MANAGEMENT OF FUZZY FRONT END: CASE STUDIES IN BRAZILIAN MEDICAL DEVICE INDUSTRY

摘要

The fuzzy front end (FFE) represents the first stages of new product development process. In FFE, the decisions are more strategic and are usually made with a high degree of uncertainty. The purpose of this study is to analyze and discuss the FFE practices in Brazilian small and medium enterprises (SME) from medical device industry. The analysis is based on a conceptual model that was developed from a literature review and from exploratory cases. The conceptual model consists of five management dimensions (strategic orientation, process, organization, evaluation and tools) and it could serve as a basis for the analysis, structuring and improvement of FFE. The results provide evidence that the studied companies have deficiencies in the adoption of best practices for managing the FFE.