NPD in small manufacturing enterprises in Serbia

New product development in small manufacturing enterprises on the territory of Serbia was investigated on a representative sample of micro and small enterprises covering a broad range of businesses. It was found that market pull was the prevalent strategy for new product development, which was characterized by close collaboration with customers from the idea to the final product including the R&D activities. Besides customers, the main sources of ideas were competitors and trade fairs or exhibitions. The marketing activities associated with new product introduction were quite limited. These findings were compared with new product development practices in neighboring countries. Based on our findings we propose two measures to improve new product development in small manufacturing enterprises in Serbia: establish a closer cooperation with external knowledge centers (universities, research institutes, innovation centers) and set up innovation networks with complementary partners by actively using the open innovation concept.This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Vorkapić, Miloš, Filip Radovanović, Dragan Ćoćkalo, and Dejan Đorđević. 2017. “NPD u malim proizvodnim poduzećima u Srbiji.” Tehnički vjesnik 24 (1): 327-332. [http://dx.doi.org/10.17559/TV-20150807185156

The importance of Lean concept in sustainable development of enterprises with small scale production

This paper presents an algorithm that makes it possible to improve manufacturing process in an enterprise with small scale production. Today, Lean concept is more and more used in the process of improving production. Also, on the case of transmitters' production, implementation of Lean concept is analyzed based on the known principles. Credibility of the algorithm is reflected in giving recommendations on how to eliminate the short comings in the production process through transmitters: regular movement of employees, regular sequence of operations, products design, and cooperation with customers, reducing inventory and control introduction in all stages of the process. The paper gives an example of how to save material and other resources in the company

Influence of knowledge and quality on business performance of companies in Serbia

U radu su prikazani rezultati istraživanja o utjecaju znanja i kvalitete na poslovne performanse poduzeća. Podaci su prikupljeni anketiranjem 296 menadžera iz 140 poduzeća u Srbiji. Znanje i kvaliteta su pokazali jak i pozitivan utjecaj na poslovne performanse poduzeća u Srbiji. Varijable "Skupno znanje" i "Sistemski pristup kvaliteti" pokazale su da imaju najveći utjecaj na varijable "Mogućnosti zaposlenih" i "Razvojne performanse". Radno iskustvo kao moderator pokazalo je da ima značajan učinak na relacije između dimenzija znanja i kvalitete i dimenzija poslovnih performansi. Faktorskom analizom dobiveno je dvokomponentno rješenje, gdje prva komponenta okuplja varijable znanja i kvalitete, a druga varijable poslovnih performansi, i utvrđena je jaka korelaciona veza između ove dvije komponente. Ovim istraživanjem je potvrđen značaj znanja i kvalitete u unapređenju poslovanja i konkurentnosti, gdje se fokus stavlja na radnika, sa svojim znanjem, iskustvom i spremnošću da se prilagođava promjenama u poslovanju.The paper presents results of research on the impact of knowledge and quality on business performance of companies. Data was collected by interviewing 296 managers from 140 companies in Serbia. Knowledge and quality showed a strong and positive impact on the business performance of companies in Serbia. Variables "Group knowledge" and "Systematic approach to quality" proved to have the greatest impact on variables "Employee performance" and "Development performance". Work experience as a moderator has shown to have a significant effect on relations between dimensions of knowledge and quality and dimensions of business performance. Factor analysis has shown two-component solution, where the first component gathers variables of knowledge and quality, and the second one variable of business performance, and a strong correlation was established between these two components. This study confirmed the importance of knowledge and quality in business improvement and competitiveness, where the focus is placed on the workers, with their knowledge, experience and readiness to adapt to changes in the business

Lean production and efficiency of modular architecture in sustainable enterprise development

The significance of Lean production and modular architecture in sustainable enterprise development is presented in this paper. The implementation of Lean production in realization of modular design enables a development of an appropriate production programme in which design costs are lower and reduction of waste during processing is becoming an imperative. On the example of intelligent transmitters production it was shown that modular architecture enables the production of independent entities, realizes modules according to precisely defined technical documentation and makes possible easy servicing, improvements and fixing. The implementation of Lean concept algorithm in a repeated use of materials in a sustainable enterprise development is presented as well

Modelling the Influence of Product Development on Business Performance and Competitiveness in Manufacturing Enterprises

In this paper the influence of product innovation and development on business performance and competitiveness in small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises is addressed. The research was conducted via survey and it included over 2200 manufacturing enterprises from Serbia. The number of returned and usable surveys was 132 (5.98% return rate). The regression model included product development and innovation as two important engineering endeavours and business performance and competitiveness. Additionally, product quality, quality management system (QMS) and human resource management (HRM) were included in the data analysis. The results indicate that the observed relationships between the measured constructs are different, and they depend on how many employees the enterprise has. This paper contributes to the existing body of literature, provides a solid basis for future research in this domain, and other researchers and managers can use this paper as an insight to the relationships between important business metrics

