A relationship model for factors influencing knowledge transfer between NPD teams

Frank, Alejandro Germán; Ayala, Néstor Fabián; Corso, Mariano; Ribeiro, José Luis Duarte

doi:10.1590/0103-6513.20180055

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Sumário

Thematic Section - Knowledge Management and Learning Organization: Academic Contributions • Prod. 28 • 2018 • https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-6513.20180055 copy

A relationship model for factors influencing knowledge transfer between NPD teams

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Paper aims

To define a model that describes the relationship among the main factors influencing knowledge transfer (KT) between new product development (NPD) teams.

Originality

We offer a systemic vision of the relationship between the KT factors. All main KT factors are analyzed together considering the interdependence among them.

Research method

KT factors from the literature were used for the model development, which was accomplished through a quantitative evaluation of scholars and practitioners. To test the model, a practical assessment was conducted in five firms using regression analysis.

Main findings

The model describes the relationships of 15 main factors and it can be used for practical assessments or for future theoretical studies.

Implications for theory and practice

The model can help practitioners to use knowledge of their teams for continuous innovation in NPD. It allows to perform diagnoses of the KT factors in the specific context of a given firm.

Keywords
New product development; Knowledge management; Knowledge transfer; Knowledge sharing

SST	Types of Factors	Factors	Scope
Personnel	Work environment	Motivation and individual interests (MII)	Willingness to interact and to share knowledge.
		Organizational culture and climate (OCC)	Disposition of the group to learn, company’s traditions, teamwork style and the feeling of comfort to learn as a team.
		Leadership and organizational strategies (LOS)	Leaders’ encouragement approaches, work style with the teams and company strategies for human resources development.
	Capability development of staff	Human and technical skills (HTS)	Technical and managerial knowledge and communicative and cognitive capabilities of the person.
		Strategies and practices of team management (SPTM)	Forms of recruitment, integration and collaborative team work techniques, incentive methods, knowledge management activities, etc.
		Relationships with R&D centers (RECE)	Forms of cooperation and partnership with universities and R&D centers through joint research, consulting, patent transfer, etc.
Technological	Technological infrastructure	IT and integration of databases (ITDB)	Technologies for managing and storage documents, for identification of information sources and communication; level of access allowed to team members to information and knowledge sources.
	Technological infrastructure	Equipment for project development (EQPD)	Use of laboratory equipment and testing, CAD/CAE tools, virtual prototypes, and any type of equipment, whether material or software, which will be useful for the product development.
	Physical infrastructure	Disposition of workplace and adequacy of infrastructure (WORK)	Layout of the work for team integration. Size of the work environment and proximity to the equipment needed.
Work Design	Management practices of product development	Product strategies (PROS)	Strategic characteristics such as number of projects to be developed, product innovation efforts, types of family and product platforms, etc.
		Organizational structure and project activities (OSPA)	Organization of project stages and tasks, use of management models for project organization, team arrangements.
		Use of methods and tools of NPD (MET)	Tools used to support product development, such as QFD, FMEA, Fault Tree, etc.
External Environment	Context influence	Relationship with suppliers and other companies (RESU)	Cooperation and partnership with other companies. Integration with suppliers (co-development).
		Government policies (POL)	Government policies to encourage innovation activities, partnerships between companies, incentives for equipment and technology acquisition, etc.
		Cultural background of people in the region (CUL)	Characteristics of the region such as the culture of people at work, their level of education, etc.

