The present bachelor thesis aimes to make a systematic literature review on customer integration in the new product development process because no similar literature review on this topic has been available thus far. After explaining some theoretical background on innovation and customer engagement as a preamble of customer integration in the marketing theory, the research method was described, and the results were presented.
There is also an explanation of reasons why customer integration is useful and rational and nowadays not a rare occurrence anymore. As results of the systematic review, different instruments on customer integration in the new product development were categorized and risks and benefits were mainly discussed. The implications of the thesis were that customer integration is beneficial at all, but a company has to evaluate possible risks and methods painstakingly.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical background
2.1 Customer Engagement
3. Method
4. Results
4.1 Roles and types of customers in NPD
4.2 Customer integration in the different stages of the NPD process
4.3 Customer integration in the new product development process
4.3.1 Reasons
4.3.2 Advantages
4.3.3 Risks
5. Discussion
6. Implications
6.1 Managerial Implications
6.2 Theoretical Implications
7. Limitations
Research Objective & Themes
The primary objective of this bachelor thesis is to conduct a systematic literature review on the integration of customers into the new product development (NPD) process, as there has been a lack of such reviews to date. The study aims to categorize various instruments for customer integration, discuss the associated benefits and risks, and provide guidance for firms on how to effectively leverage customer knowledge for innovation.
- Theoretical foundations of Innovation and Customer Engagement.
- Methodological approach for a systematic literature review in marketing.
- Categorization of customer roles (e.g., Lead User, Co-Creator) in NPD.
- Analysis of integration tools across different stages of the NPD process.
- Risk-benefit evaluation of customer integration for corporate innovation performance.
Extract from the Book
Customer integration in the different stages of the NPD process
The notion that firms can improve their innovation performance using customers’ knowledge around needs and solutions has led companies to increasingly involve customers in various phases of the NPD process (Fang, 2008). CI can be used in all stages of the NPD process. For example in the product development stage (e.g., product design and engineering), customers can provide solution-related knowledge such as technical advice or design skills. In the launch stage (e.g., prototype testing and market launch), customers are frequently invited to test prototypes in a real-use setting and also to help launch new products (Chang & Taylor, 2016). In literature and even in practice, product innovation is generally conceptualized as a five-stage NPD process (see figure 1): ideation, concept development, product design, product testing, and product introduction (Urban & Hauser, 1993).
In the front-end stages of the NPD process (e.g., ideation and concept development), firms use market research techniques like focus groups, customer surveys and quantitative methods like conjoint analysis to create, test, and refine new product concepts (Urban & Hauser, 1993). The NPD process in the early stages can also benefit from online virtual communities, which bring together users who have common interests and engage in online conversations to share their experiences with like-minded people (Kozinets, 1999). To facilitate customer participation in virtual communities, the firm may rely on intangible incentives like recognition and opinion leaders in consumer-related markets, while it may need to provide economic incentives in B2B-markets.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the strategic importance of Customer Engagement and the shift from passive consumers to active co-producers in modern product development.
2. Theoretical background: This section defines the concepts of Customer Engagement and engagement behaviors, providing a comprehensive overview of how these psychological states drive customer-firm relationships.
3. Method: This chapter details the systematic review methodology, including the database search strategy (EBSCO, Emerald, ScienceDirect, Wiley) and the criteria for selecting peer-reviewed literature.
4. Results: This core section categorizes various customer roles in innovation and analyzes the tools and risks associated with integrating customers across the five-stage NPD process.
5. Discussion: This chapter synthesizes the main findings, highlighting the higher frequency of customer integration in early NPD stages and summarizing the trade-offs between advantages and risks.
6. Implications: This section provides actionable guidance for managers on navigating risks, alongside theoretical reflections on existing research gaps regarding customer integration in later NPD phases.
7. Limitations: This final chapter acknowledges the constraints of the study, such as the focus on specific search terms and the subjective nature of the developed conceptual model.
Keywords
Customer Integration, Customer Engagement, New Product Development, NPD, Innovation, Co-Creation, Lead User, Market Research, Virtual Communities, Risk Management, Competitive Advantage, Collaborative Innovation, Product Design, Marketing Strategy, Consumer Behavior.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this bachelor thesis?
This thesis focuses on conducting a systematic literature review regarding the integration of customers into the New Product Development (NPD) process.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The central themes include the theoretical definition of Customer Engagement, the classification of different customer roles in innovation, the specific methods for integration across the five stages of NPD, and the associated benefits and risks for firms.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The primary goal is to close the gap in the existing literature by categorizing customer integration instruments and providing a balanced view of how these activities impact innovation performance and market risk.
Which scientific method was applied in this work?
The author performed a systematic literature review, utilizing specific databases like EBSCO, Emerald, ScienceDirect, and Wiley to identify and analyze relevant peer-reviewed studies published up to November 2017.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main part of the thesis covers the taxonomy of customer roles (e.g., Lead Users, Co-creators), the mapping of tools (e.g., online surveys, rapid prototyping) to NPD stages, and a detailed risk analysis regarding organization, capacity, knowledge, and market factors.
Which keywords best describe this research?
The research is best characterized by terms such as Customer Integration, Customer Engagement, New Product Development, Co-Creation, and Innovation Management.
Does the thesis suggest that customer integration always leads to better product outcomes?
No, the thesis highlights that customer integration involves both advantages and risks, noting that it can sometimes lead to incremental rather than radical innovations if firms are not careful about managing customer input.
What are the four primary risk factors for customer integration mentioned?
The author identifies four specific risk factors: Organization risk, Capacity risk, Knowledge risk, and Market risk.
Why is customer integration more common in the early stages of NPD?
The research notes that customer integration is more frequently observed in the ideation and concept development stages because this provides the most flexibility for firms to incorporate customer feedback without high project costs.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Nele Heubeck (Autor:in), 2018, A systematic literature review on customer integration in the new product development process, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/539272
