Close relationships with selected suppliers can enable manufacturers to reduce costs, improve quality and enhance new product development. Although the advantages of close co-operation are widely acknowledged in the literature, the specific attributes of such relationships are not well understood. To address this gap, 39 managers responsible for purchasing were interviewed using a technique from psychology, which is particularly effective at uncovering the characteristics of relationships. This approach is innovative in the context of supplier management research and gave insights into how manufacturers expect more from their suppliers than just reliable deliveries of high-quality, well-priced parts and components. The results of the empirical research enhance our knowledge of the attributes of manufacturer-supplier relationships and also indicate how manufacturers can establish close relationships with selected suppliers. Overall, the study has established the viability of a new approach for understanding the complex topic of manufacturer-supplier partnerships. #

New product development (NPD) is a complex activity that is dependent on knowledge and learning. Much of the knowledge generated in NPD is tacit; it is difficult to express, connected with problem solving, and dependent on the interactions within teams. Post-project reviews (PPRs) are recognized as a highly effective mechanism for stimulating learning in NPD teams but, surprisingly, neither the typical ''lessons learnt'' that emerge from PPRs nor the role of tacit knowledge in NPD learning have previously been studied. To address this gap, five in-depth case studies were conducted at leading German companies. Three main sources of data were used: interviews with experienced NPD personnel using repertory grid technique, inspection of company process and project documentation, and observations of PPR discussions. Systematic coding of the qualitative data was conducted by two researchers working in parallel and verified through checks involving independent researchers. The coding process identified the lessons learnt and also the usage of metaphors and stories (which signifies tacit knowledge generation).The lessons that NPD personnel perceive to be the most important were identified from the repertory grid data. These included: knowing how to deal with project budgets, solving technical problems, meeting schedules, resource management, and managing organizational complexity. Four lessons learnt appear to be particularly closely linked to tacit knowledge: dealing with project budgets, problem solving, coping with time schedules, and coping with changes in product specifications. Data triangulation showed that the five companies did not capture many lessons in their reports on PPRs. In addition, it appears that the learning that was related to tacit knowledge was not captured for dissemination.Although the results from our exploratory sample cannot be generalized, there are some important implications. The results indicate that R&D managers should capitalize on the tacit knowledge within their organizations through mentoring (to transfer the lessons that are most closely linked to tacit knowledge), and encouraging the use of metaphors and stories to transfer key NPD knowledge. Future research needs to verify the results using a larger sample, focus on how NPD professionals learn, and identify the mechanisms that facilitate the transfer of tacit knowledge and project-to-project learning.Tacit knowledge is a popular management concept but one that is poorly understood, as empirical evidence to demonstrate the validity of the theoretical concepts is sadly lacking. This provides a unique opportunity for NPD scholars-they have the ideal arena in which a deeper understanding of tacit knowledge can be generated.

The practice of innovation management is developing fast. As new concepts emerge, exploratory studies are needed and case study research is often appropriate. To investigate the usage and quality of case study research in innovation management, all of the articles published in five top journals over 20 years (1997–2016) were reviewed. Case study research accounted for 818 of the published articles in this period (12%) and an evaluation template (termed case study evaluation template: CASET) was developed to objectively assess these articles against 10 quality criteria. It was found that the quality of case study research has often been low, although it has improved over time. Similarly, quality was found to fluctuate both within and between the different innovation journals. This indicates that the peer review process for case study research is not as robust as it should be. The assessment of individual articles using the evaluation template found significant deficiencies. Many articles: did not justify why case study research was appropriate; did not apply theoretical sampling criteria; were not transparent on how conclusions were drawn from the data; did not consider validity and reliability adequately; and did not go beyond description in their interpretation. However, the evaluation template also identified 23 “exemplary studies,” which clearly addressed nearly every criterion. Such exemplary studies provide innovation management researchers with “benchmark” reading, which can help shape their own research. This article makes four contributions to the innovation management discipline. First, the evaluation template and exemplary studies can help innovation researchers improve the quality of their case study research. Second, clear recommendations are given for how reviewers can use the template to make the peer review process more consistent and robust. Third, journal editors are encouraged to consider the implications of the findings for their particular journal. Fourth, the article should stimulate a long overdue debate on methodology in innovation management research, including the use of case study research.

Customer support is an essential element in the successful marketing of many products ± from domestic appliances to high-tech computer networks. Many aspects of support are strongly influenced by a product's design and so customer support requirements should be evaluated during new product development. However, researchers have largely ignored the relationship between new product development and customer support. The current study addressed this gap by using case studies and a workshop, both conducted with leading companies, to identify how customer support is typically evaluated at the design stage and to determine the importance of this aspect of new product development. The results have implications for managers responsible for product innovation ± they show the need to allocate adequate resources to integrating customer support requirements into new product development.

Shows that manufacturing companies place a strong emphasis on the role of supply‐chain management ‐ the management of supplies, suppliers, inventory and distribution. Much of the literature talks about the trend to reduce supplier base. Database analysis gave empirical evidence of this trend in UK manufacturing companies ‐ 201 companies from different industrial sectors cut their supplier base over the last four years, by 9 per cent in the household products sector and approximately 35 per cent in the process, engineering and electronics sectors. Reports on further research at four companies, looking at their experiences with suppliers and establishes that a key reason for supplier base reduction is to free time to manage the remaining suppliers more effectively. Identifies the criteria used for supplier selection and reasons why single‐sourcing was avoided. Suggests that these findings on supplier management have implications for both researchers and managers in industry.

Complex products such as manufacturing equipment have always needed maintenance and repair services. Increasingly, leading

Every new product development (NPD) project should not only deliver a successful new product but also generate learning for the organization. Post-project reviews (PPRs) are recognized by both practitioners and academics as an appropriate mechanism to stimulate and capture learning in NPD teams. However, relatively few companies use PPRs, and those that do utilize them often fail to do so effectively. Although they are widely perceived to be a useful tool, empirical research on how PPRs are typically organized and the learning that results is limited.This article addresses this gap in the extant knowledge and describes five indepth case studies, which were conducted at leading companies in Germany. A detailed investigation was made of how PPRs are conducted, and the type of learning that can result. Three main sources of data were used for each case: company documentation; in-depth interviews with managers responsible for NPD; and observation of an actual PPR. The different data sources enabled extensive triangulation of data to be conducted and a high degree of reliability and validity to be achieved.The analysis enabled a number of key characteristics of the way PPRs are managed to be identified. Various characteristics of PPRs influence their utility, such as the time at which they take place and the way discussions are moderated. In addition, the data show that participants in the discussions at PPRs often use metaphors and stories, which indicates that PPRs have the potential to generate tacit knowledge. Interestingly, the data also showed that there are various different ways in which metaphors and stories appear to stimulate discussions on NPD projects.Based on the cross-case analysis, a wide range of implications are identified. Researchers need to investigate PPRs further to identify how they can generate tacit and explicit knowledge and support project-to-project learning. Especially the topic of tacit knowledge generation in a NPD context needs further investigation. The research also led to a range of recommendations for practitioners. Companies need to strongly communicate the purpose and value of PPRs, run them effectively to stimulate the maximum possible learning, and disseminate the findings widely. PPRs have the potential to create and transfer knowledge amongst NPD professionals but, as they are seldom currently used, many companies are missing an important opportunity.

Sciences (Germany) with a first class honours degree in marketing and finance, where he also lectured in business information systems. He holds an MBA from Oxford Brookes University (1996) and is currently studying on a part-time basis for a PhD in marketing at Cranfield.