New Product Development under Changing Economic Conditions: THE ROLE OF THE SALESFORCE

Proposes an increasing role for the salesforce in the new product development process. Describes how the sales job itself has been evolving toward one of relationship building with customers, and how marketplace and economic changes such as globalization and large debt have caused firms to look much more carefully at the allocation of their resources, including expenditures on the new product development process. Argues that these and other factors, such as the disenchantment with marketing research and personnel downsizing, suggest that the salesforce might begin to play an expanded role in new product development. Discusses the pros and cons of this strategy, along with its implications for salesforce management.