R&D in Sweden and manufacturing in China: a study of communication challenges
Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management
ISSN: 1741-038X
Article publication date: 25 February 2014
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore communication challenges related to geographic distance, with emphasis on differences in national culture and language between R&D and manufacturing engineers, in a development project faced with uncertainty and equivocality.
Design/methodology/approach
The results originate from a longitudinal single-case study of a commercial product development project.
Findings
Three communication challenges are identified: clarity of shared information, intention to share information, and responsiveness to information received. The challenges are strongly associated with differences in national culture and language. The study also indicates that the communication challenges cannot only be handled by the use of rich communication media, but also by employment of communication media of low richness such as e-mails or “picture books”.
Research limitations/implications
The single-case study approach limits the ability to generalize the findings. Future research should thus focus on additional studies of geographically separated R&D and manufacturing.
Originality/value
The results from the study provide important insights for the management of product development in geographically dispersed settings. The findings emphasize the need to consider potential differences in national culture and language within a product development team. Acknowledging these differences and managing them properly can support efficiency of product development projects.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper is part of the special issue on “Managing the Manufacturing – R&D Interface” Guest Edited by Thomas Lager and Jean-Philippe Rennard.
The authors would like to express their gratitude to Company A and all team members in the Beta project for kindly allowing access to empirical data. The authors also thank the guest editors and two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments and suggestions for improvements. The research presented in this paper was financed by VINNOVA, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems.
Citation
Georgieva Wlazlak, P. and Johansson, G. (2014), "R&D in Sweden and manufacturing in China: a study of communication challenges", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 25 No. 2, pp. 258-278. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMTM-09-2013-0128
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited