Configurations Driving NPD Performance Fit with Market Demands and Time Constraints

The research reported in this paper is aimed at developing knowledge on organizing NPD systems to optimize their contribution to performance. To this end, a systems approach to fit is used to explain the context-structure-performance relationships for NPD performance, specifically in terms of fit with market demands of the product concept and fit with time constraints of the development process. From a sample of 164 US firms, the top 15 % performers in terms of both fit with market demands and fit with time constraints have been identified. An optimized ‘Ideal Profile’ for the organization of NPD systems, formed by a consistent pattern of: NPD Process, NPD Project Structure and Management, Innovation Climate, and NPD Goal Setting and Portfolio Management, followed from the analysis of the NPD configuration of these top performers. For the calibration sample (the other 85%) significant deviation from the ideal profile on all elements of the configuration was found, the correlations between NPD Performance Fit with Market Demands and Fit with Time Constraints and total Euclidean distance are also significant. Overall, these results provide evidence for the proposition that (1) new product success is a function of a set of NPD development system decisions and (2) to truly understand the impact of those decisions, they must be considered as a holistic system.\ud The contribution of this research is in the empirical validation of the internal consistency of an ideal organizational profile for NPD systems achieving both a high NPD performance in terms of market acceptance of their new products as well in terms of the satisfactory level of the development times of those products. By also examining ideal profiles for each of these NPD performance dimensions separately, the conflicting demands created by multiple performance metrics are highlighted as well as the organizational trade-offs necessary for optimal performance. In terms of managerial implications, this also gives direction for organizational redesign to firms either wanting to maximize their product concept (Fit with Market Demands) or development process (Fit with Time Constraints) performance

Knowledge management in real estate Project development: case study in contractors

Empreendimentos desenvolvidos no setor imobiliário têm se tornado cada vez mais complexos exigindo uma articulação eficiente entre toda a equipe multidisciplinar envolvida para o sucesso de sua implementação. Visto que decisões na fase de projeto podem influenciar todo o ciclo de vida do empreendimento, a gestão do conhecimento aplicada ao processo de projeto pode contribuir no atendimento aos requisitos dos\ud investidores, clientes e usuários e na melhoria do desempenho do empreendimento. A função de gestor do processo de projeto, antes exercida pelos arquitetos, tem sido conduzida em muitos casos, por incorporadoras ou construtoras, que têm desenvolvido competências para a gestão do empreendimento como um todo, como estratégia de criação de valor para seus clientes e para controlar os riscos associados ao projeto. O artigo propõe expor que conhecimento deve ser gerenciado em empresas de engenharia e construção, os fluxos de transferência do conhecimento ao longo do ciclo de vida do empreendimento e aspectos fundamentais para eficácia do processo de projeto e sucesso na transferência de conhecimento, identificados em estudos de caso baseados em três construtoras, caracterizadas por conduzir empreendimentos de caráter exclusivo, que conquistaram um posicionamento no mercado. Palavras-chave:\ud Gestão de Projetos; Gestão do conhecimento; Empreendimentos imobiliários; Integração; Comunicação.Projects developed in real estate sector have become more complex demanding an efficient articulation of the multidisciplinary team to achieve the success of its implementation. Due to the fact that decisions made in the design phase may influence all the Project life cycle, knowledge management applied to design process may contribute to achieve the investor, client and user requirements and improve the Project performance. The multidisciplinary team knowledge sharing across organizational boundaries, represents a potential for client expectations attendance and may improve the earned value of the design, construction, operation and maintenance. Design manager function, usual ly performed by architects, has been led by management companies, and in some cases, by contractors, that have developed project and design management competences as a strategy to create value for their clients and control risks associated with the project. The article aims to expose which knowledge should be managed in engineer and construction companies, the knowledge transference flow during the Project life cycle and the essential aspects for its success, identified in the case studies based on three contractors, known to lead exclusive Projects, which have conquered a high market position. Key-words: Design Management; Knowledge Management; Real Estate Projects; Integration; Communication

Contributions By Individual And Group Strategies For Organizational Learning In Architectural, Engineering, And Construction Firms

Organizations with multiple operating requirements require support functions to assist in execution of strategic goals. This effort, in turn, requires management of engineering activities in control of projects and in sustaining facilities. High level strategies include employing engineering support that consists of a project management function encompassing technical and managerial disciplines. The architecture/engineering, and construction office (AEC) is the subject of this research. Engineering and construction oriented organizations have experienced challenges to their abilities to learn and grow. This has potential detrimental implications for these organizations if support functions cannot keep pace with changing objectives and strategy. The competitive nature and low industry margins as well as uniqueness of projects as challenges facing engineering and construction. The differentiated nature of projects tasks also creates a need for temporary and dedicated modes of operation and thereby tends to promote highly dispersed management practices that do not dovetail very well with other organizational processes. Organizational learning is a means to enhance and support knowledge management for improving performance. The problem addressed through this research is the gap between desired and achieved individual and group learning by members of the AEC, and the members\u27 abilities to distinguish between the need for adaptive learning or innovation. This research addresses learning by individuals and groups, and the strategies employed through an empirical study (survey). A conceptual model for organizational learning contributions by individuals and groups is presented and tested for confirmation of exploitive or explorative learning strategies for individuals, and directions composed of depth and breadth of learning. Strategies for groups are tested for internal or external search orientations and directions toward the single or multi-discipline unit. The survey is analyzed by method of principal components extraction and further interpreted to reveal factors that are correlated by Pearson product moment coefficients and tested for significance for potential relationships to factors for outcomes. Correlation across dependent variables prevented interpretation of the most significant factors for group learning strategies. However, results provide possible support for direction in supporting processes that promote networking among individuals and group structures that recognize the dual nature of knowledge - that required for technical competency and that required for success in the organization. Recommendations for practitioners include adjustments to knowledge acquisition direction, promoting external collaboration among firms, and provision of dual succession pathways through technical expertise or organizational processes for senior staff

