Centre for Technology Management

New product introduction collaborations - developing robust processes for supplier and customer interaction

Background

This project ran from March 1998 to November 2001. Many companies develop new products in collaboration with another company, either as a supplier or development partner. This project aimed to provide practical support to companies in managing the processes of starting, operating and withdrawing from product development collaborations. Following a review of literature and several case studies, tools were developed and tested in the context of live collaborative projects. These tools have now been collated in a workbook.

Sponsors/Collaborators

• ABB Instrumentation
• Domino Printing Sciences
• ThermoElemental

Researchers

• Pete Fraser
• Claire Rose
• Clare Farrukh
• Mike Gregory

Practical Outputs

• Workbook : "Managing Product Development Collaborations"
• Website

Publications

• Farrukh, C., Fraser, P. and Gregory, M., (2003), 'Development of a structured approach to assessing practice in product development collaborations', Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs, Vol 217, No B8, PP 1131-1144.
• Fraser, P., Farrukh, C., and Gregory, M., (2003), 'Managing product development collaborations - a process maturity approach', Proc. Instn Mech. Engrs, Part B: J. Engineering Manufacture, Vol 217, No B11, pp 1499-1519.
• Fraser, P., Moultrie, J. and Gregory, M. (2002) The use of maturity models / grids as a tool in assessing product development capability, IEEE International Engineering Management Conference EM 2002, Cambridge, 19-20 August 2002
• Farrukh, C., Fraser, P. and Gregory, M. (2002) Practical Tools for Managing Product Development Collaborations, EurOMA 2002, Copenhagen, 2-4 June 2002
• Fraser, P. and Gregory, M. (2002) A maturity grid approach to the assessment of product development collaborations, 9th International Product Development Management Conference, Sophia Antipolis, 27-28 May 2002
• Fraser, P., Horsfall, T. and Gregory, M. (2001) Taken on trust: the role of contracts in product development collaborations involving small firms, EIASM Workshop on "Trust within and between organisations", Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 29-30 Nov 2001
• Fraser, P., Rose, C. and Gregory, M. (2001) Assessing co-development relationships, Proc. 8th International Product Development Management Conference, University of Twente, Holland, 11-12 June 2001