“Plus Corporation, partnering with a leading edge Japanese manufacturer, is rushing a unique computer hard drive to market. This startup subsidiary must manage the cross‐cultural…
Abstract
“Plus Corporation, partnering with a leading edge Japanese manufacturer, is rushing a unique computer hard drive to market. This startup subsidiary must manage the cross‐cultural joint venture, survive a competitive crisis, and keep the parent corporation happy.” The product development project was so successful, top management at Plus was given the opportunity to run its parent company.
During recent years a number of techniques have been developed to aid in the forecasting of corporate sales, individual product demand, economic indicators, and other related…
Abstract
During recent years a number of techniques have been developed to aid in the forecasting of corporate sales, individual product demand, economic indicators, and other related series. These techniques have included classical time series analysis, multiple regression and adaptive forecasting procedures. As a result of these developments, the individual company and decision maker is faced with the task of selecting the forecasting technique that is most appropriate for his situation. This article reports research conducted at INSEAD on how simulation can be used to compare and evaluate alternative forecasting techniques for a specific application.
Steven C. Wheelwright and Nan S. Langowitz
Plus Corporation, working with a leading‐edge Japanese manufacturer, is rushing a unique product to market. The principals must manage the joint venture, survive a competitive…
Abstract
Plus Corporation, working with a leading‐edge Japanese manufacturer, is rushing a unique product to market. The principals must manage the joint venture, survive a competitive crisis, and keep their parent corporation happy. It's easy to empathize with the line managers, but try taking the perspective of the CEO of the parent firm.
Steven C. Wheelwright and Kim B. Clark
An understanding of effective problem solving is essential for everyoneinvolved in development teams. For most development projects, thedesign‐build‐test cycle is the fundamental…
Abstract
An understanding of effective problem solving is essential for everyone involved in development teams. For most development projects, the design‐build‐test cycle is the fundamental building block of effective problem solving. Examines the design‐build‐test cycle and describes alternative modes of problem solving and their implications for organizational skills and capabilities. Examines how superior capabilities at conducting the cycle can be used to make dramatic improvements in individual product development efforts. Concludes by considering how a firm can leverage the problem‐solving ability into a competitive advantage.
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Cork stoppers may taint as many as one in 33 bottles of all domestic US wines. Yet, because tradition is thought to play such an important role in shaping expectations regarding…
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Cork stoppers may taint as many as one in 33 bottles of all domestic US wines. Yet, because tradition is thought to play such an important role in shaping expectations regarding acceptable premium wine packaging, marketers have felt little need to test whether cork closures are indeed a critical consumer expectation. This paper serves as a guide toward understanding the obstacles which must first be overcome by those producers who wish to adopt cork substitutes for fine wines. This paper also offers insight into grappling with the implementation of problem solutions; shows why desirable solutions may not always be practical; and provides insight into why conflicting intrafirm departmental viewpoints, consumer expectations, and the competitive environment in which the firm or industry operates, can combine to lead the marketer to reject money‐saving superior product innovations. Preliminary work indicates that consumers reject label message conditions as a means of achieving acceptance of cork alternatives. The main objective of future research should therefore be to provide specific findings on how much positive and negative impact is likely to occur by changing the product design.
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This paper describes a comprehensive approach to examine how technological innovation contributes to the renewal of a firm’s competences through its dynamic and reciprocal…
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This paper describes a comprehensive approach to examine how technological innovation contributes to the renewal of a firm’s competences through its dynamic and reciprocal relationship with R&D and product commercialization. Three theories of technology and innovation (the R&D and technological knowledge concept, product‐process concept, technological interdependence concept) are used to relate technology and innovation to strategic management. Based on these theories, this paper attempts to identify the dynamic relationship between product innovation and process innovation using system dynamics by investigating that aspect of the dynamic changes in the closed feedback circulation structure in which R&D investments drive the accumulation of technological knowledge.
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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…
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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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Based on the US Department of Commerce′s survey data of US directinvestment abroad for 1977 and 1985, this study examines the shift inglobal market share of US multinational…
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Based on the US Department of Commerce′s survey data of US direct investment abroad for 1977 and 1985, this study examines the shift in global market share of US multinational manufacturing firms for the 1977‐1985 period. Consolidated global market shares of US multinationals for 26 industries are estimated for 1977 and 1985. The shift in their global market share is analysed from a perspective of three alternative, if not independent, strategic thrusts: namely, home market orientation, export orientation, and foreign production orientation. Contrary to the commonly stated claim that the competitiveness of US manufacturing firms has been declining, findings of this study indicate that, on average, US manufacturing multinationals have maintained global market share on a consolidated basis fairly well.
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Shiaw‐Wen Tien, Yi‐Chan Chung, Chih‐Hung Tsai and Chung‐Yun Dong
In the competitive global market, firms have to keep profit from innovation activities. A firm makes profits by offering products or services at a lower cost than its competitors…
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In the competitive global market, firms have to keep profit from innovation activities. A firm makes profits by offering products or services at a lower cost than its competitors or by offering differentiated products at premium prices that more than compensate for the extra cost of differentiation. The IC Package and Testing technology industries were the first high technological industry to build in Taiwan. The Package and Testing industries in Taiwan adopted competitive innovation activities to become stronger. In our study, we want to know how innovation activities influence a firm operating in the IC Package and Testing industries. Our study used a questionnaire and Likert five‐point scale to survey the innovation activities, customer and feedback in innovation performance in the IC Package and Testing industry. The wafer level chip size packing technology in our study indicates the innovation activities. Because we need to compare the difference between the wafer level chip size packing technology and wire bonding technology to recognize innovation and how the innovator and customer were influenced. Our conclusions are described below: (1) When the innovator adopts innovation activities that can be maintained using experiments and knowledge, using machine and decision variables more quickly will produce success; (2) Innovators should adopt innovation activities that focus on customers that use knowledge and experimentation, training time and cost. If an innovation forces customers to spend much time and cost to learn new technology or applications, the innovation will not be adopted; (3) Innovators that create innovation performance higher than his customers must also consider the impact upon their customers. We have to remind innovator to focus on why their customers have a different level of evolution in the same innovation activities.