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Article
Publication date: 1 December 1998

Biren Prasad

The focus of market research is to capture systematically product information, such as, market competitive analysis data, competitors’ product data, etc. The paper describes an…

2360

Abstract

The focus of market research is to capture systematically product information, such as, market competitive analysis data, competitors’ product data, etc. The paper describes an integrated template for product improvement by tactically combining real‐time market research data with quality function deployment (QFD), value engineering, and a value graph. The focus of integrating market research data with QFD previously had been to develop analysis results ‐ customer importance ratings (CIRs) and technical importance ratings (TIRs). The focus of integrating the QFD analysis (TIRs and CIRs vectors) with value engineering and value graphs, proposed in this paper, is to prioritize these ratings, to synthesize market research data, and thereby predict a better set of improvement characteristics. This process template gives the product development teams (PDTs) a synthesis tool to predict what product offerings customers would be interested in ‐ which the company can build and market to make a fair profit.

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Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, vol. 1 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1352-2752

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Article
Publication date: 1 June 1998

Biren Prasad

A multi‐component design of a “concurrent team” is described here for a concurrent engineering organization. This concurrent “team design” is composed of four essential teaming…

1784

Abstract

A multi‐component design of a “concurrent team” is described here for a concurrent engineering organization. This concurrent “team design” is composed of four essential teaming components: a logical component, a virtual component, a technological component and a personnel (work‐group or humane) component. The description is based on an implementation of a “concurrent team” environment for product development at Delphi Divisions of General Motors. The paper first describes how to configure a “concurrent team” organization that provides a decentralized cooperation during an integrated product development (IPD) process. The paper then shows how, with strategic design of a “concurrent team,” an organization can achieve optimum teamwork productivity during an IPD. As it has been observed during a number of automotive projects that the teamwork productivity of a concurrent engineering organization is largely influenced by the design of such “concurrent teams” as well as by elements of decentralized cooperation, the paper, also describes four key elements of decentralized cooperation that have been found useful with IPD clients.

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Team Performance Management: An International Journal, vol. 4 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1352-7592

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Article
Publication date: 1 August 1998

Biren Prasad

It has not been enough to include “quality dimensions” into a product or a service and expect the outcome to be world‐class. Total value signifies a set of multidimensional…

1771

Abstract

It has not been enough to include “quality dimensions” into a product or a service and expect the outcome to be world‐class. Total value signifies a set of multidimensional measures towards realizing a competitive product (goods or services) that the customers would like and are willing to pay a premium price for. A “quality dimensions” set is one of its (total value) multidimensional measures. Such multidimensional value considerations would be vital for a company in maintaining a competitive edge in today’s global and rapidly changing marketplace. The first question is why a “quality dimensions” set has not been enough? The second question is what are those multidimensional sets of measures that make‐up this total value content? The last question is how to determine a cumulative total value‐index that accounts for these sets of measures so that an organization could use this total value‐index to optimize its product realization process and thereby control its (an organization’s) degree of competitiveness. The paper attempts to answer these questions.

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The TQM Magazine, vol. 10 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0954-478X

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Article
Publication date: 1 October 2000

Biren Prasad

Some industrial organizations using computer‐integrated manufacturing (CIM) for managing intelligent product and process data during a concurrent processing are facing acute…

2614

Abstract

Some industrial organizations using computer‐integrated manufacturing (CIM) for managing intelligent product and process data during a concurrent processing are facing acute implementation difficulties. Some of the difficulties are due to the fact that CIM – in the current form – is not able to adequately address knowledge management and concurrent engineering (CE) issues. Also, with CIM, it is not possible to solve problems related to decision and control even though there has been an increasing interest in subjects like artificial intelligence (AI), knowledge‐based systems (KBS), expert systems, etc. In order to improve the productivity gain through CIM, EDS focused its information technology (IT) vision on the combined potential of concurrent engineering (CE), knowledge management (KM) and computer‐integrated manufacturing (CIM) technologies. EDS – through a number of IT and CIM implementations – realized that CE, KM and CIM do go hand‐in‐hand. The three together provide a formidable base, which is called intelligent information system (IIS) in this paper. Describes the rationales used for creating an IIS framework at EDS, its usefulness to our clients and a make‐up of this emerging IIS framework for integrated product development.

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Industrial Management & Data Systems, vol. 100 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-5577

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Article
Publication date: 1 June 1998

Biren Prasad

When products are designed for variety, the number ofparts, number of models, and the number of their brands increases. This increases the level ofcomplexity the organization has…

5515

Abstract

When products are designed for variety, the number of parts, number of models, and the number of their brands increases. This increases the level of complexity the organization has to go through to manufacture the product. In order to manage the product and process complexity, it is often required to decompose the job into a small number of tasks or activities so that the level of abstraction in each is reduced. This reduces the dependency between the decomposed tasks thus reducing the complexity. The amount of efforts required to complete the job, however, is proportional to the square of the number of tasks in the decomposed set. This paper describes how to manage complexity in that situation so that the communication efforts stay within an acceptable range.

