IMPROVING PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT FROM A KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT BASED APPROACH. THE CASE OF NAVANTIA.

Abstract

Introduction: To achieve competitive advantage, a company must permanently innovate and change its products, process and management systems faster than competitors. In manufacturing companies, as new products become the focus in competition, the new product development (NPD) process become increasingly important to these businesses. NPD process can be improved by boosting product lifecycle knowledge management. In this paper, how to carry out this improvement is described through a case study of a naval shipbuilding firm, Navantia. Methods: In the detailed case study, the improvement needs are identified from a knowledge management based approach and the solutions developed are described. These solutions are provided by a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system by means of its tools and its integration with other management systems used in Navantia. Results: The integration of knowledge in the company has lead to access and sharing information time reduction; errors reduction; improvements in the communication among employees and with partners, customers and suppliers; and design time and product costs reduction. Discussion: This case provides several keys to a successful implementation of a PLM system, such as making a reasoned analysis of the needs of the company from a strategic knowledge management based approach, the gradual integration of existing tools with the system PLM and the involvement of different actors in the company, both at organizational and interorganizational level.