Recent Trends

Abstract

In Chapter 1 we described how current trends mean that successful NPD in today’s environment requires companies to have more creative R&D organizations, use information technology (IT) more extensively, develop new products more quickly, base NPD on core competencies, develop products for global markets, ensure that their product mixes are in line with corporate strategies, and develop environmentally friendly products. We have already discussed creativity in R&D organizations (Chapter 7), core competency-based NPD (Chapter 6), developing products for global markets (Chapter 4), and the strategic restructuring of product mixes (Chapter 10). We also touched on ways to speed the NPD process in Chapter 3. In this chapter we will further discuss the need for faster development. Then we will take up the use of IT in NPD, and the development of environmentally friendly products.