Title: Product-process connect in a regenerative innovation decision framework relating feasibility, impact and complexity

Authors: Arnab Banerjee; S.K. Mukhopadhyay

Addresses: Department of Production Engineering Jadavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700032, India ' Department of Production Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Agartala, Jirania, Tripura, 799055, India

Abstract: A product designed, manufactured and launched to market receives feedback for improvement and sustenance. The feedback received may give multiple options of change either in the product or in the process of production. It is a two-throng problem for managers; weighing between viability of options and the best option to choose from in case of multiplicity of options. The proposed research analyses the information gathered from the engineering management perspective and provides a decision framework based on feasibility, impact and supply chain complexity. The framework offers analytical tools for decision making for viability of product/process change and also for the best option for change. The decision modelling envisages the feasibility and the impact study analysis considering wide range of supply chain attributes along with economic, commercial and environmental issues. The theoretical framework is substantiated by a case. The research offers an objective innovation decision process based on market feedback.

Keywords: multicriteria decision making; MCDM; fuzzy neural networks; FNN; multiattribute utility theory; MAUT; Shannon; information entropy; product feedback; marekt feedback; engineering management; feasibility; impact; supply chain complexity; supply chain management; SCM; product change; process change; change options; modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVCM.2013.057326

International Journal of Value Chain Management, 2013 Vol.7 No.1, pp.1 - 36

Published online: 24 Jul 2014 *

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