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Strategy Question: How do we successfully manage our product/service improvement projects?

Summary: The executive has a defined improvement need, and a well thought out specification toward a project to address it. Now the project needs to be done on time. The Milestone Project Management Tool is a structured project management format. It is formatted after classic “stage gate” approaches, with some clever additions that allow it to also serve as an overarching management tool. Each stage gate represents a major element of the development process. Individual tasks supporting the major stage gate item are listed within that heading. By defining these line item tasks, the executive can shape the management tool to fit the particular situation. Color coding completed, ongoing, and incomplete tasks provides a great visual management technique for multiple ongoing projects. The user will be given examples of stage gate milestones (such as Milestone 1 — Project Charter, Milestone 2 — Specification Development, Milestone 3 — Prototype Development, Milestone 4 — Proof of Concept, Milestone 5 — Development, Milestone 6 — Commercialization, etc.) as well as numerous task line suggestions for each stage gate. The user will be encouraged to construct the milestone headings and task line items that make the most sense for their individual situation.

Agile methods are increasingly being applied in the contexts of innovation beyond traditional information technology (IT) and physical product development projects, such as when process improvements are being implemented. Nevertheless, this phenomenon is still recent and little addressed in the literature, with few descriptions of empirical cases. This study aims to address this gap.

This multiple case study aims to present and discuss the application of Agile practices embedded in large companies’ innovation value chains, focusing on improvements of business processes. The following research question is pursued: How are large companies applying elements of Agile methods to their innovation processes when implementing incremental improvements in their operational processes? Based on the idea that the Agile-Stage-Gate model is an alternative to this challenge, this study investigates the application of this hybrid model in two large Brazilian companies by presenting their idiosyncrasies, lessons learned, adaptations, challenges and benefits.

Overall, it was observed that the experience with the application of the Agile-Stage-Gate model is positive for these companies, with better customer engagement, easier project control and increased productivity of the project team.

For those aiming to implement the Agile-Stage-Gate model, this paper identifies the main adaptations made in order to combine the purist approaches and critical success factors for its implementation.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the structure of the new product development (NPD) processes of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and researches the transferability of the Stage-Gate® system for SMEs.

The authors used a qualitative multiple case study design. Data were gathered from 49 semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with German firms. The authors used blank cards and a bar graph to measure process structures. The NPD processes were assessed using both objective and subjective success criteria. Pattern matching was used as a systematic analysis technology for the identification of certain structures in the data. In data analysis the authors applied triangulation, content analysis, and descriptive categorisations. The authors looked for similarities and differences between the groups and the frequencies of certain characteristics, and also compared mean values.

The authors found that the majority of the enterprises have adopted Stage-Gate® systems. The authors also found that users of Stage-Gate® XPress processes (a condensed version of the Stage-Gate® system) were, on average, more successful in their innovation activities than the users of other versions of the Stage-Gate® system and entirely different NPD processes. The typical steps in these development processes are idea creation, business case, and product development and production. The study also describes the structure of the XPress processes considering back couplings, overlapping activities, milestones, and customer integration.

This description offers potential for the optimisation of the efficiency and effectiveness of NPD processes. Overall, the paper delivers new insights regarding the further exploration of the process structures in SMEs.

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.

This paper examines how the management control practices of organization members enable the alignment of product development projects with potentially conflicting corporate strategies during the product development process.

Using an ethnomethodology informed research approach, we carry out a case study of an innovative New Zealand food company. Case study data included an internal company document, interviews with organization members, and an external market analysis document.

Our case study company had both sales growth and profit growth corporate strategies which have been argued to cause tensions. We found that four management control practices enabled the alignment of product development projects to these strategies. The first management control practice was having the NPD and marketing functions responsible for different corporate strategies. Other management control practices included the involvement of organization members from across multiple functions, the activities they carried out, and the measures used to evaluate project performance during the product development process.

These findings add new insights to the management accounting literature by showing how a combination of management control practices can be used by organization members to align projects with potentially conflicting corporate strategies during the product development process.

While the alignment of product development projects to corporate strategy is not easy this study shows how it can be enabled through a number of management control practices.

We contribute to the management accounting research in this area by extending our understanding of the management control practices used during the product development process.

The Brazilian textile industry has been facing fierce competition from low-cost imports from China and other Far East countries. To maintain their competitiveness in the local market, Brazilian companies have been adopting the product differentiation strategy. By using new technologies, they are able to develop new products with better quality at lower costs. With regard to new technologies, companies in the Brazilian textile industry have been using get-some and buy-some strategy, and international technology transfer (TT) has become an important part of their business strategies. However, due to lack of planning, many projects failed to achieve the desired results. This paper aims to provide theoretical insights and practical guidance on how textile firms could use a stage-gate model to enhance the effectiveness of their TT projects.

