Collaborative design in a networked enterprise: The case of the telecommunications industry

New product and service development is a highly interactive social process and is challenging enough when the activity is largely contained within one organizational unit. However, the complexity and challenges increase and magnify when the process involves a network of organizations with different goals, capabilities and dependencies. This paper takes an in-depth look at six new product and service development cases involving a network of organizations within the telecommunications industry. We are able to learn about the complex patterns of interaction across the value chain and uncover the nature of the process complexity and its impact on new product performance. Based on these insights, we discuss how managers can better manage these complex and challenging new product development processes in a networked enterprise.