New Product Development Process Among Manufacturing Companies in Developing Countries: A Case Study

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a study that examined the new product development process among manufacturers of industrial and consumer goods in Turkey. The study uses data collected by personal interviews of top executives of 60 industrial manufacturing companies in Turkey. Results indicate that in developing countries, new product development is generally simpler and less risky than in developed countries. Companies usually transfer technology and know-how, patents and licenses from industrial countries to fulfill existing demands which were previously served by imports; or they use product modifications to attract new users or to get more usage from current users. Also most companies place emphasis on the production process, product quality, cost and sales. Finally, the results are compared with a similar study conducted by the Turkish National Productivity Center for consumer products.