The Role of Logistics in New Product Development

A successful new product development (NPD) projects program is critical for many firms' overall company strategy. What has been rarely researched, however, is logistics' role in NPD. The authors examine empirical testing of the relationship between NPD logistics performance and NPD project performance improvements and NPD logistical involvement. These relationships were tested by surveying senior logistics managers in United States' manufacturing firms. The authors argue that logistical involvement in NPD resulted in improved NPD logistics performance and NPD project performance.