본 연구는 정보통신산업에서 제조업과 관련된 분야를 대상으로 컨버전스 신제품의 유형을 분류하고 각 유형별로 제품개발 고객요인, 제품개발 방식과 성과의 차이를 이해하고자 하였다. 기존 연구문헌에기초하여 본 연구는 컨버전스 신제품 유형을 컨버전스 수준에 따라 4가지 유형-지식 컨버전스, 기술 컨버전스, 응용 컨버전스, 산업 컨버전스-으로 분류하였다. 컨버전스 신제품개발의 고객요인으로 본 연구는 다음의3가지 요인들-(1) 편리성 욕구 초점, (2) 참여 욕구 초점, (3) 문화적 욕구 초점-을 도출하였으며, 제품개발방식으로 (1) 학습 방식과 (2) 외부와의 협력 정도가 컨버전스 신제품 유형별로 어떤 차이가 있는지를 살펴보았다. 본 연구는 최근 정보통신산업에서 수행되었던 컨버전스 신제품 프로젝트 162개를 대상으로 설문조사를 실시하였다. 설문 분석결과 컨버전스 신제품 유형별로 제품개발 선행 요인과 제품개발관리 방식에 차이가 있음을 확인할 수 있었다. 구체적으로 컨버전스 수준이 높은 유형일수록 선행요인으로 고객의 편리성욕구, 참여 욕구, 문화적 욕구 모두를 충족시키고자 하는 동기가 매우 높은 것으로 나타났다. 한편 개발관리방식에 있어서도 컨버전스 유형별로 학습 방식과 외부와의 협력 정도에 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 있음을확인하였다. 아울러 컨버전스 수준이 높을수록 신제품 성과가 높은 것으로 나타났다
The phenomenon of convergence has been observed very frequently and gained considerable attention academically and practically. For the purpose of formulating a firm’s strategy and organizational capabilities, Hacklin(2008), in his monograph, reiterates the importance of a contingency approach to new convergence products; specifically, managers of a firm need to be aware not only the stage and maturity of industry-wise landscape but also the size, age, and the inertial heritage of a firm-specific characteristic at a particular time in the convergence process. It is true, to some extent, that most previous scholarly works on the convergence literature have focused on the facet of phenomenon of convergence itself, including the its driver, definition, and ex post factor of services or products; as a consequence, they fall short of applying research findings to a real managerial decision making situation,and providing managerial guidelines for the firms which determined to undertake convergence products as a way of new revenue source for the firm’s growth. Above all, managerial attention has been focused on understanding and identifying what ex ante(endogenous or antecedent) factors they should take into account and how effectively they do manage its development process to find out new business opportunities.
Based on a thorough literature review, the authors classify new convergence products into four different types such as (1) knowledge convergence, (2) technological convergence, (3) applicational convergence,and (4) industrial convergence. On the one hand, as to the customer factor associated with a new convergence product, this study derives three research variables, including, (1) fulfillment of customer’s convenience need, (2) fulfillment of customer’s participation need, and (3) fulfillment of customer’s cultural need. On the other hand, as to the management approaches in developing new convergence products,this study selects two different variables, including (1) learning style and (2) external collaboration.
This study surveys 162 project leaders who have recently completed new convergence projects in the field of information and communication industry in Korea. The statistical analysis of surveyed data reveals the following findings. First of all, as the knowledge convergence, an initial stage of convergence, evolves into the industrial convergence, a later stage of convergence, the higher outcome performance the project shows. Additionally, the industrial convergence is positively related to the fulfillment of all of three customer’s needs such as convenience, participatory as well as cultural needs. Further, it reveals that in order to develop a project effectively, firms should do exert organizational efforts combing exploratory and exploitative learning and do put an extra effort for vertical collaboration, too.
Second of all, unlike the authors’ expectations, the horizontal collaboration does not show a different outcome performance across four different types of new convergence products. And, it shows less extent of use when compared with the use of vertical collaboration. Interestingly, contrary to the arguments of Lawson-Borders (2006) and Chesbrough et al. (2006), Korean ICT firms put much more organizational emphasis on the vertical collaboration than horizontal collaboration. Overall, the authors interpret that since the sample Korean firms perceive higher costs (Gilsing, 2007; Burt, 1992) the horizontal collaboration incurs will exceed the benefits (Colman, 1988; Garud, 2002) it will render, they are reluctant to implement horizontal collaboration regardless of the level of convergence trajectory.
Most existing studies on the new convergence products have been conducted and focused on single type of new convergence product. Recognizing their limitations, this study, however, classifies new convergence products into four different types, and then it tries to investigate any differences with respect to customers needs, management approaches, and outcome performance across four different types. This study, in this sense, contributes to the development of academic knowledge on convergence field. In particular, whereas Hacklin(2008)’s case study tries to classify type of convergence process and proposes different managerial implications, this study is conducted empirically and its surveyed data are quantitatively analyzed, taking into consideration customers needs as well as types of convergence process he enumerated.