How cross-functional management influences new product development: a socio-technical perspective

ABSTRACT

This paper develops an integrated theoretical framework of cross-functional management from a socio-technical perspective, focusing on technical support, job rotation and process standardisation. It then explores the effects of these three practices on new product development (NPD) via a global survey of 725 manufacturing companies in 20 countries. The results show that technical support and job rotation are positively related to the speed of NPD, while process standardisation and job rotation are positively associated with the quality of new products. These results contribute to the field of NPD by integrating the technical and social aspects of cross-functional management.

KEYWORDS:

• New product development
• cross-functional management
• technical support
• job rotation
• process standardisation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Yuanqiong He is an Associate Professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Her research interests are new product (service) development and operations management. Her work has appeared in the International Journal of Production Economics, Management and Organization Review, Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Total Quality Management & Business Excellence and International Journal of Human Resource Management.

Hongyi Sun is an Associate Professor at City University of Hong Kong. His research interests are innovation management and supply chain management. His work has appeared in the Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, TECHNOVATION, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal and International Journal of Production Research.

Yun Chen is an Associate Professor at Hubei University of Economics. His research interests are innovation in small business and entrepreneurship. His work has appeared in Asia Pacific Journal of Management and Journal of Chinese Entrepreneurship.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a fund from National Natural Science Foundation of China [71172088] and a General Research Fund [CityU 148808] offered by the Hong Kong SAR Government.