Role of innovative behavior and bricolage in new product development process within hi-tech firms

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of bricolage in new product development (NPD) within organizations. The results of a survey carried out among 117 product development managers from 3 organizations in hi-tech domain demonstrated that innovative behavior was positively related to performance (outcomes and efficiency) but via positive mediated effect of bricolage within new product development projects. The contribution of the study is threefold, being the first of its kind to test linkages between innovative behavior and performance, to test empirically and quantitatively the role of bricolage in established firms and third by providing evidence in NPD processes through an individual perspective. This research shows how crucial innovative behavior and bricolage are for performance within firms in creative processes of NPD. The results highlight importance of merging behavioral perspective with resource-based perspective within NPD, and the importance of selection and utilization of available firm-resources. Keywords: New product development, bricolage, innovative behavior, structural equation model