Strategic Deployment of Information Technology for Product Development Network

本研究项目对产品开发网络中信息技术的战略部署有三个主要发现：第一，我们发现，仅仅引入信息技术并不足以提高制造企业的产品开发绩效。最关键的是建立“前置型”组织能力，以便在产品开发网络中的伙伴公司之间有效地联合解决问题。需要适当的组织能力和制度，通过合作伙伴之间的协作努力共同解决问题。然而，改变现有的组织结构和流程是困难的，特别是当流程超出单个公司的范围时。结果我们发现，相当多的企业不能享受到三维计算机辅助设计的好处，三维计算机辅助设计本应增强前期的问题解决活动。第二，我们发现企业间的学习和企业间的信任是…所必需的更多的R公司在产品开发网络中有效地相互协作。企业间学习提高了企业的协作能力。此外，为了提高企业间的学习能力，需要企业间或网络信任。当成员企业共享相同的网络身份、价值观和知识时，就会建立网络信任。第三，高层领导被发现对于制造企业有效和快速地引入新的信息技术至关重要，因为这种引入需要公司战略和组织结构的根本改变。但与此同时，我们也发现，最高管理层必须实施根本性的变革，才不会破坏以优秀制造工艺和技术为特色的日本公司的核心能力。未来，我们需要研究日本制造能力与主要由西方公司开发的最先进信息技术之间的整合机制。较少

This research project has resulted in three major findings regarding strategic deployment of information technology for product development network.First, we have found that introduction of information technology alone is not enough for manufacturing firms to improve product development performance. The most critical point is building up "front-loading" organizational capabilities for effective joint problem solving among partner firms in product development network. Appropriate organizational capabilities and system are needed to jointly solve problems through collaborative efforts among partners. However, it is difficult to change existing organizational structure and processes especially when the processes extend beyond single firm. As a result, we have found that quite a few firms cannot enjoy the benefits of three-dimensional CAD that is supposed to enhance front-loading problem solving activities.Second, we have found that inter-firm learning and inter-firm trust are necessary fo … More r firms to effectively collaborate to each other in product development network. Inter-firm learning enhances collaborative capabilities of firms. In addition, in order to improve inter-firm learning capabilities, inter-firm or network trust is needed. Network trust is established when member firms share the same network identity, values and knowledge.Third, top-management leadership is found to be critical for manufacturing firms to introduce new information technology effectively and rapidly, because the introduction requires radical changes in corporate strategy and organizational structure. However, at the same time, we have found that top management must implement radical changes so that they do not destroy core competences of Japanese firms that feature excellent manufacturing processes and skills.In the future, we need to conduct research on integration mechanism between Japanese manufacturing capabilities and state-of-the-art information technologies that are mostly developed by the Western firms. Less