Gap analysis and risk occurrence on the example of pressure transmitter`s production processes

Gap analysis represents a tool for raising the level of performances of products, processes and enterprise organization which is rarely used in risk management. This paper proposes the joint application of Gap and Pareto analysis, in aim to mitigate possible risks in production processes. It is based on the facts that key points in the production process indicate some serious oversights (gaps), characterized as errors, which can grow into risky elements that disturb the manufacturing process and final transmitter assembly. In this paper, finalizing and assembling pressure transmitter elements (modules), created by a domestic manufacturer, served as an example for the Gap analysis. Each electronic transmitter is consisted of three modules: measurement cell, mechanical coupling fixture and enclosure containing the electronics and the terminal block box. Through the implementation and assembly of these modules errors (or elements of potential risks) have been identified. Later on, using the Pareto chart, it has been seen that 80% of errors made during the transmitter manufacturing process have occurred while implementing the first and the third transmitter module. Also, by analyzing the collected gaps, it has been concluded that the critical ones happen while using the existing technology and engaging workforce. In order to eliminate the above-mentioned errors, this paper decidedly presents the Gap analysis steps which should be followed, so the transmitter manufacturing process would be improved in terms of quality. Similar methodology could be applied to other products and processes

Modifikacija i upotreba malogabaritnog transmitera pritiska

In this paper was shown modification of small dimensions pressure transmitter. Modification of the transmitter is a model that provides to improve the manufacturing process. Modification of the IHTM transmitters proved to be a good strategy, the disadvantages are eliminated and the savings obtained the material. Use of this modified transmitter allows the company to achieve good results with small investments.U ovom radu je prikazana modifikacija malogabaritnog transmitera pritiska. Modifikacija transmitera predstavlja model koji obezbeđuje da se unapredi proces proizvodnje. Modifikacija transmitera u IHTM pokazala se kao dobra strategija, nedostaci su eliminisani i dobijena je ušteda na materijalu. Upotreba ovako modifikovanog transmitera omogućava preduzeću da uz manja ulaganja postigne dobre poslovne rezultate

Кorišćenje QFD И AHP alata u slučaju proizvodnje industrijskih transmitera

The analysis of a new product realization from the view of customer requirements and a relevant technical response of a company is presented in this paper. Two types of tools are used: QFD and AHP. HOQ within QFD is used for modeling technical requirements on the basis of defined customer demands. AHP serves as an addition in the process of technical requirements definition, it is used as a strategy for fast response to customer requirements. A comparison between leading foreign and domestic producers of transmitters has also been presented. HOQ realization on the example of intelligent pressure transmitter has shown that design parameters were defined. The implementation of AHP methodology has pointed at the significance of modular architecture for transmitter realization. Original contribution of this work is reflected in QFD analysis solutions – customer requirements were satisfied by giving technical characteristics with the aim of a new product realization.У овом раду представљена је анализа реализације новог производа са аспекта потреба купаца и релевантног техничког одговора компаније. Користе се две врсте алата: QFD и АHP. HOQ у оквиру QFD се користи за моделирање техничких захтева на основу дефинисаних потреба клијената. AHP служи као додатак у процесу дефинисања техничких захтева, употребљава се као стратегија за брзо реаговање на захтеве купаца. Такође је приказано поређење водећих страних и домаћих произвођача трансмитера. Реализација HOQ-а на примеру интелигентног трансмитера притиска показала је да су параметри дизајна дефинисани. Примена AHP методологије указала је на значај модуларне архитектуре за реализацију трансмитера. Оригинални допринос овог рада огледа се у QFD анализама - захтеви купаца су удовољени давањем техничких карактеристика са циљем реализације новог производа

The acceptable strategies for new product development in Serbian small-scale manufacturing enterprises

The research results relating to the new product development are represented in this paper. The importance of market pull strategy is described too. Market pull strategy is reflected in the enterprise cooperation with customers from idea concept to final product, which includes R&D activities. Customers appear as external sources of ideas, but instead of them the main sources of ideas are competitors and fairs. Also, marketing activities in SMEs are very limited. In comparison to the neighboring countries Serbia does not have inferior position. For the new product development in Serbian enterprises with small-scale production, the paper proposes two strategies: 'open Innovation' and 'innovative network'. Open innovations are important because of the close cooperation between companies and external knowledge sources, while innovative networks strategy has its advantages in creating business cooperation with subcontractors in the use of ideas and knowledge sources. Limitations of this study are: very poor response rate, geographical limitation and lack of a specific homogeneous group of samples in the analysis of certain parameters