Interface challenges and managerial issues in the industrial innovation process
Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management
ISSN: 1741-038X
Article publication date: 25 February 2014
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of challenges related to interfaces in industrial innovation processes, together with suggestions on how these interface challenges can be managed. The paper investigates similarities and differences between the interfaces and identified challenges in terms of required managerial issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The result presented in this paper is based on in-depth case studies of ten product development projects from five different manufacturing firms in Sweden. The empirical results are supplemented with results from a review of relevant literature.
Findings
To manage the interface challenges market uncertainty, technological uncertainty, product complexity and/or degree of change in product, production complexity and/or degree of change in production, geographical and/or organisational dispersion between technology development and product development, and between product development and production, it was found that several issues have to be considered. Most of the identified managerial issues concern transfer synchronisation, transfer management and transfer scope. The authors have shown that despite many differences between the different phases in the innovation process, a quite concordant picture emerges when it comes to how to manage interface challenges.
Practical implications
The classification of managerial issues into transfer synchronisation, transfer management and transfer scope provides an overview of areas that need to be addressed to manage interface challenges during the industrial innovation process. This knowledge provides some guidance for managers aiming at a smooth transition process, from technology development to production.
Originality/value
By addressing both the interface between technology development and product development, and between product development and production in the same study, the authors have been able to provide a comprehensive overview of managerial issues related to interfaces challenges in industrial innovation processes in manufacturing firms.
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 project, which involved five manufacturing companies actively taking part and giving access to their experience and premises, was financially supported by the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems (VINNOVA). The results presented in this paper are based on studies carried out in participating companies to whom the authors owe much gratitude. The Product Innovation Engineering program (PIEp), a Swedish research and development program for increased innovation capability in organizations, has also provided support for this paper.
Citation
Säfsten, K., Johansson, G., Lakemond, N. and Magnusson, T. (2014), "Interface challenges and managerial issues in the industrial innovation process", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 25 No. 2, pp. 218-239. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMTM-10-2013-0141
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited