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Article
Types of Product Innovations and Small Business Performance in Hostile and Benign Environments
Journal of Small Business Strategy (2004)
  • John Palmer, University of Missouri-St. Louis
  • Robert E Wright
  • Debra Perkins
Abstract
The relationship between innovation and performance has been widely studied. In addition, many studies have examined moderating effects of types of competitive environments on this relationship. However, little work has been done to examine how specific types of product innovation strategies are related to performance in hostile and benign environments. Using results from a survey of a sample of small businesses, this paper used regression analysis to examine how degree of change in new product offerings and number of new product lines were related to satisfaction with financial performance. While neither type of innovation was related to satisfaction with performance in benign environments, the number of new lines developed was positively related to satisfaction with financial performance in hostile environments. The results from this sample indicate that the strategy of innovation through development of more new product lines may be preferable to developing dramatic innovations for small businesses in a hostile external environment.
Publication Date
May 20, 2004
Citation Information
John Palmer, Robert E Wright and Debra Perkins. "Types of Product Innovations and Small Business Performance in Hostile and Benign Environments" Journal of Small Business Strategy Vol. 15 Iss. 2 (2004) p. 33 - 44 ISSN: 2380-1751
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/john-palmer/6/