Download product development: past research, present findings, and future

Seminar on Technological Innovation
오퍼레이션 석사 2학기 Ayaka Oda
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: PAST RESEARCH,
PRESENT FINDINGS, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
SHONA L. BROWN
KATHLEEN M. EISENHARDT
1) Summary
Past innovation research has taken two broad streams: an economics-oriented tradition and
organizations-oriented tradition. This article focuses on the latter by focusing on product
development, which is essential for firms to succeed, survive, and renew organizations.
Although there has been a lot of research on product development, it is difficult to understand
what is actually known due to the large and fragmented literature; therefore, the authors
attempt to improve the understanding of product development in this article by first,
organizing the past literature, then developing a model of current thinking, and indicating
potential paths for future research. The authors, first, organize the product-development
literature into three streams: rational plan, communication web, and disciplined problem
solving. The rational plan perspective focuses on finding what influences the financial
success of a product development projects. The past literature shows that “successful
products are more likely when the product has marketplace advantages, is targeted at an
attractive market, and is well executed through excellent internal organization.” The
communication web perspective looks at how communication among project team members
and with outsiders stimulates the performance of development teams. The disciplined
problem-solving perspective looks at how “a balancing act between relatively autonomous
problem solving by the project team and the discipline of a heavyweight leader, strong top
management and an overarching product vision” leads to successful product development.
Because three streams of product development research focus on both overlapping and
complementary sets of constructs, the authors provide the basis of an integrative model. For
further research, the authors argue that we can examine the primary links of the model – that
is, the links among process performance, effective product, market factors, and financial
performance. Second, it is noted that exploring contingent models for the organization of
work is important. Last but not least, we may also look, in depth, at how senior managers
affect product effectiveness.
2) Contribution
Because the past research on product development is so fragmented and varied, the authors
organized the product development literature into three streams of research product
development as rational plan, communication web, and disciplined problem solving. The
authors have identified key findings from the past studies, and also looked at the strengths
and weaknesses of them. The authors also developed an integrative model of factors affecting
product-development success. They also provide suggestions for future research opportunities.
Thus, the authors contributed for “an understanding of the past literature, a model of current
thinking, and a sense of future directions.”
3) Critique
I think this article has organized the past literature thoroughly, and the integrative model
shows which path or constructs shall be further studied in depth. It was interesting to see how
the authors organized the past research into three streams. I wonder if there are any measures
we can use to measure the success of product-development projects other than process
performance, product concept effectiveness, and financial performance. The authors mention
that cross-functional teams, including various units, are important or product development;
however, sometimes, diversity may lead to some challenges, and we may see a negative
quadratic relationship between the number of teams versus produce development success.
Also, it is important to look at whether process performance, product concept effectiveness,
and market factors are independent variables in the primary links of the model. As the authors
mention, market factors may be a moderator in the model. The purpose of this article was to
understand the past research and open up more opportunities for further research, and I
believe that the authors have done well; however, further research is necessary for the
integrative model to be theoretically robust.