to superior performance was first undertaken. After identifying gaps in the literature, a comprehensive model of a knowledge management system was developed. Where possible, existing measures of the constructs in this model were utilized. A questionnaire was developed, a commercial mailing list purchased, and a two wave mailing which produced a 15.8 percent response rate conducted.FindingsThe paper finds that customer intelligence generation, competitor intelligence generation, technological intelligence generation, and intelligence dissemination all contribute to the stock of knowledge assets (p<0.05). It was also found that, after controlling for influences on new product performance, a knowledge‐based strategy fully mediated the knowledge asset‐new product program performance relationship (p<0.05).Research limitations/implicationsThis is a cross‐sectional study so causality should not be implied. The study was conducted among companies competing in high‐tech industries so there may be questions about generalizability.Practical implicationsWithin the limitations of the research design, this study demonstrates the components of a knowledge management system. It provides numerous examples of the techniques utilized and companies that utilize them.Originality/valueThe paper identifies the components of a knowledge management system that contribute to superior new product program performance.