Supporting Time Management in the Process of New Product Development: The Source of Problems and Directions of Research, the Problem of Creative Work

Abstract

The chapter attempts to identify phenomena occurring in the innovation development process (IDP) which may affect the time of its implementation (often understood as efficiency), and in particular the occurrence of delays. The aim of the chapter was to determine the areas and topics of research that emerge after identification of the problems related to the use of time in innovative activity. The research was carried out using a literature review of phenomena related to the time of implementation of innovative projects concerning essentially the behaviour of employees and the very nature of the innovation development process (IDP). As a result of the research, the framework of the problems of time management in an innovative project was outlined, concerning the areas related to employee behaviour and determinants created by the innovation development process itself. The directions for further research on the relationship between the duration of IDP, the psychological traits of employees and the characteristics of the process were identified. The issues discussed in the chapter do not exhaust all the threads and contexts related to the use of time allocated to the implementation of IDP processes. The study identified areas for improvement that could contribute to the better use of the time spent on innovation. The main areas of informational and IT support for the IDP process were indicated, which can be further developed into detailed algorithms. The research is unique and holistic, combining a hard approach to the IDP process itself with a soft approach to psychological phenomena.