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An exploratory study of product development in emerging economies: evidence from medical device testing in India
Author(s) -
Gupta Budhaditya,
Thomke Stefan
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
randd management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.253
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1467-9310
pISSN - 0033-6807
DOI - 10.1111/radm.12324
Subject(s) - emerging markets , context (archaeology) , normative , flexibility (engineering) , new product development , process (computing) , product (mathematics) , exploratory research , business , normative model of decision making , industrial organization , economics , marketing , computer science , management , political science , sociology , geometry , mathematics , finance , anthropology , paleontology , law , biology , operating system
Recent research has studied innovation in emerging economies. However, microlevel product development processes in these economies are relatively unexplored, and the mechanisms by which the emerging economy context might affect such processes are still unclear. In this paper, we explore the testing routines fundamental to product development in one emerging economy. Based on an exploratory field study of medical device development projects in India, we observe the frequent, iterative testing of prototypes in clinical settings and investigate the related learning process. The observed testing approach is distinctly different from the comparatively linear and sequential approach adopted by medical device development teams in developed countries like the United States. Further, we suggest that such testing is feasible in India because of the prevailing regulatory flexibility, the cognitive orientation of device development practitioners and the normative orientation of medical professionals.