New Product Development Performance Research Articles

Two forms of customer involvement and new product development performance in the digital context: The moderating role of new product development stage

Customer involvement plays a critical role in firms' new product development (NPD), especially in the digital context. Prior research has distinguished between two forms of customer involvement: customers as an information source (CIS) and customers as co-developers (CIC). We build on this stream of literature and investigate the impact of CIS and CIC on firms’ NPD performance in the digital context by considering both the benefits and costs of these two forms of customer involvement. Furthermore, we explore the moderating role of NPD stage. Based on survey data collected from 263 informants, we show that whereas CIS has a positive effect on NPD performance, CIC has an inverted U-shaped relationship with NPD performance. More interestingly, the positive relationship between CIS and NPD performance is more pronounced in the ideation stage than in the product development stage, and the inverted U-shaped relationship between CIC and NPD performance is steeper in the product development stage than that in the ideation stage. In our additional analyses, we further divide the NPD stage into four stages and found similar results as our main analyses. Our study enriches the customer involvement literature and offers practical implications regarding whether, how, and when to involve customers in the NPD process.

Knowledge sharing and NPD performance for UK cross – border M&A firms: the moderating role of behavior and outcome controls

Purpose This paper aims to explore how the effect of knowledge sharing through mergers and acquisitions (M&As) on new product development (NPD) performance is contingent upon two different types of control mechanisms: behavior control and outcome control. Design/methodology/approach Leveraging the theory from transaction cost economics, this study provides answers regarding the roles of behavior and outcome controls. The hypotheses were tested empirically across a sample of 143 UK cross-border M&A firms. Findings The results provide the increasing call for an integrative perspective and theory in the M&A literature in that knowledge sharing through M&As is deemed decisive for NPD performance, and while both control mechanisms are effective, behavior control is more effective in enhancing NPD performance than outcome control. Originality/value The relevant M&A studies lack insights into the use of control mechanisms as a way to monitor the target firm’s behavior and performance and reduce the risk of its opportunistic behavior. Appreciating the need for M&A literature that elaborates control strategy and structure, this study incorporates behavior control and outcome control into M&A mechanisms.

What determines the performance of digital transformation in manufacturing enterprises? A study on the linkage effects based on fs/QCA method

The achievement of high-quality development in the manufacturing industry can be effectively realized through the process of digital transformation. The enhancement of digital transformation performance in manufacturing enterprises has emerged as a prominent topic of interest for both corporate entities and the academic community. Drawing upon the theoretical framework of the TOE model, this article presents a comprehensive analytical framework aimed at understanding the performance of digital transformation in manufacturing enterprises. By assessing a sample of 180 manufacturing enterprises currently undergoing digital transformation, this study employs the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fs/QCA) methodology to study the interrelated effects and strategic choices pertaining to technology, organizational structure, and environmental conditions, all of which contribute to the improvement of digital transformation performance in manufacturing enterprises. The findings of the research indicate the following: (1) The attainment of high performance in digital transformation in manufacturing enterprises does not solely rely on a single condition, whether it pertains to the optimization of manufacturing processes or the development of new products. (2) High performance in digital transformation is the result of multiple interacting factors. Various causal configurations, such as “organization-environment oriented”, “all-factor driven”, and “technology-environment oriented”, which have the characteristics of “multiple concurrency” and “different paths leading to the same goal.” (3) In comparison, achieving high performance in manufacturing process optimization requires a higher degree of complexity than attaining high performance in new product development. Additionally, it is challenging to achieve high performance in new product development with a sole reliance on a single technological foundation and external environmental support. These research conclusions contribute to the existing body of knowledge on digital transformation performance, enhancing our understanding of the complex factors that underlie high performance in digital transformation in manufacturing enterprises. Importantly, they hold practical significance in improving the performance of digital transformation in the manufacturing sector.

Talent Incentive Policy of Chinese High-tech Enterprises from the Perspective of Industrial Informatization Intervention