In order to investigate the TT practices in the Brazilian context, three issues are assessed. First, the paper evaluates the possibility of deploying TT practices used by firms in similar industries, to enhance the effectiveness of TT process. Second, it verifies whether it is possible for the textile firms to use a stage-gate model to manage their TT processes, using as a normative framework the stage-gate model proposed by Jagoda and Ramanathan and Jagoda et al. Finally, possible changes to the stage-gate model are evaluated to specifically fit the Brazilian textile sector. This step is accomplished through four case studies from the Brazilian textile industry.

The analyses of TT projects carried out by four companies show that there are many similarities and differences among the TT practices that are employed by the four companies that were investigated. The evaluation of the TT practices of the Brazilian textile companies against the stage-gate framework allowed authors to identify the gaps between the model and the TT practices of the companies investigated. Broader guidelines in adapting the stage-gate model to improve the TT process in the textile industry are discussed in the final part of this study.

The TT process in the Brazilian textile industry is not a widely investigated phenomenon; however, this process has been critical to enhancing Brazil's competitiveness. Thus, providing a better framework to support the TT process in the local textile sector could be relevant information for improving management action in the area.

While an increasing number of colleges and universities offer classes that teach students how to write a business plan, in practice the majority of new ventures are launched without the benefit of formal planning. The purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual model to guide students and entrepreneurs through the process of pre‐launch investigation and planning.

To create the methodology, the authors rely on the stage‐gate model from the product development literature. The stage‐gate model is a conceptually sound set of steps that guide engineering students, practicing engineers, and product development specialists through the pre‐launch stages of investigating the merits of new product or service ideas. Using the spirit and structure of the stage‐gate model as a guide, the authors propose a model of the front end of the entrepreneurial process.

The model includes five distinct steps, starting with the identification of a business idea and progressing through feasibility analysis, business planning, and the ultimate launch of the venture.

The model proposed in this paper provides students and entrepreneurs a more structured and logical way of thinking through the merits of a business idea than is currently available.

The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into how nascent entrepreneurs persist despite outward appearances of little progress by using participant observations, and autobiographical and interview data.

Utilizing a multi-year case study, the authors use participant observation, autobiographical, and interview data to build the arguments.

The authors demonstrate that persistence involves overcoming stage-gate issues, and overcoming stage gates requires a flurry of activity and opportunity variation. Once stage gates are overcome, entrepreneurs experience an emergence-like event with a new flurry of activity that propels them toward the next stage gate. Doing so, the authors extend theories of entrepreneurial persistence and entrepreneurial action by suggesting that nascent entrepreneurs who are slowly making progress toward start-up may be persisting by taking small but important steps toward start-up.

This study offers detailed observations and analysis about the behaviors and activities that a nascent entrepreneur undertook during an extremely long gestation/persistence period, which ultimately ended with the successful completion of the goal.

The purpose of this case study was threefold. First, to examine whether a needs assessment can work in the context of an organization’s new product development process to identify the gap between what “is” occurring and what “should” be occurring. Second, to investigate how a well-known stakeholder classification system can be adopted in a practitioner setting. Third, to identify why the new product development process derailed in a quick-service restaurant chain.

A Fortune 200 quick-service restaurant chain provided the setting for a case study on the new product development (NPD) process. Data were gathered from multiple stakeholder groups using interviews and a survey questionnaire.

Findings support the adaptability of needs assessment as a learning tool to help organizations identify and address performance gaps. A second finding was the applicability of the Mitchell et al. (1997) classification system to identify and prioritize groups of stakeholders. Finally, this study revealed that the specific activities involved in the NPD process were not codified, and that the restaurant chains cross-functional team was not adhering to the process due to a lack of training.

The specific setting may limit the generalizability of findings. Future research could determine the applicability in other settings.

This study provides useful insights for applying needs assessments in conjunction with a stakeholder analysis when problems arise in the product development process.

The study contributes to understanding around product development learning tools and provides impetus for the adoption of needs assessments and stakeholder analysis when deficiencies in the process occur.

Some companies to aid the product development process have implemented a stage‐gate framework, as a high‐level representation of the activities required. Such a framework allows the development process to be closely monitored and controlled, using stages of work and review gates. Six different companies have been examined to show the variations in representation. Each approach was compared to a generic four‐staged framework. Companies which are organised mainly in cross‐functional teams adhere strongly to the four stages, namely a low‐phased approach. However, companies organised with a strong functional structure tend to have more phases and gates within each stage, i.e. a high‐phased approach. These additional phases tend to be placed late in the product development process rather than at the start where their effect would be greater. A generic representation of the product development process applicable to various organisations and industrial sectors, provides an architecture for carrying out any business process improvement project.