Influence factors and process stages of knowledge transfer between NPD teams : A model for guiding practical improvements

Purpose – This paper aims to present a model that maps the relationship between factors and process stages of the knowledge transfer (KT) between new product development (NPD) teams. Design/methodology/approach – The model was constructed through a quantitative evaluation with scholars and practitioners of the NPD field. To evaluate the model and its usefulness, a practical application was carried out in two large Brazilian companies. Findings – A relationship model between 16 main influence factors and 11 stages of the KT process was obtained. It could be seen through the practical applications that the model helps companies to identify and prioritize improvement opportunities in the KT between NPD teams. Research limitations/implications – Prior studies had been concerned with the analysis of KT factors, but considering KT as an isolated act. So, this work has advanced in the deployment of the KT stages and the relationship of those with different influence factors. Practical implications – This paper brings an important practical contribution, once several academic works have been concerned with to demonstrate relationships among factors, but few have shown how these results could help to solve practical issues observed in companies. Originality/value – Results presented in this paper enable the extension of comprehension about the KT phenomena in the NPD process. Furthermore, this paper shows how the proposed model can be used as a decision tool to guide a diagnosis and detect improvement opportunities in KT between NPD teams.