ONLINE information services, RAPID prototyping, INDUSTRIAL research, and MANUFACTURING processes

Abstract: Addressing the demand uncertainties at the fuzzy-front-end of developing new online services, this paper tests the roles of numerous cluster-based methodologies in improving the predictive accuracy of consumer opinions. The results with an online service revealed that both crisp and non-crisp clustering methodologies improve the predictive accuracy and hence reduce the demand uncertainties at the fuzzy-front-end of the new product development process. They also showed that non-crisp clustering increases the accuracy more than does crisp clustering. Implications of the findings for our understanding of the earlier stages of the new product development process and for making informed R&D policies are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

NEW product development, RAPID prototyping, and SIMULATION methods & models

Abstract: New product development nowadays makes heavy use of IT instruments such as virtual simulation tools. The main motivation for introducing virtual simulation tools in new product development is to speed up development and lower its cost. Virtual simulation tools, however, do much more. They introduce profound changes in the organization, including the nature of problem-solving, bearing the potential to increase new product development performance beyond cost and lead time reduction. Understanding these profound changes, we argue, holds the key to unlocking the potential of virtual simulation tools for improving new product development performance, including more innovative products. We support our argument with a case study from the European auto industry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

EXPERTISE, RAPID prototyping, NEW product development, and LEARNING

Abstract: Specialists of different domains have to collaborate whenever technically demanding product innovations are developed. Their respective knowledge contributions need to be integrated into a functioning whole. Two approaches provide insight into how this is achieved: the dominating cross-learning approach assumes that the specialists of different knowledge domains have to intensively learn from each other in order to be able to jointly develop the new product. This cross-learning implies that groups of specialists transfer their specific knowledge, which encompasses different concepts (theories), methods and world views, among each other. However, some researchers argue that intensive cross-learning between specialists is a considerable expense in time and effort and, therefore, inefficient. They insist that integration of specialists’ knowledge is achieved through structural mechanisms that significantly reduce the need for cross-learning. This article is based on one of the latter approaches. We argue that the mechanisms of transactive memory, modularization and prototyping in combination can considerably reduce knowledge transfers. This assumption has found empirical support for incremental innovations. On the basis of a comparison between incremental and radical innovation projects in an electrotechnical company, we analyze whether the assumption that, on the basis of structural mechanisms, specialists can integrate their knowledge without having to intensively learn from each other, also holds for radical innovations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

SCIENCE & industry, RAPID prototyping, MICROLITHOGRAPHY, and ARCHITECTURE

Abstract: This paper tries to clarify how current science-based industries become required to respond to their rapidly advancing complexity and what kinds of new organizational forms are inevitable to cope with such complexity. The microlithography industry is used for this purpose as a typical example. The central analytical concept is “interim modularity,” defined as the modular architecture at trial-and-error development and/or prototyping phases, to effectively orchestrate the dispersion of specialized knowledge and know-how over a wide range of professionals inside and outside of corporations. Such complex tools have to be system-designed with built-in interim modularity for pre-architecture search and post-architecture finetuning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

HOSPITALS, MAKERSPACES, PUBLIC welfare, HOSPITAL personnel, and MEDICAL innovations

As it becomes apparent that users are an important source in innovation in society and in organizations, scholars are realizing that user-directed innovation policy might contribute to improving social welfare. How such policy might be designed, however, is uncertain, as are the costs and benefits of such policies. It is also not clear whether there is a problem for user-directed policy to solve, or what that problem is. As a first empirical step to answering these questions, we report the results of providing hospital clinicians with access to ‘makerspaces’, i.e. staffed facilities with prototyping tools and the expertise in using them. Findings suggest that almost all innovations developed in the makerspaces are user innovations; that the potential returns from the innovations developed in the makerspaces’ first year of operation are more than tenfold the required investment; and that most of the innovations would not have been developed without access to makerspaces. Due to lack of diffusion, only a limited share of potential returns is realized. This suggests not only that there are problems of non-development and under-development that policy can solve and that doing so supports social welfare. It also suggests makerspaces as an effective form of user-supporting innovation policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CONSUMER behavior, INNOVATIONS in business, PRODUCT management, PROBLEM solving, and PERSONALITY

Via a study of innovating and non-innovating German consumers, we explore links between the “Big Five” personality traits and successful accomplishment of three basic innovation process stages by consumer-innovators: (1) generating an idea for a new product or product improvement, (2) developing a prototype that implements that idea, and (3) diffusing the innovation to others. We find that personality traits are significantly associated with success differ at each stage. First, those who score higher on openness to experience are significantly more likely to have new product ideas. Second, being introverted and conscientious is significantly associated with successful prototyping. Third, those who possess high levels of conscientiousness are more likely to successfully commercially diffuse their innovations, whereas, in contrast, conscientiousness lowers the likelihood of successful peer-to-peer diffusion. Since the personality traits associated with successful completion of each stage differ, and the same individual with the same traits must traverse each stage in sequence, we find that personality traits strongly affect the likelihood of overall success. That is, an individual innovator with a personality profile highly favorable to successful completion of all stages is several times more likely to successfully complete all three stages than is an individual with a highly unfavorable profile. We suggest solutions to this practical problem, and also offer suggestions for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NEW product development, BUSINESS enterprises, INDUSTRIAL design, INTEGRATED software, COMPUTER software, and VIRTUAL reality

Examines the influence of integrated software technologies in product development on the organizational experimentation and prototyping practices. Complementary nature of physical and virtual experimentation; Changes occurring at the interface between industrial design and engineering; Aim of integrated software systems.