The impacts of customer participation and innovation capabilities on new product performance

Main Article Content

Cong Su
Sin Yin Teh
Lei Ping Leow

Abstract

This study investigates how distinct forms of customer participation, i.e.: functional, emotional, and knowledge-based, affect incremental and breakthrough innovation capabilities, and ultimately new product performance. Grounded in the customer-driven innovation model and dynamic capabilities theory, the research adopts a quantitative approach using survey data from Malaysian firms engaged in new product development. The results reveal that functional and emotional customer participation significantly enhance both types of innovation capabilities, whereas knowledge-based participation shows no direct influence. Moreover, neither incremental nor breakthrough innovation capabilities exhibit a direct effect on product performance, highlighting the critical role of effective commercialization strategies in transforming innovation into tangible results. These findings advance theoretical understanding by unpacking the differentiated effects of customer engagement on innovation outcomes and offer actionable insights for firms seeking to optimize customer co-creation and innovation pathways.

Article Details

How to Cite
Su, C., Teh, S. Y., & Leow, L. P. (2026). The impacts of customer participation and innovation capabilities on new product performance. Issues and Perspectives in Business and Social Sciences, 6(2), 521–539. https://doi.org/10.33093/ipbss.2026.6.2.20
Section
Research papers
Author Biography

Sin Yin Teh, School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia

TEH Sin Yin is an Associate Professor of Operations and Business Analytics at the School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia. She specializes in Statistical Quality Control, Operations Management, and Business Analytics. Teh has published over 100 papers in international journals and conference proceedings, including ISI Q1-ranked journals. Her research covers areas such as Robust Statistics, Data Mining, and the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ). She has received several academic awards and actively collaborates with industry partners on analytics-driven projects. She can be reached via tehsyin@usm.my

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