In the study of innovations and their influence in development economics, scholars have used the concept of dominant design as a fundamental characterization in a number of models in order to explain the dynamics of innovation and of the industry at large. There is not a universally accepted concept of dominant design in the research community, although its notion has been proved effectively to explain the relationship between technological and industrial change, and the nature of competition, and more recently, researchers have shown an increased interest in standardising and formalising dominant design nomenclature. In the past thirty years, scholars have argued that dominant designs are a phenomenon that occurs at the level of the entire product and at the technological system level. However, no research has been found that examined the possibility of using dominant design in the military industry (MI). The MI complex has been generally defined as a coalition consisting of the military and industrialists who profit by manufacturing arms and selling them to the government. It is a vast industry in its own right. The aim of this study is to evaluate and determine the validity of dominant design in the MI by close examination of the submarine and the Submarine Industry (SI), which designs, develops, and builds these vessels. This research follows the track to academic and theoretical authorities on dominant design in the industry, by exploring technological indicators of over 380 submarine designs produced since the emergence of the. first commissioned submarine in 1900 until year 2000 and more than 4,280 submarines built in that period. The study used the data collected by the researcher in five different Navies (France, Germany, Russia, UK and U.S.). The thesis also shows the level of commitment of numerous shipyards in sustaining and ensuring the submarine industrial base by a long lasting relationship between the production and their furtherance in the navy's list.

Much effort has been spent on designing and developing formalised selection techniques (FST), whereas R&D project selection practices remain surprisingly opaque. The suitability and effectiveness of FST have been strongly criticised in the literature, but their adoption and continued use by some organisations raises questions about the assumptions in most of the literature on R&D project selection. Some surveys of FST usage have been carried out, but use has persistently been measured unidimensionally, as if it meant the same to everyone. There have been few attempts, however, to describe the role played by formalised selection techniques in the selection process, and the different meanings of use. This study takes a step towards filling this gap. This study is based on the assumption that R&D project selection processes are political in nature, and that FST are not simply used with a view to determining the decision in a more or less mechanistic way (instrumental use). FST are also used in a political and symbolic ways as a means of persuading other interested parties of the advantages/disadvantages of the projects they are endorsing/rejecting (supportive way), so to gain their support for a preferred course of action, and to legitimise decisions already influenced by political concerns. A survey of R&D project selection processes in U.K. organisations, mainly of an industrial kind, was carried out using a mailed questionnaire. Predictive analysis of FST usage, and of instrumental and supportive use were conducted at three levels - the individual, the project, and the organisation. The analysis shows that instrumental use is determined, to some extent, by R&D management practices, whereas supportive use seems more dependent on the perceptions of the selection process, therefore, confirming the main proposition of this study. The findings also confirm that FST have found some use, and that they are used in more than one way. An attempt is made to define a typology of FST users and usage modes, at each level of analysis. The profiles of instrumental and supportive users are examined in detail. Instrumental use seems closer to a decision making process that takes place in a rational way, whereas supportive use appears more in line with the political process model of decision making. Finally, an effort is made to assess the managerial impact of FST usage, in terms of time and cost of the selection process, and in terms of decision quality and decision acceptability.

In this study of "New Product Development ("NPD") For Consumer Service Businesses", an attempt has been made to develop some of the insights that have emerged in previous research. The findings in this thesis represent the author's understanding of how the management of NPD process in service companies differs in some aspects from the theory espoused (that is, prescribed NPD models drawn from the manufacturing context). Services are largely intangible. inseparable (between production and consumption). variable and perishable. It is well known that these unique features differentiate services significantly from manufactured goods. These differences. as the services marketing literature argue. may require a distinctive approach to marketing management. Specifically. the results substantiate how certain new service development ("NSD") practices were observed to reflect these differences. This doctoral research has provided further empirical evidence in fully supporting this argument. consistent with the findings of very recent re,search on new services development ("NSD"). A focus on NPD on a largely process-perspective is taken. As such. issues arising mainly concern effective management of the NPD process. involving the classical NPD activities often described in the marketing literature. comprising those from Idea-Generation to Market Launch. The proficiency of NPD activities undertaken is found to have profound impacts on several service success dimensions. This is in further support of pa~t studies. advocating that the key to success lies in the new product process (mainly, Booz Allen and Hamilton's (1982) and Cooper and Kleinschmidt's (1986) studies on industrial goods and recently, de Brentani's (1989) study on industrial new service success). A number of special characteristics of NSD activities are identified relating mainly to (a) NSD process and activities, (b) new service performance, (c) organization of the NSD activity. (d) NSD objectives, and (e) associated types of NSD's initiated. Several significant finance and non-finance sector differences in terms of these characteristics are also identified and illustrated. The analysis and discussion revolve around the testing of ten hypotheses concerned with the key topics. Subject to the limitations of this research. circumstances where certain observed deviations in NSD practices from the prescribed NPD (manufacturing) models are examined. to understand how service companies have made appropriate adaptations to the NPD process to meet unique problems in the service environment. While a general conformity to the NPD (theory espoused) model is noted in terms of underlying marketing principles. a modification of the existing NPD model in several aspects needs to be made, to better suit it to the specifics of the service environment.