No.	Expert	Position	Industrial Sector	Size of the company*	Size of the NPD team
1	Professional	Product Engineer	Steel	5,170	43
2	Professional	Product Manager	Metallurgical	3,340	109
3	Professional	Project Manager	Automotive	2,760	61
4	Professional	Product Manager	Automotive	2,440	58
5	Professional	R&D Supervisor	Semiconductor	1,820	35
6	Professional	Project Engineer	Automotive	1,790	157
7	Professional	R&D Engineer	Consumer goods	1,530	104
8	Professional	R&D Manager	Industrial equipment	550	21
9	Professional	Project Engineer	Computer	520	215
10	Professional	Product Engineer	Consumer goods	480	25
11	Professional	General Manager	Telecommunications	410	208
12	Professional	R&D Engineer	Electronics	330	32
13	Professional	Project Engineer	Engineering Projects	122	15
14	Professional	R&D Engineer	Food	86	11
15	Professional	Product Manager	Electronics	61	24
16	Academic	Researcher	University - R&D	--	--
17	Academic	Researcher	University - R&D	--	--
18	Academic	Researcher	University - R&D	--	--
19	Academic	Researcher	University - R&D	--	--
20	Academic	Researcher	University - R&D	--	--
21	Academic	Researcher	University - R&D	--	--
22	Academic	Researcher	University - R&D	--	--

Case	Industrial sector	Size (employees)	NPD team’s size	Interviewees (NPD project team)
Company A	Industrial machinery	500	100	2 supervisors; 3 product engineers
Company B	Agriculture machinery	2,200	150	1 supervisor; 1 project leader; 3 product engineers
Company C	Oil and Gas equipment	3,500	100	1 project manager; 1 supervisor; 3 product engineers
Company D	Construction	4,500	50	3 supervisors; 2 product engineers
Company E	Information technologies	500	200	8 project managers; 8 project leaders; 7 product engineers

		KT factors as independent variables
		HTS	MII	OCC	LOS	SPTM	ITDB	EQPD	WORK	PROS	OSPA	MET	RESU	RECE	POL	CUL
KT factors as dependent variables	HTS		3.35	3.06	3.29	3.18	2.41	2.41	1.82	2.12	2.12	2.35	2.53	2.94	1.35	2.59
	MII	2.65		3.47	3.18	3.41	1.94	2.59	2.53	2.29	2.47	1.94	2.06	2.88	1.24	2.53
	OCC	3.29	2.88		3.59	3.06	2.12	1.65	2.59	2.00	2.25	1.76	2.00	2.35	1.41	2.65
	LOS	3.18	3.12	3.24		2.76	1.65	1.29	1.88	2.18	1.88	1.19	1.71	2.13	1.59	2.53
	SPTM	2.88	2.94	3.29	3.50		1.41	1.29	2.06	1.88	1.76	1.41	1.65	2.06	1.71	2.59
	ITDB	2.59	2.35	2.53	2.76	2.12		2.76	2.12	2.00	2.53	2.18	1.41	1.47	1.24	1.94
	EQPD	3.18	2.47	2.65	2.94	1.94	2.59		2.35	2.53	2.35	2.18	1.76	2.12	1.65	1.94
	WORK	1.88	1.82	2.76	2.82	1.59	2.00	2.06		1.88	2.29	1.65	1.13	1.12	0.94	1.41
	PROS	3.06	2.59	3.24	3.53	2.12	2.35	2.47	1.94		2.94	2.47	2.53	2.71	2.53	2.24
	OSPA	3.13	2.47	2.80	3.00	2.27	2.93	2.67	2.87	2.87		2.27	1.80	2.13	1.00	2.13
	MET	3.13	2.33	2.87	2.93	2.13	2.53	2.07	1.53	2.47	2.80		1.40	1.87	0.73	1.53
	RESU	2.47	2.20	2.60	2.87	1.67	1.60	1.60	0.87	2.20	1.93	1.60		2.00	1.87	1.73
	RECE	3.00	2.53	2.87	3.27	2.00	1.67	1.93	1.20	3.00	1.67	1.53	1.93		2.47	2.33
	POL	1.47	1.27	2.00	2.13	1.47	1.13	0.87	0.80	2.20	1.33	1.00	1.93	2.40		2.07
	CUL	2.20	1.87	2.13	2.47	2.33	1.00	1.07	1.00	1.60	1.07	1.00	1.67	2.33	2.67

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