A concurrent engineering approach for business collaboration: a case in the toy industry

摘要

Today's manufacturers are looking for competitive advantages of cost, quality, safety, time and creativity. Concurrent engineering (CE) stresses cross-functional integration and simultaneous development of a product and its associated processes. It offers the potential for development of quality producible products, and helps firms foster business collaboration with strategic partners. This paper discusses the adoption of a CE approach for revitalising sequential operational practices in the toy industry. A trial implementation of an Integrated Concurrent Engineering System (ICES) is presented based on a collaboration case study of three toy companies for performance improvements. The concurrent operation practices and product development strategies are explained. The ICES was proven a feasible option for companies attempting sustainable collaboration operations in today's competitive marketplace.