Five meta-analyses previously have been published on the topic of new
product development involving the concept of new product development
speed. Three of these studies have investigated antecedents to new
product development success, of which just one was new product
development speed. The other two studies used new product development
speed as the dependent variable, and analyzed antecedents to achieving
speed. This article extends previous empirical generalizations in this
domain by using a meta-analytic methodology to understand the link
between new product development speed and new product success at a more
granular level. Specifically, it considers the relationship with
different dimensions of success as measured overall or compositely,
operationally (i.e., the process measures of decreasing development
costs and proficiently managing market entry timing and the product
measures of technical product performance and product competitive
advantage), and relative to external success outcomes (i.e., customer
based and financial success). While the results indicate that, in
general, new product development speed is associated with improving
success outcomes, those relationships may diminish or even disappear
depending upon a number of methodological design decisions and research
contexts. A subsequent meta-analysis of the antecedents of development
speed provides a more holistic picture of development speed. These
results are broadly consistent with those produced by another recent
meta-analytic investigation of the issue. Together, these findings have
important implications for academics pursuing further research in this
domain, as well as for managers considering implementing a program to
increase new product development speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]