New product development processes and knowledge transfer in automotive projects: An empirical study

Abstract

We report on the process management of a new product development project in Renault Samsung Motors, Inc., which is an international joint venture between Renault and Samsung, and also a part of strategic alliance between Renault and Nissan. The data collected from multiple sources were analyzed using qualitative analysis techniques. The findings show that (a) companies entering into concurrent technology/knowledge transfer by sharing platforms should consider their organizational capabilities carefully before introducing platforms from partner companies. Nevertheless, a company does not have to lower its standard in choosing a platform in order to match its underdeveloped organizational capabilities. Rather, customer expectations and market requirements should be the basis of selecting a platform to be introduced, and (b) developing a similar project organization structure and processes in a strategic alliance is effective in building trust and improving knowledge sharing/transfer between firms and between functions. The study contributes to development of two areas of management theory: (1) management of knowledge, and (2) expertise transfer in alliance/international business new product development projects and intricacies involved in it. Managerially, the implications are that the ownership and control of an international joint venture have a deep impact on the management of organization structure and processes. In turn, these may promote or inhibit effective cooperation and knowledge transfer between partner companies and their functions.

Showcasing knowledge: The promotion of knowledge management in a technology‐based organization

“…The natural step, then, is the desire to communicate this culture to the public at large, to the stakeholders and the prospective employees (Miklosik, Evans, Hasprova, & Lipianska, 2018). In the end, knowledge that is nurtured internally must be used to turn knowledge into a real-life product, create value for clients, and lead to organizational growth (Lee & Ram, 2018). This is corroborated by Quartey (2019), to whom most of the interviewees stated that knowledge is applied to transform techniques, practices, and behaviors, which affect the sustained competitiveness of the sector.…”

“…Creating receptivity; predisposition to the creation, use, and sharing of knowledge (Nair & Prakash, 2009;Young, 2010); turning knowledge into a real-life product, creating value for all clients (Lee & Ram, 2018) IM is a set of practices and "processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offers" (AMA, 2013) of value to internal customers.…”

“…Creating receptivity; predisposition to the creation, use and sharing of knowledge (Nair & Prakash, 2009;Young, 2010); turning knowledge into a real-life product, create value for clients (Lee & Ram, 2018).…”

A Multi-Objective Task Reallocating Method in Complex Product Design Process Considering Design Changes

“…Effective and efficient task allocating is vital to the success of CPD facing the fierce market competition [1]. In the process of CPD, the task allocating among designers with different knowledge domains is a fundamental link [2], [3]. CPD can be seen as a resource-complicated and process-complicated system engineering, whose multiple interrelated elements raise the difficulty of task allocating.…”

A serial mediation model of effects of team innovation on new product development success: Revising the role of team strategic orientations

“…A team strategic orientation can influence the allocation of resources and level of risk acceptance, which in turn influence a firm's degree of NPD innovation. In other words, a strategic orientation is more important for the NPD's team ability to allocate resources through the different team member's capabilities than the fact of simply having the resources available (Lee & Ram, ; Murray, Gao, & Kotabe, ). Only if NPD teams carry out the appropriate activities to embrace the correct team strategic orientations can both team creativity and team innovation implementation arise, thus leading to superior product development.…”