Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 141-150). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph.D)--Management, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010. / Committee Co-Chair: Singhal, Vinod; Committee Co-Chair: Subramanian, Ravi; Committee Member: Hora, Manpreet; Committee Member: Thomas, Valerie; Committee Member: Toktay, Beril. Part of the SMARTech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006.

by Thomas E. Hatch and Glen L. Urban. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2009. / Vita. The entire thesis text is included in file. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed November 17, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 27-30).

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Rapid Product Development Division (RPD) of the Global Competitiveness Centre (GCC) identified the need to automate and integrate their organisational business processes a nd to share common data and practices a cross the entire enterprise in a real-time environment. Different software applications such as Microsoft" Excel, Microsoft" Access, the University's Financial System and others, are used to complete a single project. A system was therefore needed to provide the capabilities to integrate all of these applications into one workable system. The most perceived technology to create such an environment, namely Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), was found to be too sophisticated and expensive. The Knowledge Management Software Solution, called EDEN™, was identified as the most appropriate technology that could fulfil the needs of the RPD. Different modern management approaches, such as Theory of Constraints (TOC) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and process modelling tools were combined to build three roadmaps on the EDEN™ (Enterprise Design Navigator) platform to provide an enterprise wide business solution. A roadmap will aid as a guide that leads the user through a series of steps in order to create an understanding of the methods to be used when starting a new project or product design. The three roadmaps developed are Project Management, Product Development and Business Functions. The Project Management Roadmap was developed because all the RPD's work for clients is managed in the form of a project. This Roadmap should provide the necessary guidance and support to manage any project. The most important processes of the RPD are without doubt the product development processes. The Product Development Roadmap was developed with detailed procedures to assist with any product design. The business functions of the RPD are functions, such as finance and management information, that support the organisation's operations and the project management processes. The Business Functions identified for the RPD was combined into the Business Functions Roadmap. The main 0 bjective 0ft he thesis was toi ntegrate the business p rocesses a nd a II the software applications into one workable system and to share common data in a real-time environment. This was successfully accomplished by making use of the roadmaps and of the EDEN™ Environment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Rapid Product Development Division (RPD) van die Global Competitiveness Centre (GCC) het die nood om hul besigheid prosesse te outomatiseer en te integreer geïdentifiseer asook om hul data en beste praktyke met die hele besigheid te deel in 'n "real-time" omgewing. Verskillende sagteware toepassings soos Microsoft" Excel, Microsoft" Access, die Universiteit se Finansiële Sisteem en ander, word gebruik om een projek uit te voer. 'n Sisteem was dus benodig om al hierdie verskillende sagteware toepassings in een werkbare sisteem te integreer. Die mees toepasbare tegnologie om so 'n omgewing te skep, genaamd "Enterprise Resource Planning" (ERP), was gevind as te duur en te kompleks. Die "Knowledge Management Software Solution", genaamd EDEN™, was geïdentifiseer as die mees toepasbare tegnologie. Verskillende moderne bestuur benaderings, soos ''Theory of Constraints" (TOC) en "Customer Relationship Management" (CRM), asook proses modelleer tegnieke was gesamentlik gebruik 0m drie" road maps" te b ou op te EDEN™ platform. A" roadmap" dien as 'n riglyn wat die gebruikers sal ly deur 'n reeks van stappe met die doelom 'n beter verstaanbaarheid te kry van die tegnieke wat gebruik word wanneer 'n nuwe projek begin word. Die drie "Road maps" is Projekbestuur, Produk Ontwikkeling en Besigheid Funksies. Die Projekbestuur "Road map" was ontwikkelomdat alle werk wat gedoen word deur die RPD bestuur word in die vorm van 'n projek. Hierdie "Roadmap" sal die nodige leiding en ondersteuning bied vir die bestuur van enige projek. Die belangrikste prosesse van die RPD is sonder twyfel die produk ontwikkeling prosesse. Die Produk Ontwikkelings "Roadmap" is ontwikkel met gedetailleerde prosedures om bystand te bied met enige nuwe produk ontwikkeling. Die besigheid funksies van die RPD is funksies, soos finansies en informasie bestuur, wat ondersteuning bied aan die besigheid se operasionele en projekbestuur prosesse. Die geïdentifiseerde besigheid prosesse van die RPD was gekombineer om die Besigheid Funksies "Road map" te ontwikel. Die hoof doel van die tesis was om die besigheid prosesse en al die sagteware toepassing te integreer in een werkbare sisteem asook om data te deel in 'n "real-time" omgewing. Dit was suksesvol bereik deur gebruik te maak van die "roadrnaps" en die EDEN™ omgewing.