The effect of organizational culture on CRM success

Copyright @ 2013 EMCIS.The aim of this paper is to develop a theoretical framework exemplifying the effect of organizational culture on the success of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems' implementation. This is deemed significant as yet little research has investigated the role of organizational culture as a critical success factor to CRM implementation. The proposed theoretical framework is developed based on the notion that nurturing an organizational culture that promotes adaptive learning leads to better management of customer information that in turn improves the quality of customer information, which is considered a key contributor to successful implementation of CRM initiatives. The Competing Values Framework (CVF) is used to measure "Organizational Culture" since it has proven its validity in examining the effect of organizational culture on organizational effectiveness and performance

Evaluating the quality of project planning: a model and field results

Faulty planning will result in project failure, whereas high-quality project planning increases the project's chances of success. The paper reports on the successful development and implementation of a model aimed at evaluating the quality of project planning. The model is based on both the abilities required of the project manager and the organizational support required for a proper project management infrastructure. The model was validated and applied by 282 project managers in nine organizations, where strong and weak planning processes were identified and analysed

Competency Implications of Changing Human Resource Roles

[Excerpt] The present study examines which competencies will be necessary to perform key human resource roles over the next decade at Eastman Kodak Company. This project was a critical component of an ongoing quality process to improve organizational capability. The results establish a platform that will enable Kodak to better assess, plan, develop, and measure the capability of human resource staff

Mapping knowledge management and organizational learning in support of organizational memory

The normative literature within the field of Knowledge Management has concentrated on techniques and methodologies for allowing knowledge to be codified and made available to individuals and groups within organizations. The literature on Organizational Learning however, has tended to focus on aspects of knowledge that are pertinent at the macro-organizational level (i.e. the overall business). The authors attempt in this paper to address a relative void in the literature, aiming to demonstrate the inter-locking factors within an enterprise information system that relate knowledge management and organizational learning, via a model that highlights key factors within such an inter-relationship. This is achieved by extrapolating data from a manufacturing organization using a case study, with these data then modeled using a cognitive mapping technique (Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping, FCM). The empirical enquiry explores an interpretivist view of knowledge, within an Information Systems Evaluation (ISE) process, through the associated classification of structural, interpretive and evaluative knowledge. This is achieved by visualizng inter-relationships within the ISE decision-making approach in the case organization. A number of decision paths within the cognitive map are then identified such that a greater understanding of ISE can be sought. The authors therefore present a model that defines a relationship between Knowledge Management (KM) and Organisational Learning (OL), and highlights factors that can lead a firm to develop itself towards a learning organization

Internet of things security implementation using blockchain for wireless technology

Blockchain is a new security system which group many data into a block or so called classifying the data into a block. The block can have many types and each of them content data and security code. By using a decentralize mechanism, one security code protect all the data. That could happen at the server. In this research, a network of wireless sensor technology is proposed. The transmission of sensor data is via the Internet of things (Internet of Thing) technology. As many data transmitted, they have to classified and group them into a block. All the blocks are then send to the central processing unit, like a microcontroller. The block of data is then processed, identified and encrypted before send over the internet network. At the receiver, a GUI or Apps is developed to open and view the data. The Apps or GUI have an encrypted data or security code. User must key in the password before they can view the data. The password used by the end user at the Apps or GUI must be equivalent to the one encrypted at the sensor nodes. This is to satisfy the decentralized concept used in the Blockchain. To demonstrate the Blockchain technology applied to the wireless sensor network, a MATLAB Simulink function is used. The expected results should show a number of block of data in cryptography manner and chain together. The two set of data. Both have the data encrypted using hash. The black dots indicate the data has been encrypted whereas the white dot indicate indicates the data is not encrypted. The half white and half black indicates the data is in progress of encrypted. All this data should arrange in cryptography order and chain together in a vertical line. A protocol called block and chain group the data into the block and then chain then. The data appears in the blocks and send over the network. As seen in the simulation results, the yellow color represents the user data. This data has a default amplitude as 1 or 5. The data is chained and blocked to produce the Blockchain waveform Keywords: Blockchain, Internet of things, Wireless Sensor Network and MATLAB Simulin

Contractual Alliance Governance: Impact of Different Contract Functions on Alliance Performance

Recent research on alliance governance has emphasized that contracts can have both a control and coordination function. In this paper, we test the impact of these different contract functions on alliance performance. Conducting structural equation analyses on a sample of 270 Dutch technology alliances, we disentangle the relationship between different contract functions, partner cooperation and alliance success. Our data show that different contract roles have a different impact on partner cooperation within the alliance. In addition, we find strong indications that the presence/absence of prior trustful collaboration and the number of alliance partners moderate the relationship between contract functions and partner cooperation. Finally, our data provide evidence that contract functions indirectly influence alliance success via partner cooperation