Knowledge Assets, Supplier & Customer Coordination and Product Performance

The role of knowledge management in new product development is a hot research topic, yet the impacts of knowledge assets and supply chain integration in terms of supplier coordination and customer coordination to product performance have to be empirically verified. This study aims to explore how knowledge assets of firms in terms of knowledge use and storage; and supplier/customer coordination affect product performance. The study used linear regression models to analyse data from 206 manufacturers. The findings show that knowledge assets have positive relationship with product performance. Customer coordination is found important in affecting product performance for those companies producing industrial products for other manufacturers, i.e. industrial product firms. However, for companies producing products to end-customers, dealers or retailers, i.e. consumer product firms, both supplier coordination and customer coordination are found not important in affecting product performance. The results give a new empirical examination on the role of knowledge management and supplier chain integration to product performance.