Abstract
Purpose: This research aims to analytically view the product development processes of a global company in terms of lean. The project circumvents the company’s development processes in relation to three imperative lean features i.e. soft aspects of lean, waste elimination, and information flow.
Methodology: The project is qualitative in nature and explores the connections between aforementioned lean aspects. The tools employed in this exploration study includes semi-structured interviews, document study, meetings, and observations.
Findings: This case study reveals that the extinct integration between different PD processes create many gray areas. It is concluded that company needs to see the ecosystem of product development from a different view point. Learning and knowledge being the core of sustainable lean development should particularly be taken care of by taking some thought provoking steps.
Research Limitations: Although the company is located worldwide, except from one, all the interviews are conducted from the business units inside Sweden. Thus,it is to say that this case study reflects the perceptions of social entities linked with the local geographical enterprise. Therefore, without customization, it is not possible to generalize the findings of this study to the business units with different social settings.
Originality: Though, this project attempts to unearth the hidden realities in product development processes by emphasizing on three crucial lean facets, the most unique one is the insertion of ‘lean soft aspects’ that includes the culture and DNA of the company. In addition to utilization of triangulation technique , the authors used the member validation criteria to ensure the findings’credibility.
Methodology: The project is qualitative in nature and explores the connections between aforementioned lean aspects. The tools employed in this exploration study includes semi-structured interviews, document study, meetings, and observations.
Findings: This case study reveals that the extinct integration between different PD processes create many gray areas. It is concluded that company needs to see the ecosystem of product development from a different view point. Learning and knowledge being the core of sustainable lean development should particularly be taken care of by taking some thought provoking steps.
Research Limitations: Although the company is located worldwide, except from one, all the interviews are conducted from the business units inside Sweden. Thus,it is to say that this case study reflects the perceptions of social entities linked with the local geographical enterprise. Therefore, without customization, it is not possible to generalize the findings of this study to the business units with different social settings.
Originality: Though, this project attempts to unearth the hidden realities in product development processes by emphasizing on three crucial lean facets, the most unique one is the insertion of ‘lean soft aspects’ that includes the culture and DNA of the company. In addition to utilization of triangulation technique , the authors used the member validation criteria to ensure the findings’credibility.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | 13th QMOD Conference : International Conference on Quality & Service Sciences |
| Publication date | 31.08.2010 |
| Publication status | Published - 31.08.2010 |
| MoE publication type | A4 Article in conference proceedings |
Keywords
- 512 Business and Management
- Product Development
- Lean manufacturing
- knowledge transfer