Title: Building up a firm's commercialisation competence: from product concept to the first reference

Authors: Leena Aarikka-Stenroos; Tuula Lehtimäki

Addresses: Department of Marketing and International Business, Turku School of Economics, University of Turku, FI-20014, Finland ' Department of Marketing, Oulu Business School, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4600, FI-90014, Finland

Abstract: This study examines the build-up of commercialisation competence when a firm moves from concept development to the first customer reference. During this period, substantial learning on commercialisation occurs as the firm develops an understanding of the fit between the business environment and the new product, which helps the firm improve its strategic marketing decisions. This process builds the innovator firm's commercialisation competence which makes it possible for the firm to succeed in acquiring the first reference. The study draws on the literature on innovation management concerning innovation competence, commercialisation of innovations, and reference marketing. Employing qualitative multiple case analysis, this study generates a dynamic model for commercialisation competence build-up and identifies strategic marketing, market preparation/creation and sales creation as key competence groups for commercialisation with a total of 14 sub-competences. The developed framework serves as a managerial tool to determine critical steps in commercialisation and the required commercialisation competences.

Keywords: commercialisation competence; product concept; first reference; learning; commercialisation process; innovation process; innovation management; radical innovation; case study; technology marketing; strategic marketing; innovation commercialisation; dynamic modelling; market preparation; market creation; sales creation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTMKT.2013.054081

International Journal of Technology Marketing, 2013 Vol.8 No.2, pp.177 - 196

Received: 27 Jul 2012
Accepted: 27 Feb 2013
Published online: 28 Feb 2014 *

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