The New Product Development Process as a Communication Web Part II: Analysis of Spanish Firms

The New Product Development Process as a Communication Web Part II: Analysis of Spanish Firms

Pilar Fernández Ferrín, José Antonio Varela González, Belén Bande Vilela, Oihana Valmaseda Andia
Copyright: © 2012 |Pages: 14
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61350-165-8.ch029
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Abstract

In the previous chapter (Part I), we proposed a model relating the composition and external communication activities of NPD teams to the performance of NPD programmes. In this chapter (Part II), through the use of structural equations analysis, we compare the model to a sample of 136 managers from different functional areas at 121 innovative Spanish firms. The results indicate that the impact of explanatory variables on new product programme performance differs according to the measure of performance considered. The cross-functional nature of NPD teams, the presence of product champions in NPD teams and the gathering of information by all NPD team members were all shown to positively influence new product performance. Firms should be aware of the importance of the aforementioned variables.
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Hypotheses

Based on previous evidence (Clark & Fujimoto, 1990, 1991; Katz & Tushman, 1981; Markham & Griffin, 1998; Von Hippel, 1986), we propose that new product programme performance will be influenced by the cross-functional nature of NPD teams and their external communication activities. Specifically, we hypothesise the following:

  • H1:The cross-functional nature of NPD teams, which is measured by the number of departments participating in the NPD process, will positively influence new product programme performance.

  • H2a:The presence of information gatekeepers will positively influence new product programme performance.

  • H2b:The impact on new product programme performance will be greater with the presence of information gatekeepers than when all members of the NPD project team are in charge of gathering external information.

  • H3:The presence of innovation champions will positively influence new product programme performance.

  • H4:The participation of lead users in NPD will positively influence new product programme performance.

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