Sustainable and traditional product innovation without scale and experience, but only for KIBS!

This study analyzes the ideal strategic trajectory for sustainable and traditional product innovation. Using a sample of 74 Costa Rican high-performance businesses for 2016, we employ fuzzy set analysis (qualitative comparative analysis) to evaluate how the development of sustainable and traditional product innovation strategies is conditioned by the business’ learning capabilities and entrepreneurial orientation in knowledge-intensive (KIBS) and non-knowledge-intensive businesses. The results indicate two ideal strategic configurations of product innovation. The first strategic configuration to reach maximum product innovation requires the presence of KIBS firms that have both an entrepreneurial and learning orientation, while the second configuration is specific to non-KIBS firms with greater firm size and age along with entrepreneurial and learning orientation. KIBS firms are found to leverage the knowledge-based and customer orientations that characterize their business model in order to compensate for the shortage of important organizational characteristics—which we link to liabilities or smallness and newness—required to achieve optimal sustainable and traditional product innovation.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

A sustainable competitiveness model for strategic alliances: a study of rural entrepreneurs and commercial organisations in Malaysia with special emphasis on Malaysian farmers' organisations

It is evident that strategic alliance route offers Malaysian Farmers’ Organisations a reliable and realistic way forward, towards wealth creation and socio-economic development. It has brought about positive financial rewards to the farmers as well as that of the farmer’s organisations themselves. Statistical significance on effectiveness of the various types of alliance and important control factors of profitable alliance have also been identified. Based on 1991-2004 international strategic alliance development models, a three-stage Dynamic Domestic Sustainable Competitiveness Development Model of Strategic Alliance was developed. It consists of Start-up Period, Adaptation Process and Transformation/termination. With the presence of dynamic business entities, strategic alliance projects inevitably face Competitive Challenge from time to time. A Sustainable Competitiveness Cycle, a product of the Adaptation Process, turns saviour in more ways than one, in a lifespan of an alliance

Strategic Interaction With Multiple Tools: A New Empirical Model

The Lanchester model of strategic interaction typically considers only two-firm rivalry and one strategic tool. This paper presents an alternative that considers rivalry among several firms using multiple tools. Marketing decisions are dynamically optimal and use equations of motion for market share that are consistent with optimal consumer choice. Using a single-market case study that consists of five years of monthly data on ready to eat cereal sales, advertising, product development investments and new product introductions, we test our model against a similar Lanchester specification. Non-nested specification tests fail to reject the proposed model, but reject the Lanchester alternative.advertising, brands, cereal, dynamic, Lanchester, oligopoly, strategic interaction., Marketing,

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS - ARTHUR D. LITTLE MATRIX

In recent decades we have witnessed an unseen dynamism among companies, which is explained by their desire to engage in more activities that provide a high level of development and diversification. Thus, as companies are diversifying more and more, their managers confront a number of challenges arising from the management of resources for the product portfolio and the low level of resources with which companies can identify, at a time. Responding to these challenges, over time were developed a series of analytical product portfolio methods through which managers can balance the sources of cash flows from the multiple products and also can identify the place and role of products, in strategic terms, within the product portfolio. In order to identify these methods the authors of the present paper have conducted a desk research in order to analyze the strategic marketing and management literature of the last 2 decades. Widely were studied a series of methods that are presented in the marketing and management literature as the main instruments used within the product portfolio strategic planning process. Among these methods we focused on the Arthur D. Little matrix. Thus the present paper has the purpose to outline the characteristics and strategic implications of the ADL matrix within a companyâ€(tm)s product portfolio. After conducting this analysis we have found that restricting the product portfolio analysis to the A.D.L. matrix is not a very wise decision. The A.D.L. matrix among with other marketing tools of product portfolio analysis have some advantages and disadvantages and is trying to provide, at a time, a specific diagnosis of a companyâ€(tm)s product portfolio. Therefore, the recommendation for the Romanian managers consists in a combined use of a wide range of tools and techniques for product portfolio analysis. This leads to a better understanding of the whole mix of product markets, included in portfolio analysis, the strategic position held by each product within a market, the performance potential of product portfolio and the financial aspects related to the resource allocation process for the products within the portfolio. It should also be noted that the tools and techniques specific to product portfolio analysis do not give accurate answers, despite the appearances created by the analysis stage, where the products are plotted rigorously. However, their main virtue is simplicity, as these highlight the managersâ€(tm) need for further investigations.product portfolio, ADL matrix, life cycle, competitive position, strategic analysis

Connecting strategic thinking with product innovativeness to reinforce NPD support process

