BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL AND INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING MSC PROGRAM IN PRODUCTION ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT
Cases on Product Development & Innovation (Ieng 7011)

Prepared By: Wubshet Abide Submitted To: Mengist H. (Dr)

Dec, 2013

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Integrating knowledge generated in a distributed product development process-case studies in manufacturing SMES (Jonas Rundquist) PDD paper 03 1. How do different types of knowledge, generated in product development in an alliance context, are integrated to individual firm? In this paper knowledge integration can be achieved through three different techniques a. Through personal interaction Participation in meetings Phone conversation

b. Through impersonal interaction Exchange of e-mails Exchange of reports

c. Direct collaboration Working together Sharing the same vision

2. What research methodologies are employed? Which methods are most successful for each type of knowledge? List the data sources. They have followed case study approach in order to investigate how different types of information and knowledge generated in an alliance context, are integrated to the individual firms. Data sources are as follows By conducting un structured interview with R&D managers, HR managers, production mangers and other two project leader /members Document reviewing Observation of the firms working site Discussion

3. Discuss the suggested joint framework for studying knowledge integration? According to proposition 1if a firm acquires more specific knowledge without higher involvement it is efficient. That means a firm communicate with other firms via e-mail and report exchanging as a result they can get specific knowledge. According to proposition 2 more specific knowledge can be integrated with the cost of higher involvement. 2|Page

More involving More specific

Thematic knowledge Process knowledge Collaboration Personal interaction

Less involving
Impersonal interaction

Less specific

General knowledge

4. Comment on the existence of R & D operation in firms. Us per the statement of the researchers all three firms have extensive R&D operations in house. The pattern firm A followed is very important for the purpose of product development and innovation. Since R&D it self is a multi disciplinary in addition to this good variety they have got a meeting with their partners. This will result in good experience sharing and a stimulating factor for innovaton. 5. Discuss the implications of the findings of the paper. According to the finding of this research firm B has got good integration of knowledge as compared to other firms i.e. firm A and C, impersonal way of communication such as exchange of e-mails and reports. Firm B has integrated for both thematic and process knowledge. As of this research both propositions 1&2 hold true. That means a firm needs to have higher involvement in order to integrate more specific knowledge components. And it is efficient if a firm able to integrate with list amount of involvement. 6. What is your take home from this reading in terms of PD & Innovation? I have learned from this paper ,rather than doing as a black box it is better to collaborate with others to increase knowledge as a result intensity of innovation will increase. In some extent giving the information we have to others will gain us a grate knowledge asset through integration and collaboration.

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