Title: Proactive knowledge management: an independent enabler of New Product Development success?

Authors: Jason MacVaugh, Stephanie Auty

Addresses: Human Resource Management, The Business School, University of Gloucestershire, UK. ' Freelance, Statistical Analyst, Cheltenham, UK

Abstract: This paper investigates the claim that Knowledge Management Activities (KMAs) are an independent influence on New Product Development (NPD) process success. The literature indicates that while well-known New Product Development drivers (NPDd) account for much of the variance in NPD process success, KMAs should also have a significant effect. To study this phenomenon data was collected in 2006 from a sample of 124 UK-based NPD projects. Analysis of the results provides evidence to suggest some KMAs have an independent effect on NPD process success. The study provides three new variables (knowledge benchmarking, sharing and embedding) to the academic model of NPDd; and for practitioners suggests nine KMAs that may enhance NPD process success in their organisation.

Keywords: knowledge management; NPD; new product development; project management; innovation; UK; United Kingdom.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTIP.2008.020101

International Journal of Technology Intelligence and Planning, 2008 Vol.4 No.3, pp.347 - 363

Published online: 26 Aug 2008 *

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