Title: An empirical examination of the relationship between design, the NPI process and strategy implementation

Authors: Tung-Jung Sung, Peter Gilmour

Addresses: Department of Industrial Design, National Yunlin University of Science, & Technology, Taiwan - 123, Sec. 3, University Road, Touliu, Yunlin 640, Taiwan. Macquarie Graduate School of Management, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia

Abstract: This study explores how five of Taiwan|s information firms - Acer, FIC, Chuntex, Umax, and Mustek - use design to help implement the new product innovation (NPI) aspects of their overall business strategy. The primary findings of this study are: 1) different business strategies result in different levels of dependence on design attributes; 2) design attributes comprising design for image, design for features, design for use, design for cost, design for market, and design for quality were commonly found and highly performed by all five firms; 3) the higher the degree of strategic alignment perceived by the design manager, the greater the number of utility patents and design patents registered by the firm. In addition, four ways to examine the alignment between design and strategy have been proposed.

Keywords: new product innovation; business strategy; design; information industry; strategic alignment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2002.003069

International Journal of Technology Management, 2002 Vol.24 No.5/6, pp.542-556

Published online: 11 Jul 2003 *

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