Joshi, A. W. & Sharma, S. (2004). Customer Knowledge Development: Antecedents and Impact on New Product Performance. Journal of Marketing, 68(4), 47-59.

Format: Peer-reviewed article

Type: Research — Non-experimental

Experience level of reader: Fundamental

Annotation: The authors explored factors involved in new product success resulting from customer knowledge development. Results indicate that cross-functional teams, senior management champions, incentive systems that reward activities more so than outcomes, and constructive conflict resolution all have a significant connection with new product success.

Setting(s) to which the reported activities/findings are relevant: Large business, Small business (less than 500 employees)

Knowledge user(s) to whom the piece of literature may be relevant: Manufacturers

Knowledge user level addressed by the literature: Organization

This article uses the Commercial Devices and Services version of the NtK Model

Insufficiently verified knowledge and changing consumer preferences can have a negative impact on the accuracy of customer preference knowledge.
Survey of 165 Canadian manufacturing firms.
Occurrence of finding within the model: Step 4.11, Step 2.2

• Senior management should champion product leadership as an organizational goal such that customer knowledge development activities gain meaning, and motivate staff to pursue them.
  Survey of 165 Canadian manufacturing firms.
  Occurrence of finding within the model: Step 1.5

• Responsibility for new product development should be assigned to cross-functional teams.
  Survey of 165 Canadian manufacturing firms.
  Occurrence of finding within the model: Step 1.5

Understanding customer needs and preferences is a key factor in new product success. (Cooper and Kleinschmidt, 1995, 1996)
Occurrence of finding within the model: Step 4.11, Step 2.2, Step 1.1, Step 6.1