Strategic thinking is considered a significant business process by management experts due to it's appeal to strengthen organizational performance management and its effectiveness. Furthermore, new product development is regarded as the crucial operation of each and every industrial concern. Grounded in such rationality, the current study presents an attempt to connect the concept of strategic thinking with product innovativeness to formulate a diagnostic approach to reinforce NPD support process. The idea behind formulating such a research framework is to offer industrial leaders, a mechanism, that can offer connectivity among various aspects of operations linked to corporate strategy and product innovativeness. The research survey is conducted on 30 team member's representing new product development (NPD) operations at three selected work locations of a European multinational company. The study results highlighted the proposed theoretical connection between the two business operational areas; strategic thinking and product innovation. According to the study results, the key variables that have shown positive linkage among them were, early client involvement (product innovation) to target reach (strategic thinking); customer value (product innovation) to target reach (strategic thinking); early client involvement (product innovation) to customer value (Product innovation); management initiatives (product innovation) to collaboration (strategic thinking); management initiatives (product innovation) to communication (strategic thinking); and idea generation (product innovation) to responsiveness (strategic thinking).fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

In Chains? Automotive Suppliers and Their Product Development Activities

A conceptual framework is developed and tested in which supplier downstream position in the supply chain, supplier innovation strategy and customer development commitment are seen as the antecedents of supplier product development activity. Using partial least squares (PLS), we analyze the results of a survey of 161 Swedish automotive suppliers and test a series of nested models to test our hypotheses. We demonstrate that the position of the supplier in the supply chain and its strategic focus on innovation not only have a direct impact on (actual) supplier product development activity, but that there is also an interaction effect, implying that the effects of strategy are contingent on the supplier???s supply chain position. Additionally, we find that customer development commitment does not have any significant direct effect on supplier product development activities, but that this relation is fully mediated by supplier innovation strategy. The meaning of the findings for developing a more extensive conceptual framework for understanding supplier product development activities, some managerial implications, and future research are discussed.supply chain;product development;supplier relations

Generic PLM system for SMEs: Application to an equipment manufacturer

For several years, digital engineering has increasingly taken a more important place in the strategic issues of mechanical engineering companies. Our proposition is an approach that enables technical data to be managed and used throughout the product life-cycle. This approach aims to provide assistance for costing, development and industrialization of the product, and for the capitalization, the reuse and the extension of fundamental knowledge. This approach has been experimented within several companies. This paper presents the case in a company environment that designs and produces families of ship equipment parts

Implementing Strategic Buyer-supplier Alliances For Product Development

This study is concerned with the successful implementation of alliances as a way of creating competitive advantage. As managers in technology intensive industries try to meet the challenges of rising costs, shortened product lives, and intense competition, they are turning to strategic alliances. Alliances allow a firm to specialize in those activities of the value chain that are essential to its competitive advantage, while entrusting other activities to their partner firms. Much of the past research on strategic alliances has focused on the characteristics of, and motivations for, alliances. There has been little work on how alliances are implemented. This study examines the successful management of strategic alliances for product development.;The purpose was to: (1) develop a synthesized model of alliance management, (2) empirically test the model using data collected from alliance managers, and (3) identify determinants of successful alliance management and performance. The study, as part of an integrated multi-method research program, included a literature review, pilot study, model development, data collection, and model testing. The results of the literature review and pilot study were the basis for the development of the strategic alliance management model. Data to test the model was collected from managers in North American firms involved in thirty-eight product development alliances. The model was tested using Partial Least Squares (PLS) with data collected by questionnaires. The model explains approximately 61 percent of the observed variance in strategic performance.;Based on the results of the study, recommendations are made to practicing managers involved in product development alliances. Essentially three sets of activities, or steps, make up successful alliances, and managers can take specific actions to manage these steps. These activities are initiating, maintenance, and building actions. In evaluating alliance performance, managers can assess operational and strategic performance. Following these guidelines should help managers realize productive and successful product development alliances

Strategic Marketing and Firms Performance:a Study of Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of strategic marketing and firms performance of the Nigerian oil and gas industry. This study adopted a survey research methodology to examine strategic marketing and firms performance of Nigerian oil and gas marketing companies in an attempt to attain their desired level of performance. One hypothesis was formulated from the statement of research problem. Analysis of Variance, Pearson Moment Correlation Analysis, Factor Analysis among other statistical tools were used in testing the hypotheses. The overall results suggest that strategic marketing is a driver of organizational positioning in a dynamic environment, and that it helps to enhance the development of new product/service for existing markets. These findings,along with other interesting findings of the study, are discussed. From the empirical and anecdotal managerial evidence as well as from the literature implications are drawn for the efficient and effective strategic marketing in the Nigerian oil and gas industr

Strategic Marketing Management in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry:a Theoretical Framework

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on strategic marketing management .. This study adopted a expost facto research methodology to examine the strategic marketing management literature in an attempt to attain their desired level of performance. The overall findings suggest that strategic marketing is a driver of organizational positioning in a dynamic environment, and that it helps to enhance the development of new product/service for existing markets. These findings, along with other interesting findings of the study, are discussed. From the empirical and anecdotal managerial evidence as well as from the literature implications are drawn for the efficient and effective strategic marketing practices in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. Based on the findings of the study, the concepts and principles of total quality management within a holistic framework it is recommended that (i) efforts should be made by organizational marketers towards understanding the relevant economic factors that affect both clients’ behaviour and the strategic options that may be adopted to cope with such behaviours; ((ii) in a constantly changing business environment, firms can adopt different strategic marketing practices since the yardstick is the enhancement of business performance