Successful Product Innovation Research Articles

Structured Scientific Methodologies in Maritime Product and Service Innovation: Enhancing Evidence-Based Decision-Making

The maritime industry is undergoing rapid transformation, requiring systematic, evidence-based methodologies to improve product and service innovation success rates. Traditionally, maritime businesses have relied on intuition-based decision-making, leading to inefficiencies, increased risks, and inconsistent innovation outcomes. This study investigates the role of structured scientific methodologies in maritime innovation management, emphasizing how systematic approaches enhance decision accuracy, minimize risk, and improve long-term sustainability. This research provides original value by evaluating the effectiveness of structured scientific approaches in maritime innovation, an area where limited studies have explored the intersection of philosophy, leadership, and evidence-based decision-making. The study addresses the following research questions: To what extent do structured scientific methodologies improve product and service innovation success? How do industry leaders, lecturers, and students perceive the role of evidence-based decision-making in innovation?Using qualitative research methods, the study collected data from maritime experts, lecturers, and postgraduate students through semi-structured interviews and document analysis, followed by thematic and comparative analysis. Results indicate that structured methodologies significantly improve innovation outcomes, but barriers such as industry reluctance and lack of competency development hinder adoption. The study concludes that integrating scientific reasoning into maritime leadership training can enhance innovation success, mitigate risk, and foster a culture of evidence-based strategic management.

The importance of product innovation in maintaining a competitive advantage

Product innovation is crucial in creating and sustaining a competitive advantage for companies. Companies can differentiate themselves from competitors by constantly improving, introducing new products, and appealing to customers. The success of product innovation depends not only on how new the product is but also on its quality and Price. Therefore, the relationship between product innovation, Price, and quality is vital for creating and maintaining a competitive advantage. This study analyzes the relationship between product innovation and (price, quality) with a sustainable competitive advantage, the data shows that there is an effective and positive relationship between product innovation and price, quality. Additionally, we collected data through forum questionnaires and analyzed it using the multiple regression method, and We used SPSS version 25 for assistance in data analysis. So, the study can analyze the influence of the independent variables (product innovation) on the dependent variable (sustained competitive advantage). After analyzing the data, it was found that process innovation, product innovation, Price and quality positively impact sustained competitive advantage. The results also indicate that these three independent variables significantly affect the dependent variable.

Digital integration capability asymmetry and buyer product innovation: the contingent roles of environmental dynamism and innovative climate

PurposeFirms are increasingly digitalizing their business processes and expanding them into digital platforms, which are believed to generate digital and relational resources that can facilitate and deliver innovations for firms. Instead of focusing on the extent of digital integration capability (DI), this paper seeks to empirically evaluate whether the DI asymmetry between the buyer and supplier firms influences bilateral information sharing and the buyer’s product innovation. We also examine the moderating effects of firms’ external (environmental dynamism) and internal (innovative climate) environments on these relationships.Design/methodology/approachPrimary and secondary archival data on 180 buyer-supplier Chinese dyadic relationships were collected and analyzed using multiple linear regression models. Additionally, the Process macro was used to shed a nuanced light on the moderation effects of environmental dynamism and innovative climate.FindingsThe results show that DI asymmetry negatively impacts buyer firms’ product innovation through decreased information sharing. Environmental dynamism weakens the negative relationship between DI asymmetry and information sharing. Meanwhile, the innovative climate negatively moderates the relationship between information sharing and product innovation.Originality/valueThis study adds knowledge to the literature regarding the dark side of “one-sided digitalization.” By exploring the influences of unbalanced DI in buyer-supplier relationships, this study yields essential theoretical and managerial implications for product innovation success in a digital era.

Driving Village-Owner Enterprises (BUMDes) Innovation as a Driving Force for Independent Village Development Through Inclusive Leadership

This study examines the role of inclusive leadership in driving innovation within Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes) as a catalyst for self-reliant village development in Indonesia. The research employed a qualitative approach with case studies of BUMDes in Kulon Progo, Gunung Kidul, and Yogyakarta City. The study aims to analyze the dynamics of the innovation process in BUMDes and the innovation leadership models in place. Findings indicate that inclusive leadership accelerates innovation by empowering local communities, fostering collaboration, and creating a safe environment for experimentation. Case studies in Kulon Progo and Gunung Kidul demonstrate that successful product, process, marketing, and organizational innovations can enhance local economic growth, community welfare, and environmental sustainability. Strategies for promoting inclusive leadership include capacity building, community engagement, mentorship programs, and recognition. This research positively contributes to the study of innovation in BUMDes and offers practical insights for developing inclusive leadership models across various bureaucratic levels in Indonesia.

