Customer involvement in new product development A relationship marketing perspective

Purpose - The purpose of the paper is to create an increased understanding of new product development processes concerning customer involvement. A relationship marketing perspective has provided the theoretical basis, allowing a new perspective. Design/methodology/approach - A qualitative, multiple case study, based on in-depth interviews in three small companies and three large, multinational enterprises has been carried out. Findings - The findings indicate the value of cross-functional teams and customer involvement. The use of formal methods for customer involvement, however, is found to be limited. Some creative ways of using cross-functional teams in small companies are described. Research limitations/implications - A framework for customer involvement in new product development, based on the levels of relationships, is proposed. This framework conceptualises the customer-involvement options identified in earlier research, based on the levels of relationship as defined in relationship marketing theory. Practical implications - The framework gives directions how product development in various levels of relations could be handled. The paper also gives examples of how to organise cross-functional teams. Originality/value - The framework developed in the paper is useful for the theoretical conceptualisation of the area. In addition, it provides a structured base for future studies.