How to monitor the front end of innovation in the new product development: defining performance indicators. The case study of an accelerator of technology commercialization

Abstract

The present paper has the ambition to define performance indicators that monitor the performance all along the front end process in the new product development. In order to answer the following research question:” What are the relevant performance indicators when monitoring the front end of innovation?” the dissertation starts with a literature review followed by observations based on a case study of the accelerator of technology commercialization “Cohitec”. The results revealed the importance to subdivide the front end into distinct periods in order to find the appropriate indicators for each moment in the process. Three periods were identified namely exploration, validation and business case. In addition to the performance indicators identified in the literature, the case study enabled to extent the panel of indicators by adding criteria related to the technology, the value proposition, the plan of development and the market targeted.