The role of project manager in smes for developing new product by e-collaboration

The research in this paper is based seeks to understand how manufacturing companies can accomplish of their projects in the real time with less cost. This paper describes a new model using critical success factors of implementing projects in the small and medium size enterprises (SMEs). The factors in conceptual model were identified in past studies and validate from the survey by interview with 20 project management in electronic industries in Iran. Several prior researches have suggested some critical success factors for reducing time and cost in new product. These factors are departments of product, planning, procurement and design. However, none of these studies has proposed a model that specifies practices that should be undertaken to facilitate the progression to reduce time and cost in new product in SMEs. Following this, a development of a new model is supposed important to help SMEs understand what is required in order to be an effective global organization in terms of reduce time and cost by electronic collaboration (E-collaboration) through project management

Process construct in the virtual R&D teams

literature proves the importance of the process role in the effectiveness of virtual research and development (R&D) teams for new product development (NPD). However, the factors that make process construct in a virtual R&D team are still unclear. The manager of virtual R&D teams for NPD does not know which items of process should be used. To address the gap and answer the question, the study presents a set of factors that make a process construct. The proposed construct modified by finding of the field survey. We empirically examine the relationship between construct, dimensions and its factors by employing the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). A measurement model built base on the 13 preliminary factors that extracted from literature review. The result shows 9 factors out of 13 factors maintaining to make process construct. These factors can be grouped into two dimensions namely generating report and collaborative system. The findings can help new product development managers of enterprises to concentrate in the main factors for leading an effective virtual R&D team. In addition, it provides a guideline for future research

Prevalence of reflux nephropathy in Iranian children with solitary kidney: results of a multi-center study

Background: Given the importance of the function of the remnant kidney in children with unilateral renal agenesis and the significance of timely diagnosis and treatment of reflux nephropathy to prevent further damage to the remaining kidney, we aimed to determine the prevalence of reflux nephropathy in this subgroup of pediatric patients. Methods: In general, 274 children referred to pediatric nephrologists in different parts of Iran were evaluated, of whom 199 had solitary kidney and were included in this cross-sectional study. The reasons for referral included urinary tract infection (UTI), abnormal renal ultrasonography, being symptomatic, and incidental screening. Demographic characteristics, including age and gender were recorded. History of UTI and presence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) were evaluated. Results: Of the 274 children evaluated in this study with the mean age (SD) of 4.71 (4.24) years, 199 (72.6) had solitary kidney. Among these, 118 (59.3) were male and 81 (60.7) were female, 21.1 had a history of UTI, and VUR was present in 23.1. The most common cause of referral was abnormal renal ultrasonography (40.2), followed by incidental screening (21.1), being symptomatic (14.1), and UTI (5.5). In 116 children (58.3), the right kidneys and in 83 (41.7) the left kidneys were absent. Besides, 14.6 of the participants had consanguineous parents and 3 had a family history of solitary kidney. Upon DMSA scan, the single kidney was scarred in 13.1, of which only 7.5 were associated with VUR. In addition, proteinuria and hematuria were observed in 6.5 and 1.5 of children, respectively. Conclusions: The prevalence of reflux nephropathy was 7.5 in children with solitary kidney with a male predominance. Given the relatively high prevalence of reflux nephropathy in these children, screening for VUR in the remnant kidney appears to be essential in this population. © 2022, The Author(s)