Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design & Management Program, 2000. / This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 116). / by Michelle T. Beckert. / S.M.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design & Management Program, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 96). / Companies heavily and successfully invested in traditional technologies (defenders) often find it difficult to make the transitions to new disruptive technologies, in spite of technological competence and clear opportunity to do so. The core competencies that enabled the firm to excel under the old paradigms become core rigidities when faced with the need to address technological discontinuities. Products like digital still cameras, DSCs, represent the convergence of multiple rapidly changing technologies in electronics, optics, computers, networks, and software. The emergence and adoption of digital still photography both accompanies and defines a new paradigm in the sharing of images as it attempts to both emulate and replace the previous modalities while creating new market-expanding opportunities. The emergence of digital still photography has been predicted and promised for several decades. Indeed, it has already managed to replace silver halide altogether in certain market segments previously relied upon by conventional photography firms, and is at present extending beyond the early adopter stage in the broader consumer market. It is a current example of innovation and technological discontinuity, and one that has enough history to permit analysis. It poses a real potential disruptive threat to the incumbent players, some of which have succumbed while others apparently succeeded. This thesis studies the relationships between the development of the composite technologies in digital photography, the environment in which they operate, the emergence of dominant designs, market diffusion, and the strategies for success employed by leading participants. In the process of studying patterns of entry and exit firms and a detailed look at their products, evidence of a dominant design and support in this industry for the Abernathy and Utterback model of industrial innovation is uncovered. Also revealed is a second wave of innovation in the DSC industry that is firmly established and suggests the onset of a Christiansen-style disruptive dynamic. By studying this specific technological discontinuