Speeding up the pace of new product development

This study empirically investigates a wide array of factors that have been argued to differentiate fast from slow innovation processes from the perspe ctive of the research and development organization. We test the effects of strategic orientation (criteria- and scope-related variables) and organizat ional capability (staffing- and structuring-related variables) on the speed of 75 new product development projects from ten large firms in several ind ustries. Backward-elimination regression analysis revealed that (a) clear t ime-goals, longer tenure among team members, and parallel development incre ased speed, whereas (b) design for manufacturability, frequent product test ing, and computer-aided design systems decreased speed However, when projec ts were sorted by magnitude of change, different factors were found to infl uence the speed of radical and incremental projects. Moreover, some factors that sped up radical innovation (e.g., concept clarity, champion presence, co-location) were found to slow down incremental innovation. Together, the radical and incremental models explain differences in speed better than th e general model. This suggests a contingency approach to speeding up innova tion. Implications for researchers and managers are discussed. (C) 1999 Els evier Science Inc.