Abstract

This study examined in twenty-five new product development teams of a pharmaceutical research and development center, the impact of cognitive simplification processes in scientific deductive and inductive action on the effectiveness of scientific work, and some contextual antecedents of cognitive simplification activity. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, the relationship of cognitive simplification processes to delays and project performance was significantly established. Results also indicated several contextual influences on cognitive simplification processes. Product development teams that evidenced higher levels of cognitive simplification activity also reported experiencing more and different types of delays in the product development process. Project performance ratings of teams experiencing higher levels of simplifications were lower than teams reporting a lesser incidence of simplification activity. Barriers to inflow of information and expertise, lack of integrative leadership and openness of group norms, absence of shared language, imbalance in action and reflection, lack of analytical orientation, processes for accumulating prior knowledge and external knowledge linkages and perceived pressure were all significantly related to various types of cognitive simplification processes. These results generally support the importance of overcoming cognitive simplification processes by intervening into the content and processes of cognition and attending to the contextual environments of product development teams