From Complaints to Innovation Success: A Knowledge-Based View on Cross-Functional Collaboration and Error Management Culture
(A2026-132833)

AUTHORS

Alexander Rupertus, University of Mannheim; Sabine Kuester, University of Mannheim

ABSTRACT

Customer complaints contain valuable customer insights about product weaknesses and unmet needs, yet firms struggle to leverage this information effectively and systematically for innovation. Building on the knowledge-based view, we conceptualize complaint integration as a strategic capability enabled by cross-functional collaboration between customer service and R&D and strengthened by a strong error management culture. Using data from a dyadic manager survey, we show that cross-functional collaboration fosters complaint integration, thereby enhancing innovation success. Moreover, error management culture strengthens this effect. Our findings highlight the importance of a strategic interplay of structural and cultural mechanisms that help firms systematically transform negative customer feedback into innovation success.