Title: Innovation in automotive telematics services: characteristics of the field and management principles

Authors: Sylvain Lenfle, Christophe Midler

Addresses: University of Cergy-Pontoise – THEMA, 33 boulevard du Port, 95011 Cergy-Pontoise, France. Management Research Centre, Ecole Polytechnique/CNRS, 1 rue Descartes, 75005 Paris, France

Abstract: The growing role of innovation in the strategy of car manufacturers leads them to relentlessly look for new sources of differentiation. In this way, telematics, a suite of technologies centred on communications systems within cars, is expected to bolster the car industry by offering a new stream of revenues. This article focuses on the impact of this technology on design organisation. In the first part, we demonstrate that telematics is a radical innovation for automotive industry. Therefore, traditional design models, such as heavyweight project management, are unsuitable. Next, the paper studies the organisation adopted by a European car manufacturer in the light of recent research on the management of innovation.

Keywords: telematics; innovation management; services; automotive.

DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2003.003373

International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management, 2003 Vol.3 No.1/2, pp.144 - 159

Published online: 05 Sep 2003 *

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