Technological entrepreneurship - Integrating technological and product innovation

Using case study material from an advanced chemical technology, this paper identifies two forms of connection between the developer/producer of a new technology and the manufacturers of consumer products. In the first, the co nnection is direct, whilst in the second it is effected through an intermed iary company which has developed an expertise in tailoring the new technolo gy to particular applications. Whilst the direct connection has resulted in a number of NPD failures, the mediated connection has been consistently su ccessful. Through an examination of two NPD programmes within each chain of connection, the paper examines the reasons for these differential success rates, and discusses the implications for the organization of NPD within ad vanced technology fields. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserve d.