Priority development of education is the fundamental guarantee for the construction of high-level talent highlands. Technological self-reliance and self-improvement are strategic support for the construction of high-level talent highlands, and talent innovation guidance is the intrinsic driving force for the construction of high-level talent highlands. The construction of a high-level talent highland in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area requires the integration of innovative elements that connect the “education chain, technology chain, and talent chain”. It is necessary to build a three-dimensional integrated spatial architecture of “education technology talent”. We need to build a community that integrates “education highland, technology highland, and talent highland”. Accelerating the construction of high-level talent highlands in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area requires the construction of a highland for scientific and technological innovation talents, a highland for technical and skilled talents, and a highland for scientific and technological finance talents. Based on this, this article selected 399 listed high-tech enterprises in the Greater Bay Area as the research objects, and conducted multiple regression on the relevant data of sample enterprises from the perspective of property rights heterogeneity from 2018 to 2021 to reveal which open innovation model can effectively solve specific situational problems faced by enterprises. The multi role matching mechanism can effectively improve the performance of new product development and its market competitive advantage of enterprises, as well as how the nature of property rights affects the relationship between open innovation strategies and new product development performance of enterprises. The research results show that, firstly, open innovation between enterprises is beneficial for the precise improvement of product development performance by high-level talents in enterprises. Secondly, open innovation in industry, academia, and research is beneficial for improving talent performance in enterprises, but its effect is weaker than that of open innovation between enterprises. Enterprises focus more on the open innovation model between enterprises.

중국 패스트 패션 기업의 시장지향성, 정보공유, 신제품개발 유연성, 제품 모듈화, 개발성과 간의 구조관계에 관한 연구

This study defines market orientation and strategic information sharing as essential aspects of new product development, and aims to understand how the comprehensive activities of these factors affect the flexibility and performance of new product development. In addition, it aims to address the importance of market orientation and information sharing in rapidly developing and launching new products for companies currently operating in the fashion industry. The results derived from are summarized as follows. First, it proved that market orientation had a statistically significant positive effect on the flexibility of new product development. Second, strategic information sharing had a positive effect on the flexibility of new product development. Third, it was confirmed that the mediating role of product modularization in the 'market orientation→product modularization→new product development flexibility' path was not statistically significant. Fourth, the mediating effect of product modularization in the 'strategic information sharing→product modularization→new product development flexibility' path was statistically significant. It recognized the importance of market orientation and information sharing in the rapid development and launch of new products to companies operating in the Chinese fashion industry, and ultimately provided useful implications for improving new product development performance through modularization of product production.

Evaluating the moderated-mediation effects of switching costs in the link between social capital and NPD performance

In this study, we explore the causes and performance outcomes of switching costs in the context of new product development (NPD) from both the supplier and customer perspectives, and discuss the role that switching costs play as moderators and mediators in the relationship between social capital and NPD performance. Based on data from 214 Chinese manufacturers, we employ the structural equation model to test our conceptual model and hypotheses. The results indicate that relationship quality and customer involvement positively and negatively affect switching costs, respectively, and that switching costs negatively affect NPD performance. Switching costs mediate and moderate the relationship between social capital and NPD performance. Furthermore, switching costs significantly and positively moderate the relationship between relationship quality and NPD performance. On the other hand, switching costs insignificantly and negatively moderate the relationship between customer involvement and NPD performance. The theoretical and managerial implications of the findings are discussed.

Effects of Domestic and International External Collaboration on New Product Development Performance in SMEs: Evidence from China

This study attempts to examine the influences of domestic and international external collaboration on new product development (NPD) performance in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and further explores the mediating mechanism of knowledge integration capability and the moderating effects of the innovation climate and organizational legitimacy. In this study, we collected data from 236 manufacturing SMEs in China by means of questionnaires, and multiple hierarchical regression analysis was used to test hypotheses. The results reveal that both domestic and international external collaboration are positively associated with SMEs’ NPD performance. Knowledge integration capability mediates domestic and international external collaboration–SMEs’ NPD performance relationships. Innovation climate positively moderates domestic external collaboration–SMEs’ NPD performance relationship and organizational legitimacy positively moderates domestic and international external collaboration–SMEs’ NPD performance relationships. This study expands the research on the relationship between external collaboration and NPD performance by categorizing external collaboration into two dimensions, domestic and international, and examining their direct influences on SMEs’ NPD performance. Moreover, through examining the mediating effect of knowledge integration capabilities and moderating effects of innovation climate and organizational legitimacy, this paper explains how, and under what conditions, domestic and international external collaboration facilitates the improvement of NPD performance in SMEs.

The Impact of Networking With Knowledge-Intensive Professional Service Firms on Speed to Market and Product Innovativeness

During the new product development (NPD) process, exploitation and exploration are important, especially for small manufacturing firms (SMFs). However, limited resources and a lack of internal knowledge capacity have forced SMFs to work with knowledge-intensive professional service firms (KIPSFs). This article investigates the impact of SMFs’ networks with KIPSFs on the performance of NPD. Using data from 164 SMFs in the northwest of England, this article reveals a linear relationship between firm's product innovativeness and its network with KIPSFs for exploitation, and a curvilinear relationship between firm's speed to market and its network with KIPSFs for exploration. A curvilinear relationship was also found between networks with KIPSFs for ambidexterity and firm's product innovativeness and speed to market. These results lead to several practical implications for networking strategy as each network supports different innovation activities and produces different outcomes.

