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An Investigation into the New Product Process: Steps, Deficiencies, and Impact
Author(s) -
Cooper Robert G.,
Kleinschmidt Elko J.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of product innovation management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.646
H-Index - 144
eISSN - 1540-5885
pISSN - 0737-6782
DOI - 10.1111/1540-5885.320071
Subject(s) - variety (cybernetics) , process (computing) , product (mathematics) , business , new product development , process management , marketing , set (abstract data type) , industrial organization , operations management , computer science , economics , geometry , mathematics , artificial intelligence , programming language , operating system
In a comprehensive study of 252 new product histories at 123 firms, Robert Cooper and Elko Kleinschmidt looked critically at the new products management process. Each company was shown a set of 13 activities which formed a general “skeleton” of a new product process. This article examines how this structure was modified by the companies and how well various stages of the process were reportedly executed. The results show a variety of practices among the surveyed companies. While the presence of activities cannot guarantee successful new products, certain activities were singled out as particularly weak. Firms should consider placing more emphasis on market studies, initial screening activities, and preliminary market assessment. The article provides a thoughtful assessment of the level of implementation of current practices in new products management.