Cross-functional shifts in roadmapping: Sequence analysis of roadmapping practices at a large corporation

Cross-functional shifts in roadmapping: Sequence analysis of roadmapping practices at a large corporation

Simonse, W.L.
Perks, H.

Industrial Design Engineering

Product Innovation Management

2014-12-31

This study unravels the nature of inter-functional integration in roadmapping. Roadmapping is indicated as an important innovation phenomenon and is practiced by multiple large organizations. Functional integration is widely acknowledged to play a significant role in enhancing new product success. Roadmapping outcomes have been shown to shape and influence NPD practices and performance. Yet, little is known about the nature of functional involvement in roadmapping and its impact on roadmapping performance. This paper provides an empirical contribution to the understanding of the roadmapping phenomenon and extends the existing body of knowledge on functional integration towards the context of front end innovation. The aim is to unravel the nature of inter-functional integration in roadmapping from the rationale that detailed interactions must be tracked to offer a realistic account of how roadmapping occurs and how employees from different functional departments integrate their contributions into a roadmap. A sequential analysis method is employed to examine roadmapping practices. In this rigorous data analysis procedure to systematically evaluate and make sense of longitudinal data also ‘objects’ are included to be able to analyse the maps used for inter-functional mapping. Philips, the large multinational corporation of Dutch origin, was chosen as the case site. Roadmap data spanning five years from 2002 to 2007 were collected at the Philips Beverages business unit. Supported by the QDA miner software, the detailed analysis led to a substantial data set of 479 identified events and 137 objects. The overall analysis resulted in the reconstruction of 21 sequences. These sequences are associated with the roadmapping outcome; the envisioned products on the roadmap. The end results determined six patterns of commonalities and differences among the sequences of actions, interactions and objects. The sequence patterns are 1.Technology innovation route; 2.Market creation route; 3.Market competitor-inspired route; 4. Market innovation route; 5. Product improvement route; 6.Market improvement route. With respect to the new product performance of envisioned versus actual new products, the results indicate that mapping with numerous functional involvement may not result in more successful product introductions. Overall, the results show a shift in functional leadership of roadmapping practice to marketing, demonstrating a broadening of cross-functional relations. Contrary to the literature, we found that technology involvement in roadmapping can be low. Further, our case analysis indicates how marketing domination in early roadmapping practices can lead to unsuccessful product launches.

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:6fd94e83-3f13-4584-9102-44e0f815251f

EIASM

21st International Product Development Management Conference " Innovation through Engineering, Business and Design, Limerick (Ireland), 15-17 June, 2014

Institutional Repository

conference paper

(c) 2014 Simonse, W.L., Perks, H.