Knowledge Management Research Projects

Impact of customer knowledge on product/service innovation

Funding:

SMURF 2000

Chief Investigators:

A.Prof. Frada Burstien
Ms Kerry Tanner

Student Investigators:

Mr Bruno Blanchard

Industry Partner:

KPMG

Major Question:

What is the impact of customer knowledge on product/service innovation?

Aims:

Customer knowledge is important in the Japanese business context. Various examples illustrating the use of customer knowledge to create and innovate by Japanese organisations can be easily found – Honda and the Honda City, Canon and their mini-copier (Davenport 1998; Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995). The Western World appears to have more difficulties than the Japanese in using and “manipulating” customer knowledge. Comparatively little has been written on the use of customer knowledge for innovation in Western companies, in contrast to the Japanese.

The current study seeks to address this research need, and to generate some comparative data from a Western multinational company. The proposed research is a single case study based on this company's Australian Division, Melbourne Office. A particular customer-orientated unit within the Melbourne Office will form the major focus of the study. Besides yielding theoretical insights, the research will also enable this unit to assess its processes related to customer knowledge and product/service innovation. It is likely that recommendations for enhancements or changes to current processes will emerge from the study.

For more information:

A.Prof. Frada Burstien