Title: The importance of technology integration capabilities: evaluating the impact of 3D technologies on product development performance in Japan and China

Authors: Yoko Takeda; Yaichi Aoshima; Kentaro Nobeoka

Addresses: Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-7 Tokiwadai Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan. ' Institute of Innovation Research, Hitotsubashi University 2-1 Naka Kunitachi, Tokyo 186-8601, Japan. ' Institute of Innovation Research, Hitotsubashi University 2-1 Naka Kunitachi, Tokyo 186-8601, Japan

Abstract: New multi-functional technologies often require technology integration capabilities that integrate new technologies into their organizational processes and introduce internal changes to ensure an effective fit with the new technology. This paper endeavours to examine the impact of 3D technologies such as 3D CAD on product development performance by means of a questionnaire survey. The results indicate that Japanese companies improved the performance as a result of the process reformations leveraged by the utilization of 3D technologies; however, no significant relationships were observed among the utilization of 3D technologies, process reformations, and total performance improvements for the Chinese companies surveyed.

Keywords: technology integration capability; technology utilisation capability; product development performance; process reformation; 3D technologies; 3D CAD; Japan; China.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPD.2012.047261

International Journal of Product Development, 2012 Vol.16 No.1, pp.26 - 44

Received: 23 Feb 2011
Accepted: 21 Nov 2011
Published online: 30 Dec 2014 *

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