Päivi Haho

Bottom-up or top-down? Evolutionary change management in NPD processes

This paper presents theoretical evolutionary change management principles and a simulation game based business process development method, built upon these principles. The authors applied the method in two NPD process development projects in Finland. Results from the case projects and conclusions to the management of change are presented. The projects differed markedly in their initial change approach. The bottom-up initiated change project of the pharmaceutical company and the top-down initiated project of the telecommunication company, however, both achieved good results in process development. Drawing from the theory of evolution management, we can hypothesise that this success can be credited in both cases to the dialogue between strategy and operation, which was created during the change projects. This dialogue was achieved through the method that was applied, i.e. successive simulation games. The cases also suggest that the management of process development greatly benefits from a project portfolio and systematic project management, which help to implement the dynamic and learning umbrella strategy.

Tailored simulation games for successful business process development

Enterprises suffer from a lack of strategy-based business process development methods in which, the dynamic knowledge creation as well as the implementation of a new process is present, already at the beginning of the project. The Softmatch Method is developed for this priviation. This article describes the principles of the Softmatch Method, and some empirical experiences. The Softmatch Method is a participative, systematic method, which is using customized simulation games as an integral part to achieve successful enterprise transformation in business process development. The Method involves different organization levels, and it is composed of different interactive elements, like teamwork, project management methods and simulation games. The participation of employees right from the beginning to design and implementation accomplishes high commitment throughout the whole transformation.

Possibilities of Multimedia in Business Process Modeling and Simulation

This paper discusses present solutions and future possibilities of multimedia in the Enterprise Simulation Laboratory at Helsinki University of Technology. Important challenges are addressed concerning the visualization, real time interaction and telepresence in complex, group mode business process modeling and simulation for organizational learning.

Strategy and operations in dynamic interaction

This paper describes the empirical experience and results of the case companies in which we have applied change methods based on evolution management. The knowledge creation and accumulation for interaction between the strategy and operational processes have been modeled and the facts that affect the interactions have been studied. The final goal has been to uncover the results which lead to strategic competitiveness.

Improving product development: towards a framework for integrating artefact and process models

This paper initiates a framework for improving product development processes. The starting point is the present gap between the theory of product and process models and their actual industrial application in practice. A case study of a multidisciplinary development process that has been processed in a simulation game is presented to concretize the needs for improvement. The case revealed that transparency of the product development process and artefact models is critical in coping with the key problems of conformance, rationale, dynamics, re-use, and milestone integration. Potential means of artefact modeling are discussed for each of the problems in order to propose directions for integrating artefact and process models.