Title: Bottom-up or top-down? Evolutionary change management in NPD processes

Authors: Riitta Smeds, Paivi Haho, Jukka Alvesalo

Addresses: Helsinki University of Technology, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SimLab, P.O. Box 9560, FIN-02015 HUT, Finland. Helsinki University of Technology, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SimLab, P.O. Box 9560, FIN-02015 HUT, Finland. Arthur D. Little (Schweiz) AG, Seestrasse 185, CH-8800 Thalwil/Zurich, Switzerland

Abstract: This paper presents theoretical evolutionary change management principles and a simulation game based business process development method, built upon these principles. The authors applied the method in two NPD process development projects in Finland. Results from the case projects and conclusions to the management of change are presented. The projects differed markedly in their initial change approach. The bottom-up initiated change project of the pharmaceutical company and the top-down initiated project of the telecommunication company, however, both achieved good results in process development. Drawing from the theory of evolution management, we can hypothesise that this success can be credited in both cases to the dialogue between strategy and operation, which was created during the change projects. This dialogue was achieved through the method that was applied, i.e. successive simulation games. The cases also suggest that the management of process development greatly benefits from a project portfolio and systematic project management, which help to implement the dynamic and learning umbrella strategy.

Keywords: evolution management; process innovation; simulation games; change management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2003.003415

International Journal of Technology Management, 2003 Vol.26 No.8, pp.887 - 902

Published online: 06 Sep 2003 *

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