COLLABORATING WITH SUPPLIERS IN THE NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS: THE SMALL FIRM PERSPECTIVE

摘要

This paper focuses on the antecedents of successful collaboration when developing new products. It builds on existing research and specifically explores the experience of small firms. Early findings from interviews with five firms in a supply chain created to develop a new product are presented. The supply chain is profiled and the approach of the participants discussed. The results imply there are various critical success factors, but sufficient complexity in the collaboration challenge is necessary. Suppliers believe early involvement will ameliorate the risk manufacturers will behave opportunistically and switch suppliers; collaboration is a mechanism to secure high value manufacturing. Lack of structure in the involvement process and late involvement were seen as challenges to overcome. The next stage of this research is to develop a framework that will enable organizations to assess the effectiveness of their existing processes and identify the capabilities they must develop to maximize the performance of their collaborative efforts.