Success factors in R&D: A meta‐analysis of the empirical literature and derived implications for design management

Abstract

In our world of shortening product life cycles and standardized products, design has become the chief means of differentiating product ranges from those of competitors, creating additional perceived value for customers, and building up a recognizable brand image. For this reason, design has in many organizations become a central corporate function,1 and the management of design has evolved into a profession and scientific discipline in its own right (Chung, 1998). Today, design management may be considered an integrative discipline that unites the efforts of an organization with a view to creating a product or service offering that is both appealing to customers and in line with longer-term corporate objectives