Evaluating the Impact of Green Supply Chain Management Processes on New Products in Saipa Automotive Company

Objective: The development of new products is a strategic activity for many automotive companies to gain a competitive advantage. This requires the examination of variables that affect the performance of new product development. This article evaluates the impact of green supply chain management processes on new products at Saipa Automotive Company. Methodology: The research method is descriptive and survey-based. The research population includes managers from various departments at Saipa Automotive Company. Data were collected using a field method and a questionnaire with a convenience sampling technique. For data analysis, the Structural Equation Modeling approach with Partial Least Squares and the PLS software were used. Findings: Findings indicate that internal processes positively impact green practices. Furthermore, the impact of variables such as green supply chain actions, environmental characteristics, and supply chain agility on supply chain value creation was positive. Additionally, the results showed that supply chain value creation significantly impacted the development of new (green) products. Conclusion: Therefore, it is recommended that automotive industry companies use customer ideas in developing green products and seek their opinions on products and their modifications to enhance supply chain value creation and product quality.

Assessing Knowledge Configuration of New Product Development Teams and Performance

In order to better understand how team composition is related to performance, this research investigates new product development (NPD) team composition and performance based on the individual team member’s knowledge rather than the function to which he or she is currently assigned. A survey of 174 technology firms in Korea, rated as “excellent” companies, shows that the inclusion of multi knowledge members with both marketing and technological knowledge in NPD teams significantly improves innovativeness and time efficiency in comparison to NPD teams without such diverse membership. These findings help illuminate previous contradictory findings in the NPD literature and show the important role of multi knowledge members in NPD performance for senior managers to consider when staffing such teams.

Different forms of supplier involvement, knowledge orchestration capability, technological uncertainty and new product development performance: a test of three-way interaction

PurposeThis paper examines the role of purchasing in facilitating early supplier involvement in new product development (NPD) in contexts of technological uncertainty (TU). Taking a purchasing perspective, it develops a moderate model to explain the effects of supplier involvement on NPD performance and whether and how knowledge orchestration capability (KOC) and TU affect these relationships. Additionally, KOC drivers are defined.Design/methodology/approachA total of 317 usable questionnaires from Chinese high-technology firms were collected. Moderated multiple regression (MMR) was used to test all hypotheses. Resource orchestration theory (ROT) was the adopted theoretical lens.FindingsTwo forms of supplier involvement (as knowledge source and co-creator) were found to distinctly affect NPD performance and have potential substitutive relationships. Purchasing KOC positively moderates the relationships between forms of supplier involvement on NPD performance. TU strengthens the moderating role of purchasing KOC. Furthermore, purchasing status and supply complexity are important antecedents for purchasing KOC.Practical implicationsThese findings serve as a blueprint for involving purchasing in technologically uncertain NPD projects and improve supplier NPD integration. Additionally, management should recognize the purchasing function's role and empower it to identify ideas, knowledge and solutions within supply networks.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the ROT by examining the role of purchasing KOC on supplier involvement in NPD performance, especially under TU. Moreover, it demonstrates significant and positive relations between purchasing department status and external supply complexity on its KOC.

The influence of entrepreneurial orientation and financial performance on sustainable business in MSMEs

The research examines the influence of Enterpreneuship orientation and financial perfrmance on sustainable businesses in micro, small and medium enterprises that are challenges in influencing the economy. This qualitative research study utilized a systematic literature review on scientific journals from 2015-2023, focusing on entrepreneurial orientation, financial performance, and sustainable business, and analyzed through data reduction, presentation, and conclusions. The results of this study show that the Entrepreneurship orientation has an influence on the financial performance of new product development. This, to improve tha performance of new product development, current and future customer needs should be seen as a guideline for new product development efforts. Where, the Entrepreneurship orientation that affects the influence on the performance of micro small and medium enterprises is only an autonomous dimension. While other dimensions of enterpreneurship orientation such as innovation, proactive and risk odo not have a significant effect on the performance of micro, small and medium enterprises. Therefore, it is recommended to provide autonomy to employees to be able to motivate them by giving freedom to act in an entrepreneurship manner so that they can improve the performance of micro, small and medium enterprises.

