(IMVP) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Large manufacturers usually need to manage multiple projects in order to leverage their financial and engineering resource investments on new technologies and designs. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between different multi-project strategies and project performances measured by lead time and engineering hours. The multi-project strategy in this study focuses on different ways of transferring core technologies and designs from one project to another within the firm. First, this paper proposes a typology of different multi-project strategies, which categorizes new product development projects into four types: new design, rapid design transfer, sequential design transfer, and design modification. Second, using our survey results on 103 different new product projects at 10 automobile firms in Japan and the U.S., this study concludes that projects using the rapid design transfer strategy are the most efficient in terms of engineering hours. Only through rapid design transfer can a preceding design be transferred from a base project to a new project with effective task sharing among engineers and mutual adjustments between the two projects. This paper also discusses organizational requirements for managing rapid design transfer projects. Either pure project-team approach or functional approach may not be appropriate for the management of concurrent multiple projects. 1

In this paper we examine the adaptability of the Japanese style lean organization system and the traditional American style mass organization system under changing environments. From an organizational design perspective, key structural aspects of the two organizations are modeled in a problem solving context using computational methods. Organizational-level performance in terms of decision making accuracy and severity of errors is measured as an indicator of organizational adaptability under conditions where the task environment shifts between predictable to unpredictable or vise versa. Our study shows that both organizations have their respective advantages under different task environments and that they adapt to environmental shifts in different forms. Specifically, when the time pressure is high the lean organization system’s performance is virtually identical to the mass organization system, even though the lean organization system’s members are more proactive. When the time pressure is low, the mass organization system shows a much faster adaptability when the environment shifts to a predictable one but it is also more vulnerable when the environment shifts to an unpredictable one. In contrast, the lean organization system’s response to the changing environment is characterized by its slower adaptability. When the environment shifts to an unpredictable one, the lean organization system shows a gradual improvement till reaching a high level. When the environment shifts to a predictable one, however, the lean organization system shows a gradual

Speed-to-Market is cited as being vital in today’s competitive, uncertain and turbulent environments. Scholars and industry professionals alike assert that companies can achieve competitive advantages by launching their product faster than their competitors. However, this paper presents a slightly different perspective on speed-to-market by considering another aspect of the speed equation-speed-to-learn or fast learning in new product development (NPD) teams. We assert that although speed-to-market can increase the probability of new product success, speed-to-learn is one of the critical factors that allows teams to get to market rapidly and be more successful. In this study, we propose a model for fast team learning in new product development based on constructs borrowed from accelerated learning models or suggestopedy in the individual learning scholarship. We then empirically test the model on 171 new product teams. We argue that 1) fastlearning teams launch new products quicker with an increased probability of success. And 2) specific mechanisms that are within the teams ’ control can help teams learn faster. Mechanisms uncovered include: vision clarity, learning from customer and competitor, and information coding.

Schedule risk is an important category of risk in complex system product development. This paper presents a framework that facilitates understanding schedule risk from a systems perspective. Research findings from literature and a Delphi-type survey of experienced product development managers and system engineers at a major aerospace company are synthesized into a framework characterizing sources of schedule uncertainty. The framework includes not only key uncertainty drivers but also the hypothesized or theorized relationships between them. Since risk is more than just uncertainty, consequences of schedule overruns and of schedule uncertainty itself are also discussed. This research contributes a more comprehensive, systems view to the studies of product development and risk management and to the practice of both in industry. The paper also examines potential paths for future

ABSTRACT: Companies are seeking new ways to manage learning and competence in order to improve company performance and competitiveness. Researchers and practitioners alike appear to be reaching a consensus that organizational learning is a key strategic variable in order to cope with this shift. In this paper the organizational issues are also viewed in a technical and spatial context. According to earlier experience we looked for more complex interactions between the use of space, technical systems and the organization of work. Methods used are interviews, a questionnaire and a collective design process resulting in an actual redesign of the premises. The design activity was a learning process that led to better understanding and ability to continually manage and redesign organization, space and technical systems in order to reach the most appropriate combination between these dynamically dependent production factors.

In more and more uncertain environments, the companies find that the satisfying the needs of the consumers is not a strategic option but a strategic necessity. This paper presents a methodology based on Fuzzy Genetic Algorithm technique to the voice of consumer management in the Design of New Product problem.

Abstract — As global competitive pressure increases and product life cycles compress, SMEs are trying to shorten product development cycles. In the other hand, the rapid growth of electronic collaboration has revolutionized the product development process. This article introduces an electronic collaboration approach that can reduce time during the product design in SMEs. One of the product designs ’ aim is to reduce production time. Furthermore, the topic has been presented by several authors in many papers for big companies, but still there is a lack of scientific work on SMEs. The main objective of this paper is to reduce product time by e-collaboration. We conclude that there are three aspects in e-collaboration which are extremely important, which are coordination, adaptation and communication.

Le CIRANO est une corporation privée à but non lucratif constituée en vertu de la Loi des compagnies du Québec. Le financement de son infrastructure et de ses activités de recherche provient des cotisations de ses organisations-membres, d�une subvention d�infrastructure du ministère de l�Industrie, du Commerce, de la Science et de la Technologie, de même que des subventions et mandats obtenus par ses équipes de recherche. La Série Scientifique est la réalisation d�une des missions que s�est données le CIRANO, soit de développer l�analyse scientifique des organisations et des comportements stratégiques. CIRANO is a private non-profit organization incorporated under the Québec Companies Act. Its infrastructure and research activities are funded through fees paid by member organizations, an infrastructure grant from the Ministère de l�Industrie, du Commerce, de la Science et de la Technologie, and grants and research mandates obtained by its research teams. The Scientific Series fulfils one of the missions of CIRANO: to develop the scientific analysis of organizations and strategic behaviour.

This paper presents a critical literature review concerning the effects of involving suppliers in product development, the critical processes underlying the management of this involvement and the potential driving and enabling factors for managing supplier involvement in product development. Together they constitute the building blocks for a ‘input-throughput-output ’ model that helps in understanding the crucial elements of how to manage supplier involvement in product development. This model draws on our previous work in this area, but focuses more clearly on the ‘inputs ’ and ‘outputs ’ of managing supplier involvement. Introduction to managing supplier integration in product development Literature on product innovation has been pervasively trying to distil the key ingredients for company success. Many of the internal and external actors that are involved in product development- and the interfaces between them- have been subjects of research. Especially

The applicability of project management methodology to new product development is explored in this literature review, focusing on the growing imperatives of speed, flexibility, and market acceptance. Traditional project management methods are efficient at coordinating predefined tasks among dispersed participants, controlling development cost, and managing technical risk. In contrast, newer variations are more effective at promoting cross-functional collaboration, speeding time-to-market, and reducing market risk. Fast-paced development projects often employ integrated teams, overlapping project phases, and incremental product cycles as part of a project portfolio strategy. These require project managers to be effective leaders, strategists, marketers, politicians, and change agents. Successful projects act as engines for building product development capability and driving product strategy. However, concurrent engineering pitfalls are numerous, and no one leadership style or team structure is best for all projects. Guidelines are presented for selecting and adapting various methods to