How do R&D employees use their social networks to acquire user information?

Purpose – This article aims to investigate how R&D employees use their social networks to acquire user information and how this information is used in the development of new products. Design/methodology/approach – A single case study was conducted within a business unit at a multinational medical technology company. Data were collected through a mixed method. Findings – The results show that many R&D employees lack social networks through which they can acquire information about the users’ needs. However, some R&D employees establish cost-efficient relationships to people with a direct experience of using the company’s products. These relationships are established over time and are often used in a rather informal way to acquire user information. Moreover, the results show how R&D employees are purposefully complementing these relationships with more occasional interactions with people who hold direct and indirect use experiences. Research limitations/implications – As with most single-case studies, it will be important to replicate this investigation in other contexts to clarify the generalizability of the findings. Practical implications – The article shows how important it is that management provides R&D employees with opportunities to establish, nurture and utilize relationships conducive to information about the users’ needs. The article provides some advice on how this can be accomplished. Originality/value – This is one of the first articles that clearly explain how R&D employees use their social networks to acquire user information for the development of new products.