Title: Technological interdependence and company organization: the case of simultaneous engineering in the car industry

Authors: D.G. Shenas, S . Derakhshan

Addresses: School of Commerce and Administration, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6, Canada. ' School of Commerce and Administration, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6, Canada

Abstract: This paper looks at how market competition and increased technological developments in the car industry has necessitated organisational innovation, in particular the practice known as simultaneous engineering (SE). This new approach to production of goods involves the integration of previously separate departments such as R&D, manufacturing, marketing, etc., into one common activity. In addition to internal reorganisation, SE has also forced companies to reconsider the relationships with their vendors. When successful, the impact of SE is to reduce time to market and increase both quality and product variety.

Keywords: cross-functional steams; vehicle design; organisational innovation; time to market; product quality; product variety; simultaneous engineering; concurrent engineering; technological interdependence; automobile industry; automotive products.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.1992.061745

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 1992 Vol.13 No.5/6, pp.533 - 541

Published online: 27 May 2014 *

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