Abstract
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The development and introduction of new goods and services determines the nature of operations
conducted within organizations, and hence is a critical determinant of operations management. New
product development (NPD) is widely seen as vital to the success of organizations, especially for those
operating under conditions of increasing competition (such as manufacturing firms), and a growing
body of research has developed aimed at understanding the factors contributing to new product
success. One line of inquiry in this area has emphasised cross-functional integration, notably that
between the Marketing and technical functions such as R&D, as a key success factor. According to
this perspective, such integration, involving high levels of communication, cooperation and
collaboration among personnel from different functional areas (most often characterised by differing
cultures, with differing values, interests, goals, hierarchies, jargon and reward systems) is essential to
ensure that key marketing and technical information informs the development process, specialised
knowledge and skills can be utilised effectively, misunderstandings are reduced, and all can work
together effectively towards a common goal. However, one less studied aspect of the interpersonal
relationships across functions engaged in NPD is that of intra-organizational politics, i.e. NPD
decision making is an intrinsically political process as self-interested individuals and managers jockey
for position, compete for resources, and seek to protect their sectional interests, reputations and career
prospects. Drawing on pioneering work by Hendry (1988, 1990), Maute and Locander (1994), and
Jones and Stevens (1999), our study sought to address this knowledge gap by examining the effect of
technical and marketing managers’ views of each others political behaviour on their communication
and collaboration during NPD projects.