Title: Organisational patterns in new product development: contrasting The Netherlands, Finland and Portugal

Authors: Petra C. De Weerd-Nederhof, Ger J. Bos, Klaasjan Visscher, Jorge F.S. Gomes, Tauno Kekale

Addresses: School of Business, University of Twente, Public Administration and Technology, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands. ' School of Business, University of Twente, Public Administration and Technology, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands. ' School of Business, University of Twente, Public Administration and Technology, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands. ' Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada, R. Jardim do Tabaco, 34, 1149–041 Lisbon, Portugal. ' University of Vaasa, Department of Production, P.O. Box 700, 65101 Vaasa, Finland

Abstract: Companies pursuing competitive advantage through continuous innovation are confronted with the tension between today|s work and tomorrow|s innovation. This paper reports on the search for so-called patterns in NPD. In order to investigate whether different types of consistent NPD configurations might be identified through a quantitative research design, a quick scan using a structured questionnaire was carried out in Dutch, Portuguese and Finnish firms (n = 82). The results highlight some practices in NPD configurations that could be related to key success factors identified in best practice studies, such as a dedicated project organisation, an organisational culture fostering personal engagement and encouraging individuality and creativity, and a strategic NPD programme with a long-term thrust. The results also indicate a pattern of variety among the different countries and a first indication of possible relationships between NPD strategy, structure and culture based on a bivariate correlation analysis.

Keywords: new product development; NPD; contingency theory; NPD configurations; innovation; organisational design; organisational culture; The Netherlands; Portugal; Finland; critical success factors; best practice.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2007.012114

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2007 Vol.1 No.3, pp.315 - 336

Published online: 21 Jan 2007 *

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