Team learning activities in new product development: a mediating mechanism of transactive memory systems

Abstract

By combining the research of organisational learning and research in small group information processing, this study aims to explore the relationship between division of labour at the organisation level and new product development (NPD) teams' learning activities. A field study was conducted from two computer and communication components manufacturing companies in Taiwan to apply transactive memory systems (TMS) as the mechanism connecting division of labour with team learning activities. Several propositions derived from this field study are: (1) higher levels of division of labour at organisational level associate with higher levels of TMS perceived by the team members (2) higher levels of responsibility assignment also associate with higher levels of TMS (3) an earlier and clearer TMS associates with more team learning activities. The results of this study are beneficial to the theories of organisational learning and NPD. In addition, because the antecedent variables of this study are malleable to the managers' exertion both in the long-term (division of labour in organisational level) and in the short-term (responsibilities assignment of team members), the outcomes of this study are important to the practice of NPD management.