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Journal of Product & Brand Management, vol. 7 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1061-0421

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Article
Publication date: 1 September 1995

Biren Prasad

Introduces a set of JIT house of matrices (collectively called hereJIT quality matrices (JQM) and a matrix‐based procedure to analyse theresults of strategic planning and…

2614

Abstract

Introduces a set of JIT house of matrices (collectively called here JIT quality matrices (JQM) and a matrix‐based procedure to analyse the results of strategic planning and implementation. Discusses the application of this matrix‐based approach to quantify and rank a set of chosen JIT tactics (called quality characteristics) at various points during its (JIT) implementation. The JQM and the matrix‐based procedure together define a measure of merits (a rating system) to prioritize a set of chosen JIT tactics. The rating system is derived from the same principles on which quality function deployment (QFD) was based. By providing the manufacturing and strategic development teams with a dynamic rating system, it has been possible to measure the progress and strategize a new line of JIT tactics, whenever the company′s situation or priority changes. With JQM, it is possible to realize an incorporation of continuous improvements (CPI) into the JIT implementation process. Inclusion of CPI is an inherent part of this procedure requiring no additional effort. The benefit of integrating CPI with JQM is manifested by its ability to reconfigure the chosen implementation strategies dynamically. The procedure allows the strategic team, at the start (based on its rating), to select an optimal mix of JIT tactics. Later, anytime during its implementation cycle, the team can monitor the process dynamically by analysing a quality characteristics trade‐off to see whether a mid‐course correction or change in the line of JIT tactics is necessary. This enables the planning team to sustain a series of successful planning activities throughout the strategic implementation process. This also prevents the manufacturing and strategic teams from unknowingly making any possible implementation mistakes.

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International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 15 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

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Article
Publication date: 1 December 1997

Biren Prasad

States that one weakness of new product introduction (NPI) is the elapsed time required to bring the product to market. Many manufacturing companies are losing the competitive…

15775

Abstract

States that one weakness of new product introduction (NPI) is the elapsed time required to bring the product to market. Many manufacturing companies are losing the competitive race in this area to the speedy and effective execution process, which other successful companies (for example, some Japanese electronic manufacturers) use. Analyzes two sets of companies: those that bring the products to market early; and those which do so late. Describes the advantages of a company bringing product into the marketplace before its competitors, and how a company can wrestle away a larger share of the marketplace. Also provides some closed form algorithms for computing projected shares of sales volume. Using this formula, a company can compute what sales volume a company can lock‐in by introducing a product to market when demand or need for a product is at its peak. Also provides a computational means for calculating possible loss of revenues when a company is not able to bring a product timely to the marketplace.

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Pricing Strategy and Practice, vol. 5 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4905

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Article
Publication date: 1 December 1995

Biren Prasad

Continuous improvement is a cyclic process of product and processoptimization over a product life cycle. Optimization is beyond qualityand reliability management – meaning, an…

1817

Abstract

Continuous improvement is a cyclic process of product and process optimization over a product life cycle. Optimization is beyond quality and reliability management – meaning, an organization is keeping in constant touch with new technological advances and frequently employs the applicable technologies to improve an existing product. Cycling means that an organization is continually exploring new frontiers in manufacturing technologies. The latest advances in related fields such as computers and systems are reviewed regularly for possible inclusion in the produced and process optimization cycle. Today, there is no single unique structure or process that defines “continuous improvement”, or, in a larger sense, what is described here as product and process optimization (PPO). Outlines a new structured approach to product and process optimization which includes, in addition to change management, three sets of metrics and measurements. PPO is a function of life‐cycle management. There are three aspects of life‐cycle management applicable to manu‐facturing and service industries: managing reprocessing, restructuring or re‐engineering change; managing continuity; and managing revision change.

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International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, vol. 12 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-671X

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Book part
Publication date: 27 November 2006

Heidi Winklhofer, Kathryn Houghton and Thomas Chesney

Despite the much publicised advantages of a website for SME exporters, the level of website sophistication, as well as the factors which inhibit or stimulate exporting SMEs to…

Abstract

Despite the much publicised advantages of a website for SME exporters, the level of website sophistication, as well as the factors which inhibit or stimulate exporting SMEs to develop their website beyond a basic level of sophistication, are still unknown. The literature is prone to discuss website establishment and development simultaneously, splitting firms into adopters and non-adopters, yet websites may be established and then neglected, or be continually developed. This paper introduces an instrument for measuring website sophistication within an export marketing context, and proposes and empirically tests a model that depicts factors impacting on perceived advantages of a website and website sophistication levels. The results identify export diversity and environmental pressure as key determinants of perceived advantage of a website which in turn is a good predictor of website sophistication. The firm internal resources, i.e. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) knowledge and time, in conjunction with entrepreneurship orientation also determine an SME exporter's website sophistication level.

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International Marketing Research
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-76231-369-3

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