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This study investigated the issue of collaboration in new product development within the context of the South African textile and clothing industry. The following aspects were analysed in order to contribute to the understanding of the collaboration process: the perceived benefits of collaboration in the new product development process, the risks of collaboration, the effect of collaboration on the new product development process, and the factors that increase the likelihood of a successful collaboration.

This paper aims to address the need for managerial and organizational approaches to knowledge integration with customers in collaborative product development projects. The purpose is to identify the roles of customers in terms of the customer’s knowledge contribution and timing of customer collaboration in the product development process.

This study is based on a multi-case study approach, comprising four product development projects from two large international suppliers. The cases were selected following the theoretical replication logic. Data consist of interviews, workshops and secondary information. For each of the cases, a within-case analysis was performed followed by a cross-case analysis.

The study shows that the customer’s knowledge contribution is aligned with the specific requirements of each phase of the product development. Three specific customer roles are identified and connected to the customer’s knowledge contribution and the timing of customer collaboration. The technical capability of the customer and the locus of initiative of the product development project are affecting the prerequisites for knowledge integration with customers.

The study is performed from the perspective of supplier firms. The authors have not been able to capture the perspective of the customer in detail. As it is expected that both customers and suppliers benefit from a systematic knowledge exchange, future studies could examine knowledge contributions in both directions.

The findings can be used to devise effective approaches for collaborative product development with customers related to the customer’s knowledge contribution and the timing of customer collaboration and provide guidance to firms seeking to benefit from knowledge residing at customers.

This is one of the first studies to focus on the integration of customers’ knowledge in product development processes. This paper contributes to the customer–supplier collaboration literature by presenting further insight into customers’ knowledge contributions, the timing of customer collaboration in product development processes and the prerequisites for knowledge integration with customers.

This paper aims to explore the role and meaning of openness for the purpose of enhancing the understanding of collaborative innovation from an industrial network perspective.

The theoretical framework is based on the Industrial Network Approach, and the concepts of activity links, resource ties and actor bonds are used as a starting point for capturing the content and dynamics of the interaction. The empirical part consists of five case studies: two historical and three contemporary cases dealing with collaborative innovation projects. The cases are analyzed with regard to openness in business relationships and their connections in the network.

The main contribution is a conceptualization of openness in business relationships and relationship connections. The paper describes various forms and contents of openness – and closeness. It is postulated that the concept of openness can be used as an analytical tool for digging deeper into relationship and network-related issues of relevance to firms’ behavior in the context of collaborative innovation. Openness, as it is defined in this paper, is also put forward as an explanation of why (or why not) collaborative innovation projects become successful.

The conceptualization of openness differs from openness as it is commonly described in the open innovation literature. There, openness is the opposite of closeness, that is, a pattern where the innovation activities take place internally within the company. In this paper, openness, instead, has to do with how firms interact with other network actors in the context of collaborative innovation.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how to measure collaborative design performance and, in turn, improve the final design output during a design process, with a clear objective to develop a design performance measurement (DPM) matrix to measure design project team members' design collaboration performances.

The methodology adopted in this research uses critical literature reviews, in‐depth focus group interviews and a questionnaire survey.

The main finding of this study is a DPM matrix that addresses five DPM indicators: efficiency, effectiveness, collaboration, management skill, and innovation, and 25 detailed DPM criteria. It was found that decision‐making efficiency is the most important DPM criterion for collaborative design efficiency; plus delivering to the brief for effectiveness; clear team goal/objectives for collaboration; decision‐making ability for management skill; and competitive advantage for innovation.

As the present study was focused on exploring DPM during a design process, some key DPM criteria which are not measurable during a design development process were not included in this study. The proposed multi‐feedback approach for DPM matrix implementation needs to be validated in future research.

The DPM matrix can be applied to support a design manager in measuring and improving collaborative design performance during a design process, by reviewing and modifying collaborative design development, identifying the design team strengths and weaknesses, improving team communication, and suggesting suitable responsive actions.

The major contribution of this study is the investigation and development of a DPM matrix to measure collaborative design performance during a design process.

This study aims to examine the effect of supplier supply network (SSN) resources on buyer–supplier collaborative product innovation. The existing relevant studies from the network perspective are focused more horizontally on the mobilization of the firm’s entire supplier network resources and less vertically on the utilization of the individual supplier's supply network resources. Therefore, this paper takes a contingency perspective, regards the buyer as the receiver of a supplier’s supply network resources and, based on the theoretical motivation–opportunity–ability framework, explores the important motivation and ability factors that may weaken or enhance the product innovation value of the network resources.

This paper develops a new research model that assesses how the innovation utilization effectiveness of SSN resources is contingent on a buyer’s perception of the SSN effects and relative absorptive capacity on the SSN. A large sample questionnaire is designed and collected from 300 Chinese high-tech manufacturing firms and their suppliers. An empirical test is carried out in which multiple regression analysis is applied to 246 valid sample data.

The results show that SSN resources can significantly enhance buyer–supplier collaborative product innovation; however, the innovation utilization effectiveness is limited by the buyer’s relative absorptive capacity for the SSN and perception of the SSN effects. Specifically, if a buyer perceives that a greater innovation effect of a supplier’s supply network is correlated with an improved relative position in the SSN or with higher network structural equivalence and network cognitive congruence between the buyer and the supplier on the SSN, then the buyer will be more motivated and capable of transforming the SSN resources into actual product innovation value.

The research results provide useful guidance for firms to effectively mobilize their SSN resources to tap into the supplier innovation value for a sustainable competitive advantage.