Capes / O processo de desenvolvimento de produto do vestuário (PDPV) sofre influência da moda, esse fator confere a esse processo dinamismo e exige rapidez durante o desenvolvimento. As empresas desenvolvem seus produtos em linhas sazonais (coleções) em vez de produtos individuais, com uma grande quantidade de produtos por coleção e várias coleções ao ano. Consequentemente apresentam um curto período de tempo para o desenvolvimento de cada coleção. Neste sentido, a adoção de estruturas organizacionais adequadas e de boas práticas para o PDP, pode ajudar a melhorar o desempenho desse processo na indústria de confecção, que é essencial para a competitividade das empresas. Por meio da utilização de modelo de referência a empresa pode criar sua própria estrutura para a realização das atividades, de modo que o modelo se adapte a realidade da empresa, e ao mesmo tempo sistematize as atividades e estruture o processo. O objetivo desse trabalho foi propor um modelo de referência específico para a indústria do vestuário, adaptado as suas características. Este pode ser um caminho para estas empresas estruturarem seu PDP, aumentando o desempenho do processo e consequentemente dessas empresas no mercado. A abordagem do problema foi qualitativa e o desenvolvimento do modelo foi por meio de revisão de literatura e pesquisa de campo. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio de entrevistas com empresas, profissionais e professores da área de PDPV. O objetivo das entrevistas foi de mapear o PDP nestas áreas. A construção do modelo foi feita em três etapas. A primeira etapa foi de construção de uma representação teórica, ou seja, um modelo teórico desenvolvido por meio da comparação de um modelo de referência genérico e modelos específicos para o vestuário. A segunda etapa foi de comparação do mapeamento das entrevistas com a representação teórica, confrontando a teoria e a prática. A terceira etapa foi o desenvolvimento do modelo propriamente dito. O modelo está desmembrado em macro-fases, fases e atividades. Cada fase foi detalhada com o fluxo de atividades e seus responsáveis, além das entradas e saídas de documentos e informações. O desenvolvimento do modelo de referência proposto vem de encontro com essas informações levantadas na literatura e nas entrevistas. Logo, pode estar contribuindo para a estruturação do processo no âmbito industrial e pesquisas na área de desenvolvimento de produto do vestuário, no âmbito acadêmico. O modelo de referência para o PDPV é uma junção de boas práticas que podem ser utilizadas em sua totalidade para estruturar com flexibilidade o PDP, ou ser utilizado parcialmente por meio de uma adaptação, ajustando-se à realidade a qual será utilizado. / The process of product development of apparel is greatly influenced of fashion, this fact gives this process great dynamism and speed development time. Companies develop their products in seasonal lines (collections) rather than individual products, with a batch of products by collection, several collections a year and therefore have a short time for the development of each collection. In this sense, the adoption of appropriate organizational structures and best practices for the PDP, can help to improve the performance of this process in the apparel industry, which is essential for the competitiveness of companies. Through the use of the reference model the company can create its own structure to carrying out the activities, so that the model fits the reality of the company, while systematize the activities and structure the process. The aim of this study was to propose a reference model specific to the apparel industry (PDPV), adapted to their characteristics, can be a way for these companies to structure their PDP, increasing process performance and consequently these firms. An approach to the problem was qualitative and the development of the model was through literature review and field research. Data collection was through interviews with companies, professionals and professors from sector PDP apparel. The purpose of the interviews was to map the PDP in these sectors. The model construction was done in three steps. The first step was the construction of a theoretical representation, that is a theoretical model developed by comparing of a reference model generic and specific models for garments. The second step was to compare the mapping of interviews with the theoretical representation, confronting theory and practice. The third step was the development of the model itself. The model is split into macro-phases, stages and activities. Each phase was detailed with the flow and those responsible for each activity, and the inputs and outputs of documents and information. The development of the reference model is proposed of encounter with those collected information in the literature and in interviews, then may be contributing to the design process in industry and research in the sector of product development apparel in the academic realm. The reference model for PDPV is a conjunction of best practices that can be used in its entirety with flexibility to structure the PDP, or be used by partially adapting, adjusting to the reality which will be used.

Thesis (MTech (Mechanical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2010 / Many companies are currently focusing on how to stay innovative, how to innovate and how to create an innovation climate in their companies. Why is innovation vital to companies? New Product Development (NPD) can be a key factor in this regard. Companies believe that NPD is their life blood; it can be the better way to survive firmly and be more competitive. In addition, the strategy of how to manage NPD process effectively and efficiently is becoming a powerful way of achieving a competitive edge. As Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a significant role in South African economic development, it is critical for companies especially (SMEs) to seek an ideal way to manage innovation productively. However, to be innovative is not easy for any organization and it should be managed effectively. The effective management of innovation and NPD in SMEs is investigated in this study. Innovation and NPD has already become the key drivers of sustainability and competitiveness for many companies especially SMEs. Innovation and NPD as the main subjects that are carefully studied, discussed and understood in larger corporations and multinational enterprises. It would appear that the same cannot always be said when it comes to SMEs.

M.Ing. / The competitive world of commercial software development exacts unremitting regeneration, innovation and adjustment from each and every company that chooses to perform this function. The said regeneration, innovation and adjustment could result either from the proactive decisions of a company, or from its reaction to certain changes, such as changes in the market place and changes in available technologies. Should the business model fundamental to the software development of a company, however, fail to be adjusted for technological innovation (for example, object-orientated development), the chances of such innovations culminating in actual improvements in productivity are, however, greatly diminished. The principal aim of the present research study is to investigate the project-management and product-development processes within a specific organization selected as a case study, and, if possible, to propose improvements to these processes. Rubico, the selected company, has decided on account of observed marketing opportunities to focus on the development of software components and patterns for the financial-services sector. In order to realise the said focus, some of the current and envisaged activities of the company, for example, marketing and project delivery, have been outsourced to third parties. The Rubico Products Company (hereafter called Products) and Rubico Delivery Services (hereafter called Delivery Services) utilise a formalised methodology of interaction in order to find software solutions for their clients. Products is responsible for developing software components and software solutions, whilst Delivery Services specifies the said components and solutions with the client, in addition to reselling them to other clients. Products has entrusted the management of software products and patterns to product architects, whilst Delivery Services have employed project managers to manage the delivery of the said products and patterns. The golden thread that ties together the activities and roles of these two divisions is the product-delivery methodology to which both divisions subscribe. Proposals for the improvement of project management and product architecture are made not only in terms of a new definition for and in terms of the execution of the said processes, but also in terms of the responsibilities implied by these two roles. The present dissertation, however, contains merely the author’s opinions and conclusions in this connection, and does not necessarily reflect the vision and opinions of Rubico Company.