RESOURCE-CONSTRAINED PRODUCT INNOVATION — AN EVIDENCE-BASED REVIEW AND RESEARCH AGENDA

Historically, leveraging the right resources has been deemed critical for successful product innovation. However, recent findings reveal that some entrepreneurs and ventures, despite facing resource constraints, can still develop innovative products. This intriguing phenomenon has captured the attention of scholars, resulting in an increasing number of empirical work examining various aspects of resource-constrained product innovation. To consolidate the dispersed knowledge generated by these studies and establish a solid foundation for evidence-based entrepreneurship and management, we conducted a comprehensive review of 53 articles. Through an evidence-based analysis, we construct a framework that encompasses the who-why-how-where-when-what of the phenomenon. This framework delineates the scope of the phenomenon and sheds light on the enabling antecedents and processes undertaken by the actors, thus serving as a foundation for both research and practice. Moreover, we identified significant research gaps on the topic and provided suggestions for future research to focus on underexplored concepts and relationships within the framework.

Customisation and co-creation revisited: Do user types and engagement strategies matter for product innovation success?

User engagement is widely recognised as beneficial for the innovation efforts of firms scarce with internal resources but our knowledge about the relevance of user types and engagement strategies is scarce and mostly limited to the front-end phases of the innovation process. To fill this gap, we use data from over 10,000 companies operating in four emerging innovation ecosystems in Central Europe and examine the contribution of users to product development, distribution, market positioning and the commercialisation of innovations. The results show that user engagement through customisation and co-creation promotes the success of the innovation process, with the impact of co-creation being much stronger. Consumers, intermediary users (businesses) and public sector users play different roles at different stages of innovation. These findings provide important insights for firms seeking to optimise their user engagement strategies in product innovation management.

Analysis on the impact of dynamic innovation investment strategy of green supply chain enabled by blockchain.

The emergence of the green supply chain represents a natural evolution from the traditional model. However, this transition has created trust concerns in operational processes. Fortunately, blockchain technology offers a promising solution to address this issue and help businesses overcome related obstacles. As artificial intelligence and blockchain continue to advance, enterprises are increasingly exploring opportunities for green innovation investments, although the optimal timing for successful product innovation can be difficult to predict. The effects of successful innovation on eco-friendly supply chains are analyzed through various factors such as optimal investment strategy, level of blockchain technology, and overall system profit. Differential game theory is used to determine the most effective approach across three alliance modes: horizontal cooperative, non-cooperative, and vertical cooperative. Additionally, the impact of innovation uncertainty on member strategies and alliance selection is thoroughly examined. According to the results, predicting the likelihood of innovation realization can influence decision makers to prioritize current profits. Both horizontal and vertical cooperative alliance models can lead to Pareto improvements in total system profit, both before and after innovation success. However, the vertical cooperative alliance model proves to be more effective, especially at higher realization rates. Green suppliers stand to benefit from the vertical cooperative alliance model, as it can enhance their innovative investment strategy, while platform cooperation does not significantly affect their strategy. Platforms, on the other hand, can benefit from the vertical cooperative alliance model, as it can promote their innovative investment strategy and level of blockchain technology.

Trust (in)congruence, open innovation, and circular economy performance: Polynomial regression and response surface analyses

Engaging partner firms in open innovation is critical to overcoming internal resource/capability constraints to achieve firm and supply chain circular economy (CE) performance, yet scholars have not examined this link empirically. Further, while researchers have repeatedly emphasized trust as a key driver of open innovation performance, little is known from a dyadic trust perspective (e.g., congruence vs. incongruence, high–high congruence vs. low–low congruence). To fill these gaps, we propose a theoretical model based on the social exchange theory (SET) and test it using a dyadic dataset of listed Chinese manufacturing firms. The results suggest that 1) rather than unilateral trust from the focal firm or its partners, trust congruence is more predictive of successful open process and product innovations, 2) regarding congruence types (low–low vs. high–high), congruence at higher levels of trust facilitates open product innovation more than low–low trust congruence; interestingly, such an effect is not significant for open process innovation, 3) open process innovation has a positive influence on the focal firm's CE performance, but its impact on supply chain CE performance is not statistically significant, and 4) open product innovation has a significantly positive impact on the focal firm and supply chain CE performance. Our findings still hold after analyzing time-lagged models and alternative measurements as robustness checks. Our study provides meaningful theoretical contributions to the literature and useful, practical insights for managing inter-organizational relationships, open innovation, and CE performance.

