Concurrent engineering across distance and time: Managing the interface between engineering/R&D and manufacturing.

摘要

This study examines how single and multi-location manufacturing firms deliver new products to market using concurrent engineering (CE) principles. Three major issues examined include: (l) what are the managerial and technological responses that support CE in general: (2) how is CE practiced, what are the special problems encountered, and how are they resolved when team members are geographically dispersed; and (3) what are the cognitive and cultural differences between the upstream engineering/R&D and the downstream manufacturing functions that are relevant to CE implementation.;A total of 47 CE projects from 13 leading American, Australian, Canadian, and European companies in the automobile, chemical, computer, electronics, shipbuilding, and telecommunications industries were examined. Data was collected by administering a mail survey and analyzed by using discriminant function analysis, factor structure analysis, and regression analysis.;Results indicate that CE consists of four inter-related dimensions: information exchange/interface, overlapping problem-solving, information tolerance, and attitudes. In addition, the measured dimensions of CE are significant predictors of task and process success. The findings also suggest that the upstream engineering/R&D and downstream manufacturing functions are cognitively and culturally the same. Finally, the results suggest that the dimensions of CE are influenced by various integrative mechanisms, communication technologies & tools, barriers, and cognitive and cultural differences.