Exploring Robust Design Capabilities, Their Role in Creating Global Products, and Their Relationship to Firm Performance^*

Abstract

With the increasing desire for products suitable for widely varying markets worldwide, this study offers insight into capabilities associated with successful robust design in global product markets. These robust design capabilities (i.e., the possibility for success under varying circumstances or scenarios) are a potential organizational response to rapid change and uncertainty, which also improve the likelihood of product acceptance on a global basis. From literature, executive interviews, and anecdotal evidence, four capabilities associated with robust product design are derived: (1) functional; (2) aesthetic; (3) technological; and (4) quality based. A model is proposed and an empirical test conducted that considers the moderating influence of environmental uncertainty on the relationship between these robust capabilities and firm performance. The findings suggest that the use of robust design capabilities are affected by uncertainty and have an important influence on firm performance and speed to market. Specifically, the product development process tends to be characterized by aesthetic and technological robust design capabilities in more certain environments and functional robust design capabilities in more uncertain environments when seeking to improve firm performance. Alternatively, technological design capabilities in more certain environments and functional design capabilities in more uncertain environments are associated with improved speed to market.

Resources in NPD: An Investigation of Resource Capabilities

“…A firm controls a flexible resource base if multiple strategic options are available for its use (Uhlenbruck, Meyer, & Hitt, 2003). Flexible resources also can be useful for developing important NPD capabilities (Swan, Kotabe, & Allred, 2005), which likely apply to more than one product (Chatterjee & Wernerfelt, 1988).…”

Indicator Policy Factsheets: A Knowledge Brokerage Tool

“…The aim is to gain users' attention in a crowded field of similar concepts and indicators. Postrel [43] states that aesthetics is an increasingly important element of our society with a strong focus on how things look and feel, as well as their function. The importance of aesthetics has also been confirmed by Swan et al [44], who demonstrate that product aesthetics affects how they are evaluated.…”

Overview of Literature Relevant to Information and Communication Technology Based Healthcare Design in Rural China

“…In social impact aspect, Arnould (Arnould and Mohr, 2005) proposed that BoP local culture (social-cultural impact) will affect design activities and results a lot. and in innovation management aspect, Barczak et al (2006 and provided ideas about innovative investigations of new product development, Bart (2002 and said that content exploration and management will affect product design process, and Swan (2005) gave suggestions on innovation for robust product development.…”

“…Some market -successful cases in the three intersecting fields were piloted, like shampoo case (Uniliver designed small packaging for BoP countries (Prahalad and Hart, 2002)) or mobile phone case. (Nokia developed simplified function and cheap mobile phones for BoP countries (Kandachar and Halme, 2008) (Barczak, 2006 and; Strategy of product innovation (Bart, 2002;Dell et al, 2007) Robust Design capabilities (Swan, 2005) … Needs oriented (Kandachar, 2007) 4A theory (Diehl, 2007) Culture impact (Arnould, 2005) Disruptive innovation (Christensen, 2006) Great leap (Hart, 2002) Market innovation (Prahalad, 2002) … Figure 1: Literature fields relevant to Design for Base of the Pyramid (Christensen, 2006;Prahalad, 2002, etc. ) …”