Dynamic of Product Innovation, Community Involvement, and Regulatory Policy: Case Study of MSME Entrepreneurship in Indonesia

This research examines the dynamic interplay of product innovation, community involvement, and regulatory policies in the context of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) entrepreneurship in Indonesia. MSMEs are pivotal contributors to Indonesia's economy, constituting a significant portion of the GDP and providing substantial employment. The study focuses on understanding how product innovation, community engagement, and regulatory frameworks influence the success of MSMEs. The research employs a conceptual framework, literature review, and empirical analysis to explore the relationships among these variables. Data collection involves structured surveys distributed among MSMEs, and the analysis employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS SEM). The results indicate positive correlations between product innovation, community involvement, regulatory policies, and entrepreneurial success. The study's implications highlight the need for supportive regulatory environments, community-centric policies, and innovation support for MSMEs. The research contributes valuable insights for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and MSME entrepreneurs in Indonesia.

Exploring relational norms in exporter-importer product innovation co-development: A qualitative study

This research investigates the role of relational norms in facilitating importers' engagement in product innovation co-development with exporters. Through a qualitative approach, we conducted interviews with top managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) involved in exporting activities in France. Guided by the theoretical framework of Relational Exchange Theory (Macneil, 1980; Dwyer et al., 1987), our study uncovers the significant potential for successful product innovation co-development when importers actively contribute as knowledge sources and co-developers. Additionally, we highlight the importance of cooperation, continuity expectations, and equity norms as external factors that shape the co-development process of new products between exporters and importers. By comprehending and embracing these relational norms, exporters can strengthen their collaborative endeavors with importers and effectively drive the co-development of innovative products.

The interaction effect of absorptive capacity and partner types on product innovation in SMEs

ABSTRACT This paper aims to examine the relationship between absorptive capacity (ACAP) of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their external partner types for successful product innovation. There has been little empirical research regarding the synergy between SMEs’ internal capabilities and partner types in collaborative R&D projects. We developed and tested an integrated model from the knowledge- and resource-based views to explain the substantial disparities in payoff of collaborative R&D projects that exist between firms. Our study of 2,360 government-funded R&D projects in South Korea found that the direct effect of ACAP and interactions with science-based partners had a positive effect on product innovation success, whereas interactions with market-based partners had no significant effect. Our findings provide meaningful evidence for SMEs and policymakers who have to decide between R&D partners for their innovation strategy.

Leveraging Digital Empowerment for Green Product Innovation: Unraveling the Mediating Role of Resource Integration and Reconfiguration in Chinese Manufacturing Enterprises

The rapid digital transformation and the imperative for sustainable practices have made it crucial for Chinese manufacturing enterprises to adapt and achieve green product innovation by effectively utilizing digital technologies. This study takes a resource-based perspective from strategic management and develops a chain mediation model to examine how Chinese manufacturing enterprises can achieve green product innovation through digital empowerment. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 229 managers, and a multiple mediation model was employed to test the hypotheses. The findings highlight that a higher level of digital business intensity positively influences green product innovation, with resource integration playing a significant mediating role. However, the mediating effect of resource reconfiguration is found to be non-significant. Furthermore, there exists a sequential chain mediation effect of resource integration and resource reconfiguration in the relationship between digital business intensity and green product innovation. To ensure successful green product innovation, Chinese manufacturing enterprises need to focus on accumulating R&D experience and knowledge through resource integration, enabling them to identify latent market demand and develop corresponding green products. This approach facilitates an organic fusion of incremental and breakthrough innovation. The study contributes to the advancement of management paradigms driven by digitalization and the theory of green product innovation, offering valuable insights for Chinese manufacturing enterprises seeking to achieve green innovation through the effective utilization of digital technologies. Additionally, it provides practical implications for enhancing the adaptability of Chinese manufacturing enterprises to market demand and promoting the adoption of “dual carbon” practices.

How the pandemic has changed innovation collaboration in SMEs, as illustrated by four co-innovation projects

The recent health crisis has particularly affected small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Some have had to temporarily close their doors. Others chose to innovate by developing new products to take advantage of the situation and survive. However, innovation is a risky strategy, so there are many failures. Innovation collaboration is one way of limiting these failures and increasing the chances of project success. Nevertheless, little is known about SMEs’ innovation collaboration practices in the context of a crisis, and even before the pandemic, and further research is needed. This study aims to understand the innovation process and the collaboration practices adopted by SMEs for their product innovation projects to cope with the pandemic, by comparing their pre-pandemic practices with those implemented at the start of the pandemic. Based on four successful product innovation projects in two different SMEs, our results show that, at the start of the pandemic, collaborations included a larger number of partners, involved in more stages of the innovation process, in order to accelerate the new product development and commercialization, rapidly provide the necessary resources and response to customer needs.

