Investigating the link between timing of supplier integration in new product development processes and development speed: An exploratory study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the theoretical and practical link between timing of supplier integration and new product development speed. More specifically, it aims to show that certain conditions characterizing the point of integration must be in place to allow for shorter new product development cycle times. Design/Method/Approach – An interview-based cross-sectional research design is employed to capture data on the relationship of interest. Data were collected among industrial companies in the Netherlands and Germany. Findings – This research reveals that a buyer-supplier relationship, knowledge exchange, time scheduling and genuine engagement are factors impacting on where in the new product development process the integration of a supplier has highest potential to accelerate development speed. Research limitations – The data for this research were captured at one moment in time from a relatively small sample size, which may affect the generalizability of the present study’s findings. Practical implications – The main managerial lesson is that buyer-supplier relationships must exhibit engagement, trust, and openness in order to facilitate supplier integration and eventually speed up joint processes and projects. Originality/value – This study helps better understand the linkages between supplier integration and speed in a new product development context. Additionally, it investigates conditions that potentially determine that link. Paper type – Bachelor thesis