Linda Rochford

How involving more functional areas within a firm affects the new product process

Effective new product development decisions are often based on information obtained from multiple functional areas in the organization, making effective communications an important part of successful development efforts. Linda Rochford and William Rudelius examine the effects on new product performance of obtaining information from multiple functional areas during the stages of the new product development process. In addition, they explore the effects of information sharing among functional areas on new product performance. Results suggest that a surprisingly large number of functional areas in the medical products firms in the study do not contribute or use information in many of the new product development stages. However, for several stages of the new product process, obtaining information from more functional areas and sharing information among more functional areas has a positive impact on new product performance.

New product development process: Stages and successes in the medical products industry

Abstract This study investigates how firms manufacturing medical devices use the new product development (NPD) process. It compares new-to-the world products with product modifications in terms of the perceived importance of 12 NPD stages by RD NPD stages actually performed; and the relation of these activities to new product success. Although significant variations occur among the use of specific NPD stages, the firms use the NPD stages more often for new-to-the world products than for product modifications, and “high-success products” utilize the NPD stages more often than “low-success products.” Respondent perceptions of NPD stage importance are consistent with whether a particular stage is undertaken. Marketing stages generally seem less important than other stages and are less frequently undertaken. Managers interested in developing successful new-to-the-world products may want to use a more “complete” new product process. On the other hand, successful product modifications may be able to take some short cuts in the new product process without jeopardizing new product success.

How New Product Introductions Affect Sales Management Strategy: The Impact of Type of "Newness" of the New Product

How do firms adjust sales management strategy for new product launch? Does sales management strategy change more radically for different types of new products such as new-to-the-world products versus product revisions? Because firms introducing a new product rely considerably on their sales force in the product launch effort, the types and degree of changes made in managing the selling effort are important issues. Past studies have demonstrated that firms make substantial adjustments in their sales management strategy when they introduce a new product. This study expands on previous investigations by examining whether sales management strategy changes are conditioned by the type of newness of the new product to the market and to the firm. Australian sales managers were asked to respond to a mail questionnaire concerning pre- and post-new product launch sales management activities. Three groups of firms were compared: (1) those with new-to-the-market and new-to-the-firm products (i.e., new-to-the-world products); (2) those with products new to the firm but not new to the market; and (3) those with products that are revisions to the firm and not new to the market. The study finds that firms do not make the most adjustments for products with the greatest degree of market newness—the new-to-the-world types of products—except in the sales management strategy categories of compensation and supervision. In the other sales management strategy categories defined for study—organization, training, quotas and goals, and sales support as well as for all categories in the aggregate—sales management strategy changes were greatest in incidence, as measured both by the percent of firms making changes and the average number of changes per firm, when the new product was new to the firm but not new to the market. These results suggest that, because different types of new products face different competitive environments, there may be greater incentive for a not-new-to-the-market new-to-the-firm product to make changes in sales strategy. Uncertainties about market size and customer location with new-to-the-world products may limit the understanding of what changes to make in the strategy categories of quotas and territories. Similarly, uncertainties about product use and customer acceptance of new-to-the-world products may limit the development of training and sales support materials by these firms. Instead, these firms may rely more on compensation and supervision to direct sales efforts for new-to-the-world products. However, observing the market experience and performance of the first-to-market product can benefit firms launching a not-new-to-market and new-to-the-firm product, allowing them to rely more on strategy changes in training, sales support materials, organizational adjustments such as redeployments, and quotas.

The Wretched Refuse of a Teeming Shore? A Critical Examination of the Quality of Undergraduate Marketing Students

What is the quality of students attracted to the marketing major relative to other business majors? Although some anecdotal evidence suggests that undergraduate marketing students are less quantitatively oriented, there has been no comprehensive assessment of the overall quality of marketing students relative to other business students. Using a variety of secondary data analyses from nationwide samples, the authors assess the quality of students choosing marketing as a major. The results paint a grim picture for the marketing discipline. Marketing majors are among the poorest performing students relative to other business majors both coming in to and leaving college. Results from a broad-based sample suggest that marketing educators need to start a dialogue on exactly what set of knowledge and skills core to the discipline are being o fered students and their employers. The authors o fer some solutions and point to areas for additional research.

