A groupware system for virtual product innovation management
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2007Author
Cormican, Kathryn
O'Sullivan, David
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Cormican, K. and O Sullivan, D. (2007) 'A groupware system for virtual product innovation management'. Human Factors And Ergonomics In Manufacturing, 17 (6):499-510.
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Abstract
We
are experiencing a radical shift in the way organisations are designed,
structured and organised. New organisational forms such as virtual strategic
partnerships and networks are replacing traditional bureaucratic, hierarchical
organisations. Business leaders are adopting project focused, re-configurable
e-business models or networks to maximise core competencies in order to fulfil
customers needs. This is particularly
evident in the area of product innovation where organisations are adopting new
approaches or ways of working in order to compete. Product innovation
management is a complex process because of the range of technical issues that
must be addressed and the variety of competencies that must be employed over
the life of the development effort. Such initiatives require a substantial
investment in terms of resources such as time, money and effort, all of which
are limited. Therefore it is imperative that this process is properly managed
and supported by effective structures and systems. This paper focuses on product
innovation management in a distributed or virtual environment. It reports on a qualitative
case study targeted at product managers. The challenges to managing a portfolio
of product innovation projects in a virtual environment are identified and
discussed. From this analysis, a web-enabled groupware system is presented.