Title: Applying fuzzy Delphi and fuzzy AHP in selecting potential NPD projects for commercialisation in a research institute

Authors: Gwo-Tsuen Jou; Benjamin J.C. Yuan

Addresses: Department of Business and Planning, Taiwan Textile Research Institute, 6, Chengtian road, Tucheng District, New Taipei city, 23674, Taiwan ' Institute of Management of Technology, National Chiao Tung University, 1001 University Road, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan; Institute of Industrial Economics, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou, China

Abstract: New product development (NPD) plays a crucial stage in pushing technology forward to reach the aim of commercialisation. This study proposes a novel method to evaluate potential NPD projects for commercialisation of technology. Based on literature review and fuzzy Delphi survey, we identified five aspects of decision areas and 19 criteria, which were prioritised under a hierarchy model structure by fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) approach. Moreover, we developed a score-weighting method and invited some industrial experts to evaluate five NPD projects, which were derived from Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI) government-funded R&D programs and assessed by technology readiness level (TRL). Further resources are thus allocated to the high ranking projects to accelerate the commercialisation of technology.

Keywords: fuzzy sets; project selection; new product development; NPD; technology readiness level; TRL; fuzzy AHP; analytical hierarchy process; FAHP; fuzzy Delphi; technology commercialisation; research institutes; Taiwan; textile research; R&D; research and development.

DOI: 10.1504/AJMSA.2015.075347

Asian Journal of Management Science and Applications, 2015 Vol.2 No.2, pp.171 - 194

Accepted: 28 Nov 2015
Published online: 15 Mar 2016 *

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