Title: Managing product innovation in industries producing homogeneous goods: an empirical investigation

Authors: Claudine Kearney; Killian J. McCarthy; Dewi Telehala

Addresses: UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School; School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland ' Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen, Nettelbosje 2, 9747 AE Groningen, The Netherlands ' Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen, Nettelbosje 2, 9747 AE Groningen, The Netherlands

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to increase our understanding of low-tech industries' product innovation performance related activities and the specific capabilities of the firms that influence those. In this paper, we apply the Cormican and O'Sullivan's best practice model product innovation survey to quantify the differences between high- and low-tech firms, in terms of product innovation performance. Using a sample of 46 firms based in the north of the Netherlands, this paper expands the discussion to firms manufacturing homogenous goods for example, paper, agricultural products and energy. This study finds that communication within the firm, and collaboration between firms are of particular importance to low-tech firms, while 'harder factors' such as 'strategy and leadership', 'planning and selection', or 'structure and performance' have an insignificant effect. In this study, we extend the discussion of product innovation management, and demonstrate a number of important differences between high and low-tech firms.

Keywords: innovation management; product innovation; PIM; product innovation performance; homogeneous goods; low-tech firms; high-tech firms; Netherlands; paper industry; agricultural products; energy industry; agriculture; communication; collaboration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTMKT.2015.068608

International Journal of Technology Marketing, 2015 Vol.10 No.2, pp.179 - 194

Received: 23 Sep 2013
Accepted: 03 Jul 2014
Published online: 06 Apr 2015 *

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