Introduction
The article is based on an Ethophatic case study and examines the processes undertaken and interactions between four functions involved in the creation and production of a high-volume product. Throughout the article the competitive priorities of quality, speed, cost, flexibility and availability are pictured and implications discussed. The articles focus and conclusions on the importance knowledge plays and communication in new product development is indicative of a team effort and evolving nature required for effective development.
Identify process in support of NPD
Illustrated by the example of an organisation creating a new car fluid value, the article summarises the process of new product development skilfully by offering a picture of “knowledge in practice” in four different functional settings:
1. Sales Work: Ensuring specification, volume, costs and customers’ requirements are correct.
2. Design Engineering Work: Make Prototype to meet customer’s specification.
3. Manufacturing Engineering Work: Building equipment to enable product be produced.
4. Production Work: Converting raw material to finished goods.
The author introduces three theoretical approaches to “knowledge boundaries” in product development namely syntactic, semantic, and his proposed pragmatic or “new knowledge” approach. He identifies that knowledge gaps exist between functions and it is how functions communicate with each other that can affect the process. Four sub-processes or “boundary objects” are proposed that looks to standardise how information in new product development is presented and communicated between functions. This standardisation is important as functions will identify their roles and responsibilities within a new produc...
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...outlined the goals of the research and introduce the research model and the three desired outputs to improve NPD success. This model or sub-processes outlined in integrating suppliers while not all encompassing to the bigger NPD process warrants attention and focus. Their function as you so rightly outlined can lead to improvement in ‘product design’, ‘manufacturing’ and by association ‘delivery of products’. I wonder if exploring these sub process further would give the piece more relevance.
The results section clearly addressed the effectiveness supplier integration can play in the NPD process. The research indicates improve outcome in better product designs and stronger financial performance. This address both cost and quality performance aspects and you have backed these up with relevant referencing. Overall, I found the commentary thorough and well-presented.
‘The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis often forms the bedrock of any product planning process. It provides a simple yet effective framework for analysing both internal resources and external trends and competitors’ (Pender, L, 1999: 179)
Problem solving becomes systematic and horizontal as discussed in the process oriented section of the previous week (Taylor, 2013). Problem solving becomes preventative instead of reactive. The delivery of products and services are value driven and customer focused. The elimination of non-value added activities and waste improve the quality of products and services. Using a pull system reduces costs because of low inventories, using a JIT methodology (Russell & Taylor, 2011). Continuous improvement should be pursued, improving the quality of products and services to customer.
There are five categories of new products: new inventions, new category entries, additions to product lines, product improvements, and repositioning target products to new markets for new uses. The process is the same regardless of the category. It includes idea generation, idea screening, concept development and testing, analyzing the business, prototype development, test marketing, and commercialization.
In the 1960s through the 1970s, companies realized strong engineering, design, and manufacturing functions were strong market strategy keys to create and capture customer loyalty. As the demand for new products rose in the 1980s, these market requirements were to increase their flexibility and responsiveness to adapt existing products and processes or to develop new ones in order to meet customer needs. As manufacturing improved in the 1990s, managers began noticing material and service inputs involving suppliers and their major impact on an organization’s ability to meet customer needs. As a result of these changes, organizations now find that it difficult to manage their own organizations. First, they must be involved in the management of their network of all upstream firms that provide directly or indirectly, as well as the network of downstream firms, which are responsible for delivery and market service of the product to the end customer.
Our commitment to steady, long-term improvement in our products and processes is the cornerstone of our business strategy. To achieve this objective, we must work to continuously improve the overall quality of our design, manufacturing, administrative, and support organizations.
The reason why it can take a long time to begin delivering results is because the supplier must involve in day-to-day redesign support and process improvement. This whole process will take a long time. In order to build a trust between supplier and a company the supplier should take the action to improve a trust relationship.
Ownership and control of production ; vertically integrated manufacturing operation to enable its constant introducing of new items and also ensure short lead time
In today’s world, there are many ways for a company to introduce a new product into the market. Tiger Tread, a new product from the National Chemical Corporation, is a great example. John Webster, marketing director, and Fred Farley, technical director of the company, knew that they had a very special product to introduce.
Definitions of ESI and EBI are arrived at based on extensive literature review and highlighted in block diagrams. ESI is perceived as an outcome of long- term relations and well managed permanent supply-chains which lead to knowledge integration, trust and cooperation and proactiveness. EBI on the contrary is perceived as an initiative to accumulating ‘relational capital’ which leads to ‘product perfection’. Evaluation of applicability and non-applicability of ESI to the four roles of SCM in construction by Vrijhoef and Koskela, 2000 is carried out. ESI is also pictured as ‘early supplier inputs’ as well as ‘early supplier intervention’. The script has been fairly positive on the application of ESI to the 4 roles other than to improve the supply chain. Within a buyer-supplier framework and the life span of a project, ESI has its limitations in contributing to SCM.
emerging or new market. It can originate from new technology or new market opportunities (Eliashberg, J., Lilien, G. L., & Rao, V. R. 1997). Literature defines product development as exploiting an untapped market opportunity and turning it into a value product for customer satisfaction. Development and introduction of a new product requires extensive research on understanding customer needs, market structure, emerging trends and analysing the internal & external competitive market environments. To evaluate customer satisfaction previous researches provide strong relationship between customer satisfaction and product quality, product features and value for money. ***
and by the mid 1920s, one out of every two cars sold was a Model T.
Production Functions A production function in general, without specifying what kind, is related to the output of a production process which starts with the factors of production. Production functions are an integral part of explaining marginal products as well as allocative efficiency. There are different classifications for production functions, and what constitutes them, determined by the type of production. This article of the WIKI aims to focus on the Substitional production function, explaining what it is and means, as well as the limitations, of doing the same.
The production concept is one of the oldest marketing concepts. It relies on the consumers preferring products that are widely available and inexpensive. Managers who use the production concept concentrate on achieving high production efficiency, low costs, and mass distribution (Kotler & Keller, 2012). In comparison, the holistic concept which includes not
(2014) deduced that procurement performance can be assessed by focusing ondelivery,flexibility, quality, cost and technology. Optimal performance attainment is dependent onhow current suppliers`relationships aremanaged so asto ensure constant availability of needed quality supplies at the organization. This will ensure that sourced materials are indeed procured at the right costand atthe right time. Procurement performancestrives toenable improvements in the procurement process at the organizationso as to improve on qualitydelivery of firm products and servicesatleast possible time and
The business environment is increasingly becoming competitive and challenging. In the recent past, manufacturers have found themselves facing the threat of dwindling profit margins due to unfortunate global events such as the 2007 global financial crisis and the on going Europe economic crisis. The need to improve operation efficiency so as to ensure current and future investment yield the highest rate of return has therefore become extremely important. Manufacturers are now actively engaged in, managing their costs, Research and Development, adopting best procurement strategies, among other Actions. While such actions might eventually lead to positive results, additional business value can be achieved through proper management of the supply chain (Waymer, Ivanaj & Mussa 2009; Krivda 2004).