The influence of supplier partnership in the new product development process: a literature review

From the literature review of studies addressing issues related to the participation and influence of suppliers in the new product development process, several key themes which affect the issue under study are identified and detailed, highlighting the factors that contribute to the better or worse performance of these partnerships. The intention is to clarify the main problems and the main issues that have guided research concerning this specific and important form of collaboration. This study is, as such, a synthesis of the literature. The main research themes that were identified related to supplier involvement in NPD are the choice of the supplier, the quality of the partnership and the issue of integration. This study also presents the main proposals, extracted from the literature, for lines of future research

Melhoria da qualidade produtiva na introdução de novos podutos industriais

Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia IndustrialA busca pela melhoria contínua é uma característica latente nas empresas. Através desta busca, espera-se o desenvolvimento positivo da empresa em vários aspetos, como por exemplo a redução dos custos através de programas de melhoria da qualidade, a melhoria da imagem da empresa face aos seus clientes e fornecedores, e a melhoria da credibilidade da marca, entre outros. As técnicas de implementação do processo de melhoria contínua variam de empresa para empresa sendo que cada uma estabelece na sua estrutura as metodologias e linhas de ação a seguir. A melhoria contínua pode, também, abranger o processo de introdução de novos produtos. Neste trabalho o processo de “introdução de novos produtos” inclui as atividades de planeamento da produção e da qualidade, posteriores ao desenvolvimento do produto. Associado a este processo, é estudada a capacidade dos processos da empresa e as ferramentas da qualidade que podem tornar a introdução de novos produtos mais eficaz e eficiente. São analisados também os indicadores de desempenho deste processo numa empresa. É proposto um método para aumentar a eficácia e eficiência do processo de introdução de novos produtos. O método é centrado nas pessoas e equipas para que, da interatividade entre elas, dos seus conhecimentos, habilidades e atitudes, resulte um processo com melhor qualidade, e para que os colaboradores envolvidos tenham um nível de satisfação elevado. O método foi implementado e testado numa empresa industrial. Constatou-se que os resultados obtidos dependem da participação e dedicação de todos os envolvidos direta ou indiretamente no processo de introdução de novos produtos. Mostrar que todos são responsáveis pelo processo de melhoria na empresa permitiu também implementar ações de melhoria no processo de produção já em fase estabilizada de produção dos produtos. A aplicação de ferramentas e técnicas da qualidade, a delegação de responsabilidades, a ênfase na necessidade de mudança do processo produtivo e principalmente a oportunidade dos operadores de produção serem ouvidos nesta fase crucial gerou nos participantes interesse em fazer parte da mudança. O resultado final do trabalho evidenciou uma redução de falhas associadas ao processo de introdução de novos produtos.The search for continuous improvement is a latent characteristic in companies. Through this search, a positive development of the company is expected in various aspects, such as the reduction of costs through quality improvement programs, the improvement the company image in relation to customers and suppliers, and the improvement of brand reputation for its focus on continuous improvement, among others. The technical implementations of the continuous improvement process vary from company to company each of which establishes in its structure methodologies and lines of action to follow. Continuous improvement can also affect the process of introducing new products. In this work the process of "new product introduction" includes the activities of production planning and quality planning, subsequent to product development. Associated with this process, business processes capacity and quality tools that can make the introduction of new products more effective and efficient are studied. The performance indicators of this process are also addressed in this study. A method to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the process of introducing new products is proposed. The method is centered on people and teams so that, their interaction, their knowledge, skills and attitudes result originate a process with better quality, and that the company participants in this process have a high level of satisfaction. The proposed method has been implemented and tested in an industrial company. The results depend on the participation and dedication of all involved directly or indirectly in the process of new products introduction. By showing that all employees are responsible for the improvement in the company allowed improvement actions in the process of production of the products already in normal production. The application of quality tools and techniques, the delegation of responsibilities, the emphasis on the need to change the production process and, mainly, the opportunity of production operators to be heard about this crucial process of the company, generated in participants interest in being part of the change. The end results of the work showed a reduction of faults in the process of introducing new products

The dyad partnership-credibility and the qualification of suppliers

The need to improve relations between company and supplier suggests that the dyad partnership and credibility must be enhanced in order to maximize gains for both parties that would otherwise not take place. This study demonstrates that companies and suppliers feel the need to review the results achieved by both parties and to influence the way they treat their relationships in the supply of goods and services. This study highlights the need to explore two aspects: firstly, the focus of the importance of supplier partnership for improvement of the company and, secondly, the need to create links based in credibility for the improvement of relations between company and supplier, in order to establish a win-win process in their purchasing and supplying activities. This research applied a questionnaire to 154 elements of various industrial segments. The results confirm the widespread perception on the part of elements of the companies of the need for deepening the partnership between company and supplier, but it verified, however, less openness with regard to the sharing of knowledge, which can be an obstacle to the realization of this deepening. The analysis is done under the perspective of the qualification of suppliers

Reducing contamination in the printed circuit board industry for the improvement of the process and human health

In this work, an electronic manufacturing company is studied in terms of contamination. The aim of this study was to determine contamination problems, along with their causes and sources. Improvements aimed at reducing the contaminants in the process are suggested, and a positive effect is expected in both the defective parts per million (PPM) of the final products and in human health. It is concluded that negative externalities in the form of industrial contamination may be an important subject for future studies, due to the impact in both the final products and human health.The environment has become, in general, one of the most important topics of the present. It led to the establishment of strict rules by the governments with the aim to protect the environment and preserve energetic resources. Policies related to environmental protection can be interpreted within the conceptual framework of economic externalities. The generation of pollution and contaminants is a negative externality which is almost inevitable in any production process and their costs are not, generally, adequately accounted for (Eisenack, 2014). Energy consumption, air pollution and industrial waste have raised special attention in public authorities which are responsible by the environment. These factors influence industries, research centers and universities in the search for alternative manufacturing processes with the goal of creating technologies that minimize or avoid the production of waste which could harm the environment (Silva, et al, 2013). This study identifies contaminating agents on the environment of the production process of an electronic component industrial facility and has the aim of evidencing possible contamination sources. The study was conducted by looking with special attention at conditions that would favor contamination, by searching for the existence of contamination in the material entry phases, on the production process and on several and activities namely: screwing, soldering, mounting, storage. Critical problems of these areas were studied based on the assessment of the presence of the contaminants in the facility environment. The study of the contamination process is sequentially presented, along with its characteristics derived from the research done inside the production area. A synthesis of recommendations is presented, with the objective to attenuate the incidence of damage to the production process and to attenuate the health damage to the workers