Information Technology and Product Development: A Research Agenda presents important new research from varied disciplines aimed at developing new theoretical concepts and insights on the application of IT in product and service innovation. Drawing on the work of researchers in such varied management areas as information services, technology management, marketing, operations, business strategy and organizational behavior, the book redefines the role of IT in product and service development and the organizational and management issues underlying the successful deployment of IT in innovation contexts, and provides a foundation for future research on the diverse types of IT applications in product development and their potential impact on both product and service innovation.
Reflecting two critical shifts in the service sector – the increased complexity and convergence in products and services, along with the rise of the Internet and rapid digitization of products and services – the book is organized into three sections. Section 1 presents four chapters that focus on the traditional areas of project and process management; Section 2 presents four chapters focusing on the emerging areas of collaborative innovation and knowledge co-creation; and Section 3 presents one chapter that draws it all together and identifies some of the important themes and issues for future research.
This important new work has much to offer academic researchers in management in its in-depth theoretical analysis of the wide range of organizational and management issues associated with the application of IT in product and service development. It will also appeal to researchers and thought-leaders in consulting organizations whose primary area of interest is product development or IT applications.