A resource orchestration perspective on longitudinal product innovation studies: a systematic review and future research framework
Maria Hedelius, Jim AndersénPurpose
This study aims to review and synthesize longitudinal research on product innovation management and to develop a research agenda using a resource orchestration perspective. Given the absence of comprehensive reviews over the past decade, the study seeks to advance understanding of how innovation processes unfold over time and to identify underexplored areas in the literature, particularly regarding the role of resource structuring in enabling sustained product innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review was conducted resulting in the inclusion of 219 longitudinal studies on product innovation management. Studies were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria, including a minimum time span of three years. The analysis combined methodological classification with a theory-driven coding approach based on the resource orchestration framework, examining how structuring, bundling and leveraging processes have been addressed in both qualitative and quantitative research.
Findings
The findings show that most longitudinal studies focus on aggregated innovation outcomes and emphasize resource bundling and leveraging, while resource structuring remains underexamined. In particular, the configuration and development of human resources are largely overlooked despite their importance for long-term innovation. The review also reveals limited integration of orchestration processes over time, highlighting a lack of holistic perspectives on how structuring, bundling and leveraging interact dynamically in innovation processes.
Originality/value
This study provides an updated systematic review of longitudinal product innovation management research and offers a resource orchestration-based research agenda. By identifying resource structuring – especially human resource configuration – as a critical but neglected area, the study extends current innovation research and offers a detailed, theory-driven agenda for future longitudinal studies.