Examination the effects of organizational innovation and knowledge management strategy in information technology companies in R&D departments on service quality and product innovation

PurposeThe purpose of the article is to examine the concepts of knowledge management strategies, innovation and service quality in information technology companies that have research and development (R&D) departments in the technoparks of research universities.Design/methodology/approachThe research was carried out in information technology companies with R&D departments in the technoparks of universities. Due to the “innovation” focus of the research, 302 engineers were selected by random sampling from engineers working in information technology companies in technoparks, and the prepared scale was sent to them via e-mail. In total, 302 units of data were subjected to path analysis and mediation effect analysis using the SmartPLS program.FindingsIn the research, it is supported by hypotheses that both knowledge management strategies and organizational innovation have a positive effect on the success of service quality and product innovation in information technology companies with R&D departments. At the same time, it can be explained as a result of analysis that innovation capability has both an independent and an intermediary variable effect.Research limitations/implicationsConsidering the limitations of the research, it is not correct to generalize the results of the analysis because the research was conducted only in information technology companies located in technoparks, and the data were collected from engineers working in these companies. For this reason, it is recommended that similar studies that are planned to be conducted in the future should do their research by taking this situation into account. At the same time, it is recommended to carry out future studies in different sectors and to bring the results obtained to the literature by comparing them.Practical implicationsThe importance of information is increasing in technology-oriented companies where competition is increasing. Companies that cannot go beyond imitation or offer similar products and/or services cannot compete with their competitors in a competitive environment. The fact that companies can be successful in a competitive environment is supported by hypotheses as a result of the analysis that they need to develop organizational innovation and knowledge, as well as develop innovation capability at the same time.Originality/valueThe research is an original study in terms of examining the R&D departments of information technology companies operating in the technoparks of universities. Innovation and knowledge management strategies are examined within the scope of the research model by collecting data from information technology companies with R&D departments.

International strategic alliances for collaborative product Innovation: An agent-based scenario analysis in biopharmaceutical industry

The lack of ability, knowledge, and resources at a national level leads companies to choose international strategic alliances (ISAs) as an appropriate solution to enter the global markets. In this regard, selecting appropriate partners is a fundamental step in reducing the risks and costs of these alliances. This article analyzes international partner selection scenarios using agent-based simulations in Iran's biopharmaceutical industry. In line with the goal of this research, a complete understanding of the failure and success of collaboration product innovation is presented. First, the critical/key success factors (KSFs) in international strategic alliances were identified through a literature review (LR) and screened via Fuzzy Delphi. Next, selected factors were weighted by fuzzy SWARA (Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis) and considered as simulation inputs for international partner selection. The simulation results indicated the critical role of the knowledge-matching degree and complementary resources and the insignificant impact of the company's reputation, government support, and experience in the international alliance. Furthermore, we found that pharmaceutical and biotech companies should emphasize their partner's complementary resources and develop an evaluation system to measure the knowledge-matching degree of their foreign partners in ISA. Eventually, this paper provides practical and applied solutions for biopharmaceutical industry managers to analyze business partners. The article also adds to the debate on ISAs in biopharmaceutical industries.

Consumer reactions to AI design: Exploring consumer willingness to pay for AI‐designed products

AbstractCompanies are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to generate promising concepts for new products which are then marketed to consumers as “AI‐designed.” Drawing on four studies and follow‐up studies, this paper explores consumer perceptions of AI design. Based on the information gap model, the studies determine that, compared with professional‐designed products, consumers are more willing to pay for products designed by AI, in which process curiosity plays an intermediary role (Study 1). Crucially, this research also predicts the boundary conditions for the positive effects of AI design. High levels of consumer knowledge lead to an attenuation in consumer curiosity regarding AI design, thereby decreasing the willingness to pay (Study 2), while the product type also has a moderating effect on the influence of the product design sources. Consumers are more willing to pay for utilitarian products designed by AI than hedonic products (Study 3). In addition, we reverify that consumers prefer AI‐designed products through a field study (Study 4). Finally, the research sheds light on how to utilize AI to promote the success of new product innovation from a marketing perspective, providing important theoretical knowledge and actionable managerial implications for future research.

