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The Influence Of Collaboration In The New Product Development Process, Laurel Aynne Cook

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Consumers expect greater involvement in the product and service offerings of firms. In response, the integration of collaboration in the new product development (NPD) process has become of interest to researchers across disciplines. Collaboration can be viewed as a "looking glass" technique, which fosters an enhanced sense of shared identity by promoting a "we" versus an "us-them" orientation. Drawing from social identity and exchange theories, the central purpose of this dissertation is understanding ways that collaboration influences perceptions during the NPD process to help shape consumers' identity with the firm.

Essay 1 employs a mixed-method approach across three studies to …