CSR and new product development performance in transition economies: roles of internal capabilities, external networks, and dysfunctional competition

ABSTRACT Despite abundant research on corporate social responsibility (CSR) outcomes, few studies have examined whether CSR contributes to new product development (NPD) performance. Existing studies argue that CSR increases firms’ innovation activities and launches more new products, however, these arguments have yet to fully extend to the understanding of underlying mechanisms in the CSR-NPD relationship and how CSR fosters NPD performance in different scenarios, especially in transition economies. Building on the resource-based view, social capital theory, and structuration theory, this paper hypothesizes that the CSR influence on NPD performance is mediated by internal capabilities and external networks and moderated by dysfunctional competition. Using empirical data of 219 small and medium-sized firms in China, we find that CSR not only directly increases firms’ NPD performance but also has positive effects on internal capabilities and external networks, which in turn improve NPD performance. Moreover, as one of the most representative institutional environments in transition economies, dysfunctional competition strengthens the effects of CSR on internal capabilities and external networks. This research contributes to the CSR and NPD literature in transition economies and offers strategic guidance to innovating firms in transition economies on how to foster and benefit from CSR initiatives, NPD managers should comprehend the coevolution of CSR, innovation, and institutional environments in transition economies.

The role of managerial activities in achieving Information technology ambidexterity and new product development performance in small and medium-sized enterprises

ABSTRACTGiven their limited portfolio of resources, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have to manage information technology (IT) exploitation and exploration at the same time to support a major shift in their product focus while maintaining their current array of products. We theorise that SMEs rely on managerial activities to enable IT ambidexterity to enhance the performance of their new product development (NPD). To this end, we hypothesise and test the relationships between managerial activities, IT ambidexterity, and NPD performance. Using multiple respondent data from 292 high-tech SMEs, we find that managerial activities enable IT ambidexterity, and this relationship is moderated by structural configurations. Considering the NPD management challenges ushered in by the digital era, our findings identify IT ambidexterity as a key mechanism to enhance NPD performance in SMEs. Our results contribute novel insights into the effective role of managerial activities in SMEs and help to explain the role of IT ambidexterity in the NPD literature, thereby facilitating continued theory development in this field of research.

How does digital transformation improve new product development performance from the perspective of resource orchestration?-Analysis based on configuration.

The new product development (NPD) activities of enterprises serve as a critical source of competitiveness. To effectively harness the opportunities presented by digital transformation and enhance the performance of NPD in organizations amidst the digital revolution is an area of concern that warrants attention. In this context, we conducted research using data from the annual reports of 35 listed mainboard enterprises in 2021. This research used the resource arrangement theory and the resource-structure-capability research framework. In addition, we utilized the quantitative comparative analysis (QCA) method to investigate how digital transformation capability, R&D investment capability, and heterogeneity synergies impact the performance of NPD. The findings indicate that: (1) Four distinct paths (i.e., digital innovation-driven, large-scale multi-talent, mature and robust, and digital start-up) drive improvements in NPD performance. Notably, there exists an asymmetric causal relationship between these four paths and the performance; (2) Digital transformation capability, firm R&D investment, and firm heterogeneity all contribute to enhancing NPD performance. However, they do not individually guarantee high performance. A synergistic effect of at least two factors is required to yield notable NPD performance; (3) Enterprise heterogeneity plays a pivotal role. Companies with different characteristics must opt for distinct digital transformation paths to improve their NPD performance; (4) In the initial stage of digital transformation, enterprises can enhance NPD performance by augmenting their investment in R&D personnel.

Effect of blockchain technology–supply chain risk fit on new product development performance: The moderating role of supply chain upgrading

As the most disruptive information technology at present, blockchain technology has considerable application potential in supply chain risk management. On the basis of technology–task fit theory, this study aims to theorize and examine blockchain technology and supply chain risk management by proposing a set of research hypotheses. To achieve this, blockchain technology is classified into two main characteristics, namely, traceability and security, and categorized supply chain risks into supply, demand, and process risks. This study also empirically validates the conceptual framework and proposes hypotheses using structural equation modeling, with 355 Chinese manufacturing firms as the research sample. Empirical findings demonstrate that all the three types of risk and the two main characteristics of blockchain (i.e., blockchain traceability and security) positively contribute to the supply chain risk–blockchain technology fit. Results also suggest that the supply chain risk–blockchain technology fit positively affects new product development (NPD) performance. In addition, the relationship between supply chain risk–blockchain technology fit and NPD performance is positively moderated by global value chain upgrading.

