Daniel Olausson

Managing Uncertain, Complex Product Development in High-Tech Firms: In Search of Controlled Flexibility

This paper investigates ways of managing complexity and uncertainty in R&D simultaneously. Previous research on the subject indicates that these dimensions require different approaches, but these studies tend to provide suggestions either on managing complexity in stable industries or on handling uncertainty in less complex projects. In this paper, the two dimensions are studied simultaneously in three commercial product development projects at a firm that may be viewed as an extreme case of complexity and with multiple dimensions of uncertainty. The paper illustrates that a critical issue in this kind of high-tech development is the search for and development of approaches that integrate and balance needs for formal organizational control with high levels of project flexibility. Four key elements of such integrated approaches are identified: hybrid formal systems, structured interaction in public arenas, transparent visual communication tools, and a system of participative reflection.

Continuous improvement put into practice: Alternative approaches to get a successful quality program

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the existing body of knowledge about what distinguishes effective continuous improvement (CI) approaches and to explain some of the mechanisms which create a successful quality program.Design/methodology/approach – The empirical data were collected from interviews with employees at several levels in seven companies. The companies were deliberately selected to represent different types of resource consumption and outcome from a quality program.Findings – The implementation approaches of the studied companies were classified according to four different categories: parallel, integrated, coordinated and project approaches. Companies that adopt a project approach tend to fail to achieve anything more than minor improvements, while companies that take parallel and coordinated approaches realise significant improvements but use more resources than companies that utilise an integrated approach.Practical implications – This paper illustrates and explains why ...

Managing Asymmetries in Information Flows and Interaction between R&D, Manufacturing, and Service in Complex Product Development

Studies of new product development have demonstrated the value of effective interaction between research and development (R&D) and manufacturing, but few studies also include service operations despite their growing importance. Building on in‐depth studies of two firms in the capital goods sector, the paper illustrates how the structural differences between the R&D‐manufacturing and R&D‐service interfaces result in serious information and interaction imbalances, and presents managerial means to handle these. The paper makes three contributions. First, it shows the value of moving beyond a dyadic perspective to studies of more complex structures involving triads of specialized functions. Second, the paper underlines the role of informational flows that can compensate for asymmetries in such triads and facilitate thoughtful trade‐off decisions. Third, the paper highlights the importance of creating conditions for integrated knowledge‐based approaches across functions, which involve the generation and sharing of new knowledge. The paper ends with an emerging management agenda to support such integrative efforts in complex product development projects.

Manufacturing competencies in high-tech NPD: on the impact of vertical integration and coordination

Starting from a distinction between internalisation and outsourcing of manufacturing, this paper studies how the degree of vertical integration affects R&D-manufacturing coordination. The case study findings illustrates that there are several quasi-stages of outsourcing that affect R&D-manufacturing coordination and manufacturing competence within R&D organisations. For effective R&D-manufacturing coordination to take place, it seems necessary that the R&D department possesses certain manufacturing competencies, both in terms of understanding the constraints of the manufacturing equipment/process and in terms of understanding the relation between production volumes and manufacturing cost. The implication is that managers need to carefully consider the effects of make-or-buy decisions on R&D-manufacturing coordination.