Innovation roadmapping: Building a theoretical framework from multiple cases of industrial firms

DS 75-3: Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED13) Design For Harmonies, Vol. 3: Design Organisation and Management, Seoul, Korea 19-22.08.2013

Year: 2013
Editor: Udo Lindemann, Srinivasan V, Yong Se Kim, Sang Won Lee, John Clarkson, Gaetano Cascini
Author: Simonse, Lianne W.L.; Buijs, Jan A.; Hultink, Erik-Jan
Series: ICED
Institution: Delft University of Technology, Faculty Industrial Design Engineering, Netherlands, The
Page(s): 269-276
ISBN: 978-1-904670-46-9
ISSN: 2220-4334

Abstract

This paper investigates the phenomenon of innovation roadmapping from the dimensions of activity and performance. We employed a multiple case analysis on 12 cases of industrial firms to identify the commonly shared roadmapping characteristics in a systematic way. Drawing on the strategic innovation management theory, we define five concepts that are constructed from the richness of clarifications and descriptions of roadmapping experiences. As results, we found that innovation roadmapping is established by a (1) strategy of time pacing, (2) synchronizing dialogues and (3) mapping innovation elements to a timeline. Furthermore, our findings indicate that innovation roadmapping affects either (4) competitive timing or (5) industry synergy, in innovation performance. This led to the development of a theoretical framework for innovation roadmapping with the formulation of six propositions. The key insights for innovation managers in industrial firms are that, in striving for competitive timing or innovation synergy, roadmapping provides a means to achieve these objectives and, in deploying roadmapping in the organization, dialogue and pacing are critically important.

Keywords: Roadmapping, dialogue, platform strategies, early design phases, design management

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