The strategic role of R&D outsourcing practices and partners in the relationship between product modularization and new product development efficiency

PurposeThe study aims to explore the conditional relationships between product modularization and new product development (NPD) efficiency. It is postulated that R&D outsourcing plays an important mediating role. Furthermore, the level of competency trust is considered an essential factor in moderating the indirect effect of product modularization on NPD efficiency via R&D outsourcing practices.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on transaction cost economics theory, this study suggests a moderated mediation model that addresses how product modularization effectively promotes NPD efficiency via outsourcing practices. The hierarchical regression and PROCESS macro model were conducted to test the hypotheses based on survey data from 273 manufacturing firms in China.FindingsProduct modularization enhances NPD efficiency directly and indirectly through the external collaboration of R&D outsourcing. Furthermore, the role of product modularization in R&D outsourcing practices is more effective when the competency trust in R&D outsourcing partners is high.Originality/valueBy showing the critical role of external collaboration, this study provides valuable insights into how manufacturing firms utilize product modularization to achieve desired NPD performance more effectively.

What motivates firms to adopt a green supply chain and how much does it matter?

This study integrates the elaboration likelihood model, institutional theory, and the image management perspective to identify the internal and external forces that can effectively drive firms to adopt a green supply chain. Using survey data from a sample of 246 firms in the Chinese manufacturing sector, we empirically examine how the internal green process and green product innovation of firms and different types of external institutional pressures contribute to their adoption of a green supply chain, which in turn can explain the variation in their environmental and new-product development performance. Results of our structural equation modeling analysis reveal that the internal green process and green product innovation of firms and three types of external institutional pressures (i.e., coercive, normative, and mimetic pressures) play an important role in driving green supply chain adoption. Moreover, firms can improve their environmental and new-product development performance by adopting a green supply chain. In addition, though the image management motivation of firms tends to play a negative moderating role in the relationship between their green process innovation and green supply chain adoption, such motivation positively moderates the contribution of coercive pressure to their green supply chain adoption. Our findings can help explain why emerging-market firms tend to adopt a green supply chain and do not follow the pattern predicted by classical strategic management theories. The results of our study clearly demonstrate the determinants and consequences of the adoption of a green supply chain of firms and confirm that their green supply chain adoption can exert a positive effect on their environmental and new-product development performance. Overall, our research highlights the importance of recognizing internal innovation and external institutional forces in driving the green supply chain adoption of firms, which in turn will contribute to their environmental and new-product development performance. In this regard, our study extends the stream of research on green supply chains and sheds new light on the importance of abandoning the conventional supply chain and adopting a green one. Our study also provides important implications for research, practice, and policymaking.

The effect of NPD complexity on NPD performance via inter-organizational collaboration and conflict

PurposeThis study develops a conceptualization of NPD (new product development) complexity and explores how inter-organizational collaboration and conflict influence NPD performance.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical examination tests the proposed relationships in the context of Korean manufacturing firms, which currently engage in NPD projects with their key partners. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the hypotheses.FindingsThe findings suggest that a higher level of NPD complexity simultaneously calls for inter-organizational collaboration and conflict, and these two factors influence NPD performance in a conflicting manner: inter-organizational collaboration serves as a driver, and inter-organizational conflict acts as a barrier against NPD performance.Originality/valueThis study provides answers to the academic and practical calls by providing how NPD complexity should be managed in a way to increase NPD performance. This study provides insight into how manufacturing firms form inter-organizational collaboration practices and why they need to mitigate inter-organizational conflict.

Can CEO environmental awareness promote new product development performance? Empirical research on Chinese manufacturing firms

AbstractDespite the growing interest in the role of chief executive officers' (CEOs') environmental awareness in enhancing performance, its impact on new product development (NPD) performance, as well as the underlying mechanisms and contextual bounds of the impact, remains unexplored. Based on upper echelons theory, we suggest that CEO environmental awareness promotes NPD performance through corporate environmental practice. We further theorize that the role of CEO environmental awareness is contingent on environmental institutional pressure. To validate the model, we collected survey data from 534 senior executives of 178 manufacturing firms in China. The main results show that corporate environmental practice completely mediates the relationship between CEO environmental awareness and NPD performance. The relationship is positively moderated by environmental normative pressure, whereas environmental regulatory pressure negatively moderates this process. Theoretical and practical implications of how to leverage CEO environmental awareness and environmental institutional pressure to boost NPD performance are discussed.