The effect of product complexity and modularity on new product development and supply chain management integration

The purpose of this paper is to explore whether product complexity and product modularity influence the integration of objectives and procedures in new product development and supply chain management. Results are based on statistical analyses of data collected from an international sample of manufacturing firms through the last edition of the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey (IMSS 5). The main findings are that with an increase of the complexity of products, activities to integrate product development and supply chains are more likely to happen. In subsequent research, the findings will be generalized and extended using longitudinal data and in-depth case studies, before an elaborated theory on the integration of new product development and supply chain management can be formulated and tested. Practical implications concern the necessity to integrate the two functional areas, in case of high product complexity