This thesis concerns the intellectual heritage and autonomy of West European and American industrial design as a discourse community at a moment when biotechnological developments are challenging the certainty of what it means to be human. Proceeding from the assumption that industrial design is an autonomous intellectual engagement played out through the interpretation of technology as an artefact, the thesis identifies how this is a critical moment for industrial designers, who appear to be unable to respond to a problem of the apparent disconnection and the progressive displacement of the human in reference to technology. The thesis identifies the cause of this as the understanding of the artefact, which has conventionally been placed at the centre of its analysis. The way that this has been constructed has not only impacted on design solutions but has led to a particular understanding of technology. It is this understanding of the artefact that has ceased to be sustainable and has precipitated the crisis. The thesis argues that, by revisiting the artefact as a mutable consequence of culture, it is possible to relieve the problem by opening up the scope for finding new methodological approaches. These can be used to develop design strategies that are sufficiently subtle and coherent in their terms to engage with the open complexity of future discussions of the distributed and enacted human.

Customer demands and intense competition have resulted in the need for shorter development lead times. The problems with shorter lead times have been well documented. Nfistakes are costly and the need for a sustainable and efficient new product development process has become paramount to a successful product. Vehicle Manufacturers (VM's) have had their choice of a variety of tools and philosophies to assist in reducing lead times. Amongst others, the use of Quality Functional Deployment (QFD), CAD/CAE, cross-functional teams and simultaneous engineering have each been mooted as being the panacea for efficient design and development. The author argues the need for a Right First Time (RFT) design policy and states that this can be delivered through the "Hoshin Kanri" method of policy deployment. The resultant strategies are achieved through the tactical use of the most appropriate tools, integrated into the new development process. Performance is measured against agreed target in a Case Company (Nissan) and the strategy is tested for Strengths and Weaknesses. The result is achievement of an 80% reduction in Design Change compared with previous programs. The approach is explained in the Thesis, as are the Quantitative and Qualitative results, which are finally analysed using an adapted T-Matiix. In conclusion, the author uses the experience to draw 14 Rules for undertaking Right First Time Design and "proves" them in two alternative companies to ensure that the principles arc robust.

This research had two objectives. First, to examine the possible superiority of any of the three principal MTM systems for the derivation of time standards, recognizing the natural variability of actual work times arising from unpaced operator performance. Then, to consider whether the use of further simplifications of predetermined motion time systems, which may be derived from MTM, might permit equally acceptable time standards to be obtained. Factory studies were used to compare the standards predicted by MTM-1, 2 and 3 against actual performance by well trained. workers. No significant difference was detected between the times predicted by MTM-1, MTM-2 and MTM-3. Four simplified systems were developed from the factory data and, except for the system in which motion cases were ignored, no statistically significant\differences were found between cycle times predicted by these systems and by the general levels of MTM. Times for similar operations in the same factory as the original sample were determined using MTM-1, MTM-2, MTM-3 and two simplified systems. The results were equally acceptable by each of these five systems. Further testing based upon maintenance type work data did not show a satisfactory transferability of simplified systems into this entirely different working environment. The study did not support the widely held view that there are minimum cycle times below which MTM-2 and MTM-3 should not be used to establish a time standard. In considering the variability of the actual work times, it was not possible to account for the individual effects of factors which create variability of operators performing unpaced tasks. Nevertheless, a representative distribution for this variability was estimated, in which the variability of the operator work-time was related to the average cycle time.

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This study develops and empirically tests a model of factors determining green supply chain management practices in organisations. Previous research on aspects of green supply chain management is dominated by anecdotal, sector specific studies that examine specific aspects of the supply chain, such as purchasing or logistics. Many argue this field is embryonic and lacking a structured integrative framework of research. This study addresses this gap by focussing on a whole supply chain approach that provides a synthesis of previous research to develop a model of green supply chain management. The data from a cross-sectoral survey of 149 members the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply is used to test this model, using a variety of multivariate techniques. The model identifies environmental attitude as the primary determinant of green supply chain management practices, influenced to a lesser extent by external legislative factors. The influence of organisational contingencies on this model is also explored, and size identified as the only contingency that influences the relationships in this model. The dominant influence of environmental attitude suggests that within organisations there are internal factors, or individuals, that may push forward the green agenda, and those initiatives that focus on changing the environmental attitude/ culture of an organisation might be the most effective at improving environmental performance. This study suggests that factors previously identified as important within green supply chain management, such as supply chain or competitive pressures, are less influential than expected. However, future research should seek to compare the findings from this study with a larger, cross-sectoral sample that includes diverse organisations from different nations, sectors and levels of channel power.