Short answer

Design leaders in SMEs should prioritize developing and implementing managerial oversight that encourages a dual focus on leveraging existing IT resources while actively exploring and integrating new IT advancements to drive product innovation.

Field
Innovation & Design
Source
European Journal of Information Systems (2023)
Method
Quantitative research using survey data.
Sample
292 SMEs
Evidence
Strong effect

Strategic managerial activities are crucial for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to effectively balance the exploitation of existing information technology (IT) with the exploration of new IT capabilities, thereby improving new product development (NPD) performance. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in European Journal of Information Systems. Using Quantitative research using survey data. with 292 SMEs, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Design leaders in SMEs should prioritize developing and implementing managerial oversight that encourages a dual focus on leveraging existing IT resources while actively exploring and integrating new IT advancements to drive product innovation.

Study
Innovation & DesignRecentStrong effect

Managerial oversight drives IT ambidexterity for enhanced new product development in SMEs

Strategic managerial activities are crucial for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to effectively balance the exploitation of existing information technology (IT) with the exploration of new IT capabilities, thereby improving new product development (NPD) performance.

European Journal of Information Systems · 2023

01

Key Findings

  • 01Managerial activities positively enable IT ambidexterity in SMEs.
  • 02The relationship between managerial activities and IT ambidexterity is influenced by structural configurations.
  • 03IT ambidexterity is a significant mechanism for enhancing NPD performance in SMEs.
02

Application

Design takeaway

Design leaders in SMEs should prioritize developing and implementing managerial oversight that encourages a dual focus on leveraging existing IT resources while actively exploring and integrating new IT advancements to drive product innovation.

How to apply

Implement structured processes for both maintaining and upgrading IT systems, ensuring that management actively allocates resources and attention to both exploitation and exploration activities.

Project actions

  • 01When researching innovation in SMEs, consider how management influences technology adoption.
  • 02Investigate the balance between maintaining existing product lines and developing new ones through technological means.
03

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate how managerial activities influence information technology ambidexterity and, consequently, enhance new product development performance within small and medium-sized enterprises.
MethodQuantitative research using survey data.
ProcedureData was collected from multiple respondents within 292 high-tech SMEs to examine the relationships between managerial activities, IT ambidexterity, and NPD performance, considering the moderating effect of structural configurations.
Sample292 SMEs
ContextHigh-tech small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Variables

IVManagerial activities
DVNew product development (NPD) performance
CVStructural configurations, IT ambidexterity
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Uses multiple respondents within each SME, increasing data reliability.
  • +Investigates a critical topic for SMEs in the digital age.

Limitations

The study's focus on high-tech SMEs might limit its applicability to other sectors. The data relies on self-reporting, which can be subjective.

Reliability & validity

The use of multiple respondents per firm and established scales for measurement likely enhances reliability and validity, though further psychometric analysis would be beneficial.

Think critically

How might the specific 'structural configurations' mentioned in the study be designed or adapted by SMEs to further enhance the effectiveness of managerial activities in achieving IT ambidexterity?

05

Design Principles

"Ambidextrous IT management, guided by strategic oversight, is essential for fostering innovation and competitive advantage in resource-constrained organizations."

In today's rapidly evolving markets, SMEs often face resource constraints that make it challenging to innovate while maintaining existing operations. This research highlights that proactive management is key to navigating this duality, enabling the strategic use of IT to foster both incremental improvements and radical innovations in product offerings.

06

What This Means for Your Design

For small companies to create new products well, their managers need to be good at using their current technology while also looking for and trying out new technology.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Reference this study when discussing the strategic role of management in technology adoption for innovation within your design project.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights that for SMEs to excel in new product development, particularly in the digital era, effective managerial activities are paramount in fostering 'IT ambidexterity' – the ability to simultaneously exploit existing information technology and explore new technological frontiers. This dual capability, influenced by organizational structure, is identified as a key driver of NPD performance.

09

Source

European Journal of Information Systems

The role of managerial activities in achieving Information technology ambidexterity and new product development performance in small and medium-sized enterprises

journal · 2023

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about managerial oversight drives it ambidexterity for enhanced new product development in smes?
Design leaders in SMEs should prioritize developing and implementing managerial oversight that encourages a dual focus on leveraging existing IT resources while actively exploring and integrating new IT advancements to drive product innovation. Evidence: European Journal of Information Systems (2023).
Why does "Managerial oversight drives IT ambidexterity for enhanced new product development in SMEs" matter for design?
In today's rapidly evolving markets, SMEs often face resource constraints that make it challenging to innovate while maintaining existing operations. This research highlights that proactive management is key to navigating this duality, enabling the strategic use of IT to foster both incremental improvements and radical innovations in product offerings.
How can designers apply this research?
Design leaders in SMEs should prioritize developing and implementing managerial oversight that encourages a dual focus on leveraging existing IT resources while actively exploring and integrating new IT advancements to drive product innovation.
What were the main findings?
Managerial activities positively enable IT ambidexterity in SMEs.. The relationship between managerial activities and IT ambidexterity is influenced by structural configurations.. IT ambidexterity is a significant mechanism for enhancing NPD performance in SMEs.
What research method was used?
Quantitative research using survey data. with 292 SMEs.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2023 journal from European Journal of Information Systems.
What should I do differently in my next project?
Implement structured processes for both maintaining and upgrading IT systems, ensuring that management actively allocates resources and attention to both exploitation and exploration activities.
What are the limitations?
The study focuses on high-tech SMEs, and findings may not generalize to all types of SMEs or industries. The reliance on self-reported data could introduce common method bias.