Configural paths to successful product innovation

This study offers an integrated framework involving antecedent paths to successful product innovation. The study explores conditional models leading to high product-innovation performance using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). Based on relevant literature, this study categorizes relevant antecedents including organization-related, project-related, process-related, product-related, and market-related categories, and the newness of product innovation, into causal recipes. To assess the applicability of this conceptual model, researchers collected data from R&D managers and members of high-tech firms in Taiwan. The study includes dividing sampled firms into three groups according to the extent of within-firm agreement on responses by executives to questions about antecedents (in surveys that they answered independently). The findings include model routes to high product-innovation performance for each group. The findings indicate that no one simple antecedent is sufficient or necessary for high performance; no one path is necessary for high performance. However, there is only one avenue to successful product innovation for low-agreement cases. This study also finds some common rules behind these paths across groups. The strategy implication is to think through alternative paths and not key success factors for achieving high product-innovation performance. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.