The Role of ICT in Collaborative Product Development: A Conceptual Model Based on Information Processing Theory

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Date
12/03/2014
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Abstract
Manufacturing firms are increasingly adopting collaborative product development (CPD) as a strategy to achieve competitive advantage through joint synergies in introducing new products to market. Substantial increase in use of information and communication technology (ICT) in CPD is evidenced recently, as a result of extended spans between collaborative partners and enhanced collaboration effectiveness. Since using ICT is a highly cost intensive task, uncovering a detailed picture of the effect of ICT usage on CPD performance would be immensely useful for effective management ICT in CPD. This study develops a conceptual model (measurement considerations included) to comprehensively examine the role of ICT in CPD. Organizational information processing theory (OIPT) is adopted as the key methodology to draw the relationship between ICT usage and tangible and intangible outcomes of CPD. The model guides testing of hypotheses concerning direct and moderated effects of ICT usage on CPD performance considering project characteristics (complexity, uncertainty, and urgency) as moderators. Key insights from the model suggest that utilization of ICT resources and capabilities based on the information processing requirement generated by the characteristics of a project would provide better results in terms of both collaborative and new product performance.
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Collaborative product development, ICT usage, organizational information processing theory
Citation
International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, 2014, 5 (1), pp. 43 - 49 (7)
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