Title: The effect of R&D-marketing integration on NPD success – the case of SMEs in the growing economy of Slovenia

Authors: Nusa Fain; Jan Schoormans; Joze Duhovnik

Addresses: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Askerceva 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. ' Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Landbergstraat 5, 2628 CE Delft Delft, The Netherlands. ' Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Askerceva 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Abstract: This paper investigates the effect of R&D-marketing integration in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in growing economies. In particular, the effects of integration mechanisms (formalisation, centralisation and organisational climate) on cross-functional integration gap and new product development (NPD) success are analysed. Data from Slovenian SMEs were collected through a questionnaire survey. The effect of R&D-marketing integration on NPD success was analysed with factor analysis, correlations analysis and partial least square analysis. The results of the study demonstrate similar effects of organisational climate on the cross-functional integration gap and NPD success in Slovenia as reported in Western countries. Significant direct effects of formalisation and organisational climate on NPD success are also found. Centralisation, however, has no significant effect, neither on the cross-functional integration gap nor on NPD success. This study contributes to R&D-marketing integration research by providing a modified set of integration mechanisms effects on R&D-marketing integration and NPD success for SMEs. The model can be applied to SMEs in growing economies for the assessment of R&D-marketing integration in order to increase NPD success.

Keywords: R&D-marketing integration; cross-functional integration gap; NPD success; SMEs; Slovenia; new product development; small and medium-sized enterprises; research and development; R&D; marketing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2011.042458

International Journal of Technology Management, 2011 Vol.56 No.1, pp.92 - 107

Received: 23 Nov 2009
Accepted: 26 Apr 2010
Published online: 06 Apr 2013 *

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