The Impact of New Product Introductions on Sales Management Strategy

This paper investigates how firms modify their sales management strategy when new products are added to the product line sold by their sales force. Comparisons are made between the sales management strategy options utilized by organizations prior to launching a new product or service and subsequent changes occurring in these elements as a result of launching the new product. Results indicate that organizations make a significant number of changes in all areas of the sales management mix. In comparing among these areas, organizations are most likely to change sales management mix elements related to quotas and least likely to make changes in sales organization structure.

An Exploratory Investigation of Computer Simulations, Student Preferences, and Performance

Abstract Previous studies have found no correlation between general student performance (GPA, exam performance) and performance on computer-based simulations. Additionally, there have been only limited examinations of how student learning preferences affect their performance. This exploratory study found a correlation between exam performance and simulation performance. In other words, students who performed well by traditional standards (exams) also performed well on the simulation. In addition, better performing students had a higher preference for learning by reading. A negative correlation between student preference for working with others and both exam and simulation performance was found. Possible implications of these findings are that simulations may not provide an opportunity to demonstrate better performance for traditionally poorer performing students. In addition, better students performed better on simulations and exams and had a low preference for working with others.

The impact of sales management changes on new product success

Although the role of the sales force and sales management mix can be significant in influencing successful new product launch, the impact of specific sales management programs and tactics has not been examined in detail. This study explores whether firms that introduce new products were more successful in achieving their objectives when the new product introduction was accompanied by associated changes in sales management mix variables. Firms that were more successful in achieving their new product objectives accompanied their new product launches with significantly more changes in sales force quotas than did firms whose achievement of new product objectives was less successful. However, no significant differences in the number of changes in sales force structure, training, or sales support were found between firms with more successful versus less successful new products.

New Product Development under Changing Economic Conditions: THE ROLE OF THE SALESFORCE

Proposes an increasing role for the salesforce in the new product development process. Describes how the sales job itself has been evolving toward one of relationship building with customers, and how marketplace and economic changes such as globalization and large debt have caused firms to look much more carefully at the allocation of their resources, including expenditures on the new product development process. Argues that these and other factors, such as the disenchantment with marketing research and personnel downsizing, suggest that the salesforce might begin to play an expanded role in new product development. Discusses the pros and cons of this strategy, along with its implications for salesforce management.

Assessing Higher Level Learning: Developing Rubrics for Case Analysis

Case study analyses allow students to demonstrate proficiency in executing authentic tasks in marketing and management, facilitating faculty evaluation of higher order learning outcomes. Effective and consistent assessment of case analyses depends in large part on the development of sound rubrics. The authors explored the process of rubric development as it relates to assessing problem-solving and decision-making skills through the use of case analysis. Suggestions and guidance for this process are offered based on the literature and compared with the methods used by the authors.

The hot seat: Profiling the marketing department chair

The chair of the marketing department serves a critical role in balancing the needs of the university with those of the faculty. Because most department chairs are drawn from the faculty in their departments, the administrative role they take on conflicts with their desire to maintain their academic roles as teacher and researcher. Although there is evidence that the chair role is perceived differently across disciplines, there has been limited examination of this role in marketing. This study profiles marketing departments and chairs in Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business—accredited schools in the United States and examines how the chairs view their position in the broader context of the department and faculty they serve. The authors propose and empirically test a number of hypotheses pertaining to factors contributing to the stress experienced by marketing department chairs. Results show that marketing department chairs treat their “faculty developer” role as the most important responsibility. A major driver of stress is not the lack of preparation for taking on administrative responsibilities but rather the time demands of the chair position.