Abstract:

In an increasingly dynamic and complex environment, characterized by hyper-competition, companies are forced to align their innovation process to continuously changing demands. Thus, the customer turns from a "passive target" into an active market player, very well informed, critic and emancipated. His main leverage is his loyalty, which can easily shift to the competition if it better satisfies his needs. In order to maintain competitive advantages on the market, companies confer their customers a more active role, considering them real innovation resources, and are constantly interacting with them and even integrating them in various stages of the value adding process. Furthermore, enterprises must also ensure the transparency of internal structures, processes and competencies, as well as an active know-how exchange under different circumstances. Based on an industrial survey – a type of selective market research, this paper aims to highlight the importance given by the managers of the Romanian companies to the production and research & development departments, as well as the customer’s involvement in such activities as parts of the value added chain.