Implementing the new product development process

Much discussion in the new product development (NPD) literature is concerned with describing blueprints for more effective systems for managing the process. Features of the emergent pattern of good practice in NPD include cross-functional team working, early involvement, effective project management arrangements and learning systems. However, there is relatively little in the literature on the implementation question; how a particular organisation can articulate and embed the necessary behaviour patterns and accompanying structures and processes needed to make good-practice NPD work for them. This paper reports on a case study of an electronics firm designing and implementing a new NPD system. In particular, it emphasises the organisational development processes required to implement and develop ownership of the system. The paper concludes with some comments on transferring this approach to other organisations, and on research issues arising from the experience. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd