Companies developing new products have a wide variety of product development (PD) processes from which to choose. Each process offers a different method of iteration to manage risk. Companies must therefore consider the nature and level of risks they face in order to determine the most appropriate iteration and PD process. This paper identifies principles of risk and iteration inherent in product development and then explains how several different PD processes manage risk through iteration. It explains current research on PD decision criteria and concludes by proposing a framework to help companies better select PD processes. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

No description available.

The purpose of this research was to identify fission product signatures that could be used to uniquely identify a specific spent fuel assembly in order to improve international safeguards. This capability would help prevent and deter potential diversion of spent fuel for a nuclear weapons program. The power history experienced by a fuel assembly is distinct and could serve as the basis of a method for unique identification. Using fission product concentrations to characterize the assembly power history would limit the ability of a proliferator to deceive the identification method. As part of the work completed, the TransLat lattice physics code was successfully benchmarked for fuel depletion. By developing analytical models for potential monitor isotopes an understanding was built of how specific isotope characteristics affect the production and destruction mechanisms that determine fission product concentration. With this knowledge potential monitor isotopes were selected and tested for concentration differences as a result of power history variations. Signature ratios were found to have significant concentration differences as a result of power history variations while maintaining a constant final burnup. A conceptual method for implementation of a fission product identification system was proposed in conclusion.

In the last century there have been drastic changes in the way products are developed and manufactured – manufacturing technologies have advanced and at the same time global competition has increased tremendously. For companies to survive, the name of the game has been to offer greater product variety, in more frequent intervals, and for a lower price. Mass production has been replaced by mass customization, where the basic rule is that the customers should get exactly what they want, at the time they want it. A partial remedy to concurrently lower cost as well as provide customers with a greater number of variants has been to use platforms*. Platforms in the manufacturing industry have at times been highly advantageous while in other instances they have caused more problems than benefit. Platforms exist in different contexts and scope, and it has been found that companies need to improve their platform management skills in order to increase the general level of competitive advantage. This dissertation proposes that a company can considerably improve the management of its platforms by increasing its holistic understanding of them. To do this, platforms are viewed from different viewpoints that aim to both display the effect a platform has on its surroundings, as well as the effect its surroundings has on it. This approach has been incorporated into a method called the PAMatrix (Platform Assessment Matrix) that uses a synthesis of cross-functional, subjective expert opinion and consensus based decision making. The PAMatrix method uses already existing implicit and explicit knowledge to improve decision making on how to manage each individual platform. First a set of platforms are identified that the company views as key enablers for creating a competitive advantage. The platforms are then assessed from several different viewpoints – each capturing a partial evaluation of the platforms’ status or effect. After an assessment of a viewpoint, each stakeholder individually suggests a specific strategic action plan along with a weight factor of how important the viewpoint is to the overall assessment of the specific platform. Finally, the discrete action plan suggestions are collected and jointly assessed and debated – based on which, a final strategic action plan can be made. The method has been tested in three industrial situations, where its use has been considered beneficial and platform understanding has increased. * In this dissertation, a platform is defined as the set of core assets that are reused to create a competitive advantage.

In this thesis, product experiences were analyzed in human-product interaction context. The terminology to describe product experiences were gathered and grouped with the studies carried out during the thesis. The conceptual network of product experiences were attempted to be established by examining the stages of human-product interaction in the limitations of the studies. The gathered terminology was composed of both concrete and abstract product features. The abstract product features which are used for defining product personality characteristics took part in the lexicon. The lexicon for product experience related communication resulting from the thesis, was used in designed instructional game for Bachelor degree industrial design students, in order to be informed and develop themselves on the subject. Hereby, while the students have fun, they will explore the terminology to use in design communications easily.

Post och telestyrelsen (PTS) har gett ett allmäntråd om att alla brevinkast ska ersättas med postfack från och med den 1 januari 2011. Med denna rekommendation kommer brevinkasten på dagens dörrar att bli överflödiga. Många kommer att vilja ta bort sitt brevinkast och ersätta det med en produkt som ger en tystare och säkrare miljö i hemmet. Detta examensarbete syftar till att finna en eller flera lämpliga lösningar för att ersätta brevinkasten på dörrarna. Denna lösning är tänkt att vara ett billigare alternativ för att lösa problemet, jämfört med att köpa en ny dörr. Olika metoder för att finna idéer har använts och flera alternativ framkom. Det gjordes utvärderingar för att finna den lösning som var mest lämplig för att lösa problemet. Detta förslag vidareutvecklades och testades i praktiken. Det förslag som till slut valdes kommer att fungera som en lösning för problemet / The Swedish authority Post och telestyrelsen PTS has made a recommendation that all letterboxes on doors should be replaced by postboxes from the first of January 2011. This recommendation is going to make the letterboxes on the doors unnecessary. Some people want to replace the letterbox on their door so that they will have more silent and safe environment in their home. With this project, the goal was to find at least one good solution for this problem; a solution wich would cost less money than to change the whole door to a safety door. Some different methods have been used to find ides and a lot of alternatives have came up. The most suitable solution was chosen with the help of some methods. This solution was tested if it would work in reality.

Early concept generation is the base for the final products appearance. Since most of the products character and cost is set at an early stage increased knowledge at an early stage is vital. This master thesis aims at creating a method called RAPTOR. The purpose of RAPTOR is to reduce the cost and increase the knowledge by combining CAD and optimization with an easy excel interface. For illustrative purpose an electric motor example has been used. The master thesis has been demonstrated at GM power train, Trollhättan Sweden, and a considerable interest was shown. The inspiration comes from the GlobaLiTH project, a project at the machine design department at Linköping University, Sweden, where a sustainable light utility vehicle was designed.

Aim: The purpose of the thesis is to give small private investors an insight the financial world of derivatives and to show that an investor does not need to consult with an advisor in order to make decisions about the investments. The aim was to show through a new product that a small investor can beat the market return. Method: The method used in the thesis is to collect data over a three year period for an option, a bull ETF and a treasury bill. The database DataStream was used to obtain statistics of the option and the Treasury bill and Nasdaq OMX Nordic was used for the Bull ETF. We calculated the expected return and variance of each in order to use in the portfolio. Having the information needed we then used a trial-and-error method to calculate the weight each component will be given, with the help of Excel and its Solver add-on. Result & Conclusion: The results were surprising in that over the three year period the product had a 100% increase, while the market only went up by 30%. The major reason for the products strong return was that the daily earnings were shifted everyday so that the weights remained constant throughout the life of the product. The issue with the product was that no transaction costs were included in the calculations, and as there would be at least one transaction per day the costs would be enormous for the given product. Suggestions for Further Research: As one of the limitations for the thesis was that no transactions cost were included, one idea for further research could be to calculate the transaction costs as well as seeing if there is a method to minimize them so that the product could be profitable. Contribution to the Field: To our knowledge we are the first to test theses three components in order to from a structured product. Through our method interested parties could do the same with other components or retest our product. We have showed through our method one way to create your own structured product.

<p>Organizational researchers have long considered innovation a critical activity. While insightful regarding the nature of the innovation process and the rewards and risk associated with innovation, prior work has neglected the perspective that innovations function within a firm's wider product portfolio. This perspective enables assessment of when innovations truly generate value for firms and the mechanisms through which it does so. I propose a general theory for how innovation creates new value for a firm and apply this theory to understanding how new value from innovation is reflected in the changes it manifests in the diversity of a firm's product portfolio.</p><p>This dissertation addresses these issues by examining how innovation introductions drive two types of changes in the firm's portfolio - product portfolio and within-brand portfolio diversification - and how those changes influence the new value firms will capture. In addition, I examine the degree to which these outcomes are contingent upon the characteristics of the innovation itself. Thus, I address the inherent interdependencies in managing innovations while still capturing the influence of individual innovation characteristics. </p><p>The importance of this topic lies in both theory and practice. Theoretically, this work sheds light on the degree to which innovation value is a function of the value accrued to the innovation itself and its interdependency with the firm's overall product and brand portfolios. Practically, understanding how the new value from innovation incorporates the effect of the innovation on the firm's portfolio enables firms to grasp how decisions they make regarding innovation pipelines and in managing their overall portfolio influences their expected success.</p> / Dissertation

This thesis examines the strategic drivers and processes governing the development of products and/or technologies by multiple economic entities. The thesis adopts an operational approach in addressing the question and examines the how of joint product development. For this purpose, the different mechanisms that enable joint product development licensing, outsourced development, and codevelopment are considered, and the focus is restricted to the analysis and characterization of the optimal management of joint product development mechanisms. Regarding the mechanism of licensing, the thesis examines both its dynamic inter-temporal implications (i.e., how licenses should be structured given that licensing will also occur in the future) as well as the role of the technology in question (i.e., how are licenses affected by the type of technology being licensed). Along the first dimension, the thesis finds that license fees (and the negotiation with potential licensees) may be structured so as to induce a controlled diffusion depending on the technology roadmap the provider firm has laid out for the future. On the second dimension, the study finds that when the technological solution being licensed requires minimal integration from the licensees side, it may be beneficial to restrict attention to a few potential licensees instead of licensing to the entire market. On the codevelopment side, the thesis presents an original case study that uncovers some of the salient features present in many joint development efforts. Subsequently, a mathematical model is proposed that captures the key dimensions of the phenomenon that were identified through the case study. Analysis of the normative model reveals the key role of market and development uncertainty in structuring the formal contractual agreements and sharing the value created through the codevelopment effort.