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The essential investments in new product development (NPD) made by industrial companies entail effective management of NPD activities. In this context, performance measurement is one of the means that can be employed in the pursuit of effectiveness.

Quality Function Deployment (QFD) proposes to take into account the “voice of the customer,” through a list of customer needs, which are (qualitatively) mapped to technical requirements in House One. But customers do not perceive products in this space, nor do they not make purchase decisions in this space. Marketing specialists use statistical models to map between a simpler space of customer perceptions and the long and detailed list of needs. For automobiles, for example, the main axes in perceptual space might be categories such as luxury, performance, sport, and utility. A product’s position on these few axes determines the detailed customer requirements consistent with the automobiles’ position such as interior volume, gauges and accessories, seating type, fuel economy, door height, horsepower, interior noise level, seating capacity, paint colors, trim, and so forth. Statistical models such as factor analysis and principal components analysis are used to describe the mapping between these spaces, which we call House Zero.

This paper focus on House One. Two important steps of the product development process using House One are: (1) setting technical targets; (2) identifying the inherent tradeoffs in a design including a position of merit. Utility functions are used to determine feature preferences for a product. Conjoint analysis is used to capture the product preference and potential market share. Linear interpolation and the slope point formula are used to determine other points of customer needs. This research draws from the formal mapping concepts developed by Nam Suh and the qualitative maps of quality function deployment, to present unified information and mapping paradigm for concurrent product/process design. This approach is the virtual integrated design method that is tested upon data from a business design problem.

Quality function deployment (QFD) is a method developed in Japan to help transform the voice of the customer into product characteristics and to control quality in the development/production phases. It minimizes the risk that products or services are far from the costumers’ needs and promotes company integration and quality management. Starting with the description of the “House of Quality,” the chapter explains how to build a QFD. Strengths and weaknesses of the methodology are also presented to the reader.

For packed products, packaging affects every logistical activity and thus the overall economic and ecological efficiency (eco-efficiency) of supply chains. The purpose of this research is to explore how integrated approaches are used in packaging development processes to increase eco-efficiency along supply chains and how a set of pre-selected factors influences the adoption of practically integrated approaches within companies.

The research approach is explorative and based on nine cases in the food and manufacturing industries in Sweden. In total, 26 semi-structured interviews were conducted.

The chapter describes the way in which companies work with ‘integrative’ packaging development process elements. It explores how four factors – product characteristics, packaging requirements, logistical conditions and environmental efforts – influence their approach.

The study analyses the packaging development processes at a limited number of companies in Sweden.

The findings can help logistics managers to better understand how integrated approaches can be applied in packaging development processes to increase eco-efficiency of logistical processes along the supply chain. The study provides logistic managers also with information about which influencing factors can serve as facilitators or barriers to these approaches in their organisations.

Previous research has demonstrated the potential economic and environmental benefits of integrating a logistics perspective into the packaging development process. This study complements existing knowledge by presenting extensive empirical data on the practical application of integrated approaches in packaging development processes in industry.

Growing e-commerce and technology-led initiatives are the catalysts for digitization in the financial industry. Green (2020) states that there has been an increase in global funding in this sector from $111 billion in 2018 up to $135 billion in 2020. This surge in digital payments requires a payment technology company that understands the market needs of developing countries, has an agile approach and strong organizational practices. TPS is an agile company that has aligned itself to capture the untapped markets in developing countries through its best practices, perseverance, and continuous innovation by identifying and filling market gaps. The company is highly customer-centric and people-oriented. This case study explores the key practices and drivers of success for this company by outlining the main features of organizational strategy, competitive advantage, external and internal marketing practices. Looking ahead, the case asks whether agile practices, organic mindset, highly flexible customer orientation, and talent building practices influence the productivity and proficiency of the company or not.

Increasingly, product companies are attempting to offer solutions rather than standalone goods. However, recent field data show product companies tend to follow their product-centric doctrine to deal with solutions. In fact, the value of a solution for customers is to get their particular problems solved in the long run.

In this chapter, a new view (a circular process view) of solutions is introduced to help product companies to cocreate sustainable solutions with their customers. Derived from this new view, the required distinctive capabilities for organizing sustainable customer solutions are elaborated. They are (1) understanding the customer’s actual and ongoing needs, (2) organizing responsive systems integration, (3) ensuring continuous customer value creation, and (4) sustaining the solution in the network.

The paper provides an overview of research published in the innovation and operations management (IOM) literature on 15 methods for cost management in new product development, and it provides a comparison to an earlier review of the management accounting (MA) literature (Wouters & Morales, 2014).

This structured literature search covers papers published in 23 journals in IOM in the period 1990–2014.

The search yielded a sample of 208 unique papers with 275 results (one paper could refer to multiple cost management methods). The top 3 methods are modular design, component commonality, and product platforms, with 115 results (42%) together. In the MA literature, these three methods accounted for 29%, but target costing was the most researched cost management method by far (26%). Simulation is the most frequently used research method in the IOM literature, whereas this was averagely used in the MA literature; qualitative studies were the most frequently used research method in the MA literature, whereas this was averagely used in the IOM literature. We found a lot of papers presenting practical approaches or decision models as a further development of a particular cost management method, which is a clear difference from the MA literature.

This review focused on the same cost management methods, and future research could also consider other cost management methods which are likely to be more important in the IOM literature compared to the MA literature. Future research could also investigate innovative cost management practices in more detail through longitudinal case studies.

This review of research on methods for cost management published outside the MA literature provides an overview for MA researchers. It highlights key differences between both literatures in their research of the same cost management methods.

Customer experience (CE) has been of research interest especially with researchers in a Business-to-Consumer (B2C) context. Extensive research has identified the potential of similar studies in Business-to Business (B2B) contexts, yet we have little understanding of what influences a customer's experience in a B2B environment.

This chapter aims to capture the adequacy of efforts to capture the intricacies of CE in a B2B context using input–output measures both in the traditional and modern-day environment. The chapter would provide marketing managers with a clear understanding of how CE is affected in the B2B context. Essentially, it describes the importance of creating a positive CE through the direct interaction of various stakeholders with the company and its brand. This chapter advances the current state of knowledge by analysing the impact of CE on all dimensions of customer journey, creating a differential advantage over time.

In this chapter we aim to consider human resources (HR) within the context of tourism experiences. Specifically, our intention is to analyze and highlight the importance of a strategic approach to human resources management (HRM) and suggest suitable tools and strategies.

Extensive literature reviews were conducted on issues and aspects of HRM. Micro-cases and examples are used to illustrate efficient HRM tools and practices.

(i) HR have a significant contribution to make in overcoming the challenge of creating and managing experiences to meet customer expectations and achieve tourism business aims. (ii) The strategic management approach to HR is indispensable because consumption experience has shifted from the servicescape to the experiencescape environment. (iii) This evolution implies that tourism staff need to develop a new skills set.

This study is explorative in nature, based on a literature review. Thus, more research-based knowledge and more empirical studies are needed to fully validate the chapter’s suggestions.

Strategic HRM is a requirement for tourism businesses that aim to provide valuable tourism experiences. There is a need for experiential intelligence and a bundle of skills to fulfill the customized requirements and personal aspirations of contemporary tourists. The related strategies are also discussed.

The study offers insights into aspects of HRM in the context of tourism experiences and highlights the necessity of developing an extended bundle of skills.