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This paper aims to address the challenge raised in the literature regarding whether and how digitalization supports a servitized new product development (NPD) process, considering the customer’s involvement from the early stage of the process.

Pragmatic constructivism (PC) has been adopted for conceptualizing the NPD process as the construction of a new reality. PC is the method theory used for interpreting the field evidence drawn from a qualitative case study carried out at a multinational company operating in the semiconductor industry.

This study shows how digitalization supports the alignment to the overarching topoi of the company servitization strategy by enabling the integration and merging of different organizational topoi during the NPD process.

This study is confined to a single-case study and context.

The results of this study are relevant for managers involved in the stage-gate product development of manufacturing companies, informing them on how the use of digital tools enables or hinders the progression of product development projects.

This paper contributes to the servitization literature by offering field evidence that demonstrates the importance for manufacturing firms of acquiring customer feedback from an early NPD phase. Another contribution is related to the literature on the role of digitalization in NPD processes, describing how digital tools give support during the different phases of the NPD process.

The long‐term survival of a business often hinges on its ability to successfully introduce new products into the marketplace. These new products and their successful development can be the lifeblood of a company. This paper aims to examine why product development delays occur in SMEs, the nature of these delays, and what can be done in order to avoid them.

This research is exploratory in nature and provides empirical support to several propositions found in the innovation management literature on the development of new products.

Various reasons for delays in new product development are found, including poor definition of product requirements, technological uncertainties, senior management support, lack of resources, and poor project management. Major concerns raised included management and organisational style, lack of attention to detail, limited support for innovation, lack of strategic thinking, and poor manufacturing capabilities.

The consistent development and introduction of new products that customers value can be an important criterion for business growth and prosperity. Suggestions to help accelerate the NPD process in SMEs are presented, including active and visible senior management commitment, early involvement of functional groups, the introduction of new work methods, early market/technical testing, and effective new product organisations.

The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical research evidence on the process innovations and the NPD (new product development) processes/practices adopted by the food industry as well as their interface.

The study was conducted in the Greek food industry. A total of 44 companies that have developed new products were identified and personal interviews were conducted with company managers. Three different aspects of their innovativeness was investigated, namely the use of new raw ingredients/materials, new machinery and new controls. Questions were asked on the adoption of 33 different processes for the development of these new products and the importance attributed to these NPD processes/practices.

Firms in the food industry may operate on the basis of a U‐shaped process innovativeness. They employ either the same raw materials/ingredients with new equipment/machinery or new raw ingredients/materials with old equipment/machinery. New controls/procedures go together with new equipment/machinery. Increased process innovativeness is associated with only a small number of NPD processes/practices. These revolve around manufacturing and its preparation.

The small number of identified innovations and the focus sector limit the results to the target sample.

The exact NPD processes used by the food industry and which of these are associated with increased process innovativeness, bear important implications for food industry managers and research.

The paper fills a gap regarding what is the nature of innovativeness in the Greek food industry, what new product development processes/practices are followed and which of these are associated with increased innovativeness. As such it provides further specialised evidence for the food sector across European countries.

An overview of the success/failure literature in new product development points to a long list of critical success factors (CSF), which define what should be done to enhance new product success rates but not how to do it. The net result is failure rates which are marginal improvements on previous decades. The basic tenet of this paper is that the effective use of market information throughout the new product development process (NPD) can enhance the success rates of new products. We examine the contingencies affecting the perceived utility and use of market information in the NPD process and develop propositions describing these contingencies. The outcome of our discussion is a conceptual framework, which can aid research in this critical area of organisational activity.

The purpose of this research paper is to present a modified framework for the waves of change of new product development of McGrath.

A qualitative study of new product development (NPD) in four electronic firms (two small indigenous/two large multinational) was conducted. In‐depth interviews were held with employees, including the founding entrepreneur in each of the small firms.

Analysis of strategic, organisational and development factors shows that firms face different challenges during their NPD process – some related to size. Also, as firms grow, NPD learning may be lost.

The research findings are stated as a result of four cases studies – two in large firms and two in small firms. Further research will establish the generalisability of these findings.

The electronics industry is renowned for its aggressive competitive environment where successful entrepreneurs continuously innovate product and process development. The framework presented will be of use to entrepreneurs who focus on NPD.

A modified version of McGrath's framework, showing separate categories for small and large firms, is presented. These modifications recognise that there are differences between NPD in small and NPD in large firms.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how firms can better manage new product development (NPD) for international markets (IMs). This is not a trivial task as, for most firms, NPD still tends to be rooted in domestic operations.

This study proposes IM information (IMI) use across three stages of the NPD process (concept development, product development and commercialization) as a key driver of international NPD performance. This study also examines two antecedents of such usage: international firm experience; and international innovation culture. A conceptual framework is tested using structural equation modeling, based on data from 137 strategic business units of German firms.

The use of IMI during commercialization has a U-shaped (positive quadratic) relationship with international NPD performance, whereas curvilinear relationships in the concept and product-development stages cannot be confirmed. Having an internationally oriented innovation culture increases the level of IMI usage in all NPD process stages, while a firm’s international experience only does so in the commercialization stage. Thus, international experience does not necessarily impact access to and understanding of IMI in the early NPD stages.

This study furthers understanding of NPD phenomena in an international context. However, future studies might consider exploring the mixed patterns of IMI use and NPD performance by looking at new forms and tools of market information management. Moreover, they may uncover more drivers of IMI use and test their frameworks in different contexts.

Managers should emphasize IMI use throughout the whole NPD process, even in the traditionally more R&D-focused product-development stage. Managers should strive to establish a corporate culture that views IMs as opportunities rather than liabilities.

This is the first study both to examine the relative impact of IMI use across all distinct NPD stages simultaneously on international NPD performance and to use quadratic effects to explain the relationship.

Owing to intensifying competition and changing trends, the process of new product development has become increasingly important to competitiveness in the brewing industry. Consumers are now demanding more innovative products, thus requiring brewers to find better and quicker ways of introducing new products. This paper through the use of two case studies, aims to capture the essential attributes of new product development in the brewery industry.

Some small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Thai food industry put a lot of effort into keeping up with changes of consumption patterns locally and in the South East Asia region. To see how successfully they are able to create competitive advantage, aims to examine the impact of environmental scanning practices on new product development (NPD) outcomes among SMEs in the Thai food industry. The technology strategy of the company influences how much it uses environmental scanning, and technology turbulence can play a role in exactly how critical is good knowledge of the external environment.

Qualitative research was conducted using semi‐structured in‐depth interviews with food experts and SME owners.

Results suggest that SMEs that practice environmental scanning are better able to develop appropriate new food products. Technology strategy plays a role in how much scanning they use, with a more proactive technology strategy requiring more extensive scanning. Environmental turbulence, including changes in technology, can cause failure in NPD if scanning does not keep companies aware of the situation.

A simple conceptual model is proposed to show how technology strategy, technological turbulence, and environmental scanning affect NPD performance.

This paper aims to examine the felt need for new products in organizations, the nature of the new product development (NPD) discipline, and the usefulness of NPD education, in order to show the importance of the paper's analysis of the dearth of NPD courses in AACSB‐accredited schools. It seeks to offer suggested changes for both academics and practitioners.

A content analysis of AACSB‐accredited institutions' online catalogs determined a scarcity of NPD courses. Z‐tests and t‐tests revealed some differences among the types of schools offering NPD courses.

There is a scarcity of NPD courses, with only 9 percent of schools offering one. Regarding the likelihood of offering a NPD course, no differences were found between public and private schools or between doctoral‐ and non‐doctoral‐granting schools. Comparing schools offering and not offering a NPD course, no difference was discovered in the number of marketing courses available, number of marketing electives available, and number of full‐time marketing faculty.

Analysis was based on catalog titles and course descriptions; specific course content was not ascertained. Hence, courses including significant NPD content might remain unidentified. This descriptive research only speculates on reasons for the paucity of NPD courses. Additional research should determine influences on educators to offer a NPD course and identify specific actions to increase the adoption of NPD courses. A number of recommendations for overcoming impediments to instituting NPD courses are offered.

This is the first study to empirically verify the low availability of NPD courses and to recommend rectifying courses of action for both academics and NPD practitioners.

The purpose of this empirical research is to identify the key success factors engrained in the new product development (NPD) practices of companies that belong to the Italian sport shoe cluster of Montebelluna.

Statistical analyses were undertaken on data collected through a questionnaire submitted to a conveniently selected group of the population of firms localized in Montebelluna. A series of one‐way ANOVAs was run on the NPD performance metric. We then measured the Pearson correlation between the degree of new product success and the factors that were found to be statistically significant. We converted the response variable into a dummy and then we tested the hypotheses with the normalized Cramer's V‐square to discriminate between the best performers and the rest. Finally, we performed a regression analysis to build a model that explains a large part of the variation in new product success.

Three macro factors have a positive influence on new product success: extended team approach (also cross‐company); customer orientation; and the use of advanced ICTs for new product development.

Further investigation is needed on the role of networking with suppliers in new product development.

Sport shoe manufacturers should: proactively develop close relationships with their customers aimed at NPD; integrate lead users in the NPD process; and implement strategies to overcome their inhibition from investing in advanced ICTs for NPD.

Some factors that have been found as being important drivers of new product success in other researches do not seem to play a relevant role in the companies we analyzed. The study highlights the strategic role of lead users in contributing to the enhanced performance of successful companies.