This paper extends the research on supplier innovation value to the SSN field. Through linking dyadic and network levels of analysis, this paper reveals the value and uniqueness of product innovation utilization of a specific supplier’s supply network resources in the buyer–supplier relationship and provides a new research perspective for future studies on related issues.

This paper aims to examine the impact of internal coordination capability on supplier involvement.

Hypothesized relationships are tested using confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical linear regression models.

It was found that internal coordination capability and supplier involvement effort have a positive effect on collaborative product development (CPD) performance. In addition, internal coordination capability positively moderates the relationship between supplier involvement and CPD performance.

The study used targets or goals as the standard for measuring all scales in CPD performance. Although, this approach has several advantages and it is widely reported in the literature, it fails to account for the aggressiveness of the goals or targets as well as relative importance of the metrics.

Managers attempting to gain short‐term benefits through increased collaboration scope will risk negative CPD performance unless they are willing to invest significant effort in supplier involvement to reduce the transaction cost.

Unlike existing literature which focuses either on internal integration or external integration, this study focuses on their interaction. It provides empirical evidence that internal coordination capability has a direct and an indirect impact (as moderator) on CPD performance.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework for understanding how problem formulation, information search and division of work in new product development (NPD) activities is shaped by mind sets vested in organizations with diverging positions in the value chain and correspondingly situated knowledge contexts. The authors aim to focus on how this influences the marketability of new product ideas.

The empirical data are derived from exploratory observation studies of NPD meetings and interviews of involved managers and specialists in three business dyads. The cases involve ingredient and meat suppliers, retail chains and marketing agencies located in Denmark.

The authors show that the scope and organization of NPD activities indeed are shaped by the combinations of situated knowledge contexts involved. An important intervening variable however concerns the atmosphere of the relationship, involving emotions and attitudes of the actors involved from foregone exchange situations.

For managers of NPD activities, the relationship between the knowledge contexts involved, the concept development outcomes and the marketability of new product ideas are important factors to take into consideration in organizing supplier or buyer involvement in NPD.

The value of the paper is primarily related to its empirical contexts and the findings.

This study investigates the role of collaborative spaces as organizational support for internal innovation through cross-functional teams and for open innovation with external stakeholders. In particular, the study focuses on collaborative spaces as tools for multiplex (i.e., simultaneous internal and external boundary management in innovation projects).

The authors conducted a qualitative study in a multi-divisional organization that set up in its headquarters a collaborative space for collaborative product development. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and participant observations.

Findings highlight that the relation between expectations and experiences about the collaborative space impact on employees' ability to perform boundary work inside and outside the organization. In addition to the collaborative space's affording role for expectations about hands-on collaborative innovation (space as laboratory), the study also highlights a set of collaboration constraints. These latter are generated by perceived boundary configurations (i.e. degree of boundary permeability and infrastructure in internal and external collaborations) and by discrepancies between expectations (space as laboratory) and actual collaboration experiences in the space (i.e. space as maze, cloister, showcase and silo). We show that space-generated constraints slow down internal and external boundary work for innovation and generate a trade-off between them.

Using the process-based perspective of boundary work, the paper connects studies on cross-functional teaming and open innovation through the concept of “multiplex boundary work.” It also contributes to the literature on boundary work by showing the challenges of using collaborative spaces as organizational support tools for multiplex boundary spanning.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the current practices of tool and die development, particularly in the Malaysian context with respect to collaborative manufacturing (CM). It is important to gauge the presents of CM, which is one of the key elements of Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0) so that significant initiatives could be taken. The findings are also expected to address the issues pertaining limited information related to collaborative tool and die development in Malaysia.

A survey was carried out among the key players in the local tool and die industry, covering issues such as operational structure in practice, internal collaboration, external collaboration and application of collaborative technology.

The results revealed that although practitioners realise that there are systems and available technological support, unfortunately, it has not been embraced due to poor communication, lack of commitment and cooperation from employees and business owners. In addition, industry players also need to be aware of the benefits concerning CM for a sustainable future.

Many industry players are rather reluctant to participate in surveys and tend to reserve their opinions regarding their operational practices. Lack of awareness among the industry players contributed to the poor participation of the survey and based on the feedback, some of the industry players are not well-informed regarding the latest developments in the industry.

The data and feedback gained through the research offer the perspective for the current state of CM particularly the tool and die industry in Malaysia. This may be a preliminary study with limited data but the value of the information is significant for further in-depth study and policy alignment towards enhancing the tool and die industry which is rarely given attention to. Understanding the current state of CM particularly in the tool and die development would be critical for the expansion of IR 4.0 concerning this field in Malaysia.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the current problems and difficulties in automotive project management and explore solutions to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. To meet the industry demands for new project management methods, a strategy‐based scorecard concept was developed to monitor and control collaborative projects, to measure their performance, and to manage risks. The method aims to improve the project management performance of cross‐company projects.

The development of collaborative strategy maps and integrated measures for project control based on key performance indicators (KPIs) is an essential step for successful project management with a collaborative project scorecard. The concept was developed and evaluated on the basis of two workshops organised by the German Project Management Association (GPM e.V.) and interviews with project managers of automotive projects (manufacturers and suppliers).

The application of a balanced scorecard to cross‐company projects in the automotive industry can be facilitated by an impact matrix to develop strategy maps. Examples of collaborative strategy maps, project objectives, and KPIs to manage automotive projects are given and advantages, disadvantages, and limitations discussed. The paper discusses the possibilities of improving project management efficiency and effectiveness, as well as increasing project transparency with a CPS.

This paper fulfils the need to align collaborative project objectives with cross‐company business strategies in the automotive industry. The application of a balanced scorecard to cross‐company projects in the automotive industry is a new approach and would be of interest to all project managers aiming to increase transparency in their projects.