RICH with Product Innovation

Accomplishing successful new product innovation is essential for the growth, sustainability, and success of firms because it represents an important and valuable dynamic capability which can result in a competitive advantage. However, new product innovation is characterized by high stakes, risks, and uncertainty. This research develops a cognitive framework aimed at providing a nuanced understanding of cognitive factors that are linked both directly and indirectly to new product innovation performance. The model developed and tested here posits that a resource-induced coping heuristic mindset can promote innovative behavior, which, in turn, can aid new product innovation. Additionally, we found these relationships are moderated by cognitive adaptability and entrepreneur curiosity.

The role of consumer characteristics in explaining product innovation performance: Evidence from emerging economies

Building on evolutionary perspectives, we offer a new demand-based explanation as to why the product innovation performance of firms varies across countries. We propose that certain consumer characteristics (namely, buyer sophistication, creativity, global identity and local identity) influence firms’ product innovation performance by a) affecting the creation and success of innovative products and b) strengthening (positively moderating) the effects that a firms’ R&D has on its product innovation performance. The analysis of 48,176 firm-level observations from 49 emerging economies in Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Africa confirms most of the above predictions. The study complements prior perspectives on innovation performance, which largely focus either on the firm or its industry, by explaining the mechanisms through which consumer characteristics influence firms’ innovation performance, identifying which consumer characteristics matter, and advancing a demand-based perspective that has not attracted sufficient attention in the literature.

Product innovation, diffusion and endogenous growth

We develop a model of Schumpeterian growth featuring a stochastic diffusion process where the rate of commercial success of product innovations is endogenously determined by advertising intensity. We consider both informative advertising, which young technological leaders use to increase the probability of diffusion, and defensive advertising, which incumbents use to prevent the diffusion of competing products. Economic growth depends positively on the arrival rate of product innovations and the diffusion rate of innovations into the mainstream market. We show that R&D subsidies shift relative investment incentives towards innovation and away from diffusion. This creates an inverted U-shaped relationship between R&D subsidies and both economic growth and welfare as innovations arrive more frequently, but fewer commercialize successfully. We find that advertising subsidies increase diffusion, growth, and welfare when advertising is purely informative. In the presence of defensive advertising, advertising subsidies lead to socially wasteful increases in resources devoted to advertising without large increases in diffusion, reducing growth and welfare.

Prevalence of Menthol and Menthol Capsule Cigarette Use Among 11-16 Year Olds in Wales Prior to a Ban on Characterizing Flavors in Cigarettes: Findings From the 2019 Student Health and Wellbeing Survey.

IntroductionThe use of flavored cigarettes has increased in many countries because of the inclusion of one or more frangible flavor-changing capsules in the filter. Research suggests that these “capsule” cigarettes appeal most to youth, but little is known about how prevalent their use is among children.MethodsA cross-sectional school survey was conducted between September and December 2019 with 11–16 year-olds (N = 119 388) from 198 secondary schools across Wales; the sample represented approximately two-thirds of all 11–16 year-olds in the country. The sample was asked about smoking behavior, with a quarter (N = 26 950) also asked about awareness of menthol cigarettes, and use of menthol and menthol capsule cigarettes if a current smoker (N = 1447).ResultsCurrent smoking prevalence was 5.7% among the entire sample and 5.9% among the analytical sample (those also asked about menthol and menthol capsule cigarettes). For the analytical sample, almost all current smokers (93.2%) were aware of menthol cigarettes, with three-fifths (60.5%) reporting having used menthol cigarettes in the past 30 days (42.3% capsule cigarettes, 18.2% noncapsule cigarettes). In comparison to nonmenthol smokers, those using menthol cigarettes (capsule and noncapsule) were more likely to be frequent smokers, with those using menthol capsule cigarettes more likely to have smoked for longer.ConclusionsWhile past research suggests that flavored cigarettes appeal to youth, this study shows just how popular these products, and capsule cigarettes, in particular, were among young smokers in Wales. It also raises questions about why capsule cigarettes have received such limited public health attention. ImplicationsThat three in five 11–16 year-old smokers reported using menthol cigarettes in the past 30 days highlights how appealing these products are to young people, particularly capsule cigarettes, used by seventy percent of menthol smokers. Capsule cigarettes are one of the most successful tobacco product innovations in decades, even in countries with comprehensive bans on tobacco marketing and standardized packaging. The dearth of research on capsule cigarettes is a failure of global public health. Evaluation of the ban on characterizing flavors in the United Kingdom and across the European Union is critical.