Title: Integrating market and technological knowledge in the fuzzy front end: an FCM-based action support system

Authors: Hans-Horst Schroder, Antonie J.M. Jetter

Addresses: Lehrstuhl fur Betriebswirtschaftslehre mit Schwerpunkt Technologie- und Innovationsmanagement, RWTH Aachen, Germany. Lehrstuhl fur Betriebswirtschaftslehre mit Schwerpunkt Technologie- und Innovationsmanagement, RWTH Aachen, Germany

Abstract: The early phases of product development - the so-called fuzzy front end - are ill supported by traditional tools and methods for new product development (NPD). Based on a thorough investigation of the activities, challenges and strategies associated with these NPD stages, the paper identifies requirements for front-end management. It then discusses current approaches for support tools and systems. Based on the identified strengths and weaknesses of existing front-end solutions, a framework for a management support system of fuzzy front-end activities is presented. Conceptually, it is based on psychological findings about the process of action regulation in complex decision situations. Methodologically, it uses Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCMs) for modelling and simulation.

Keywords: product development; NPD; fuzzy front end; action regulation; Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCMs); modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2003.003421

International Journal of Technology Management, 2003 Vol.26 No.5/6, pp.517 - 539

Published online: 06 Sep 2003 *

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