Predevelopment activities determine new product success

Abstract

This article focuses on the predevelopment activities of the product innovation process: those often ignored steps that precede the actual development of the product. We first look at the mounting evidence that identifies holes in the way in which many industrial firms handle the predevelopment steps. The evidence also reveals that new product success and failure is often decided before the new product project even enters the product development phase. Second, we turn to ways that managers can, should and have improved the effectiveness of these early and crucial stages of the innovation process.