New Product Development and Production Networks

New Product Development and Production Networks

Edited by U. JürgensSpringer-Verlag2000472 pp.ISBN 3 540 64172 6£68.50 Hardcover

Keywords: New product development, Production

This book brings together a number of research papers that focus on the actual implementation of shortening new product creation (NPC), or "time to market".

New Product Development and Production Networks comprises 20 chapters divided into four sections. These sections are The Challenge of Time to Market:Responses by Industries, Comparing National-specific Approaches in the Machine Tool Automobile and PC Industries, Potential and Use of Information and Communication Technology and Beyond the Management and Engineering Perspective.

The first section discusses the concepts, problems and models associated with the NPC process and includes chapters on: Shortening Lead Time through Early Problem Solving – building Competition in the Auto Industry, The Machine Tool Industry: New Market Challenges and the Crisis of the Traditional German Pattern of Innovation and Making Large Teams Work Like Small Teams: Product Development at Microsoft.

Section 2 is the largest part of the book and includes chapters on:Communication and Co-operation in the New Product and Development Networks– an International Comparison of Country – and Industry –specific Patterns, Changing Strategies and Processes in the Japanese Machine Tool Product Development and Reorganising the Product and Process Development of an Italian Car Manufacturer.

The two remaining sections include chapters on: Information and Communication Technologies to Support Co-operation in the Product Development Process and Creating Systematic Capability for Consistent High Performance New Product Development. The book finishes with a brief chapter of general conclusions written by the editor.

Overall this is a well written text which clearly presents the key points of new product development and production networks. Although this book is directed at scientists and practitioners who are involved in producing the benchmarks for development and production in their industries, it is also suitable for managers in these industries as well.

Jonathan Rigelsford