International-market-information use across new-product-development stages: Antecedents and performance implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how firms can better manage new product development (NPD) for international markets (IMs). This is not a trivial task as, for most firms, NPD still tends to be rooted in domestic operations. Design/methodology/approach This study proposes IM information (IMI) use across three stages of the NPD process (concept development, product development and commercialization) as a key driver of international NPD performance. This study also examines two antecedents of such usage: international firm experience; and international innovation culture. A conceptual framework is tested using structural equation modeling, based on data from 137 strategic business units of German firms. Findings The use of IMI during commercialization has a U-shaped (positive quadratic) relationship with international NPD performance, whereas curvilinear relationships in the concept and product-development stages cannot be confirmed. Having an internationally oriented innovation culture increases the level of IMI usage in all NPD process stages, while a firm's international experience only does so in the commercialization stage. Thus, international experience does not necessarily impact access to and understanding of IMI in the early NPD stages. Research limitations/implications This study furthers understanding of NPD phenomena in an international context. However, future studies might consider exploring the mixed patterns of IMI use and NPD performance by looking at new forms and tools of market information management. Moreover, they may uncover more drivers of IMI use and test their frameworks in different contexts. Practical implications Managers should emphasize IMI use throughout the whole NPD process, even in the traditionally more R&D-focused product-development stage. Managers should strive to establish a corporate culture that views IMs as opportunities rather than liabilities. Originality/value This is the first study both to examine the relative impact of IMI use across all distinct NPD stages simultaneously on international NPD performance and to use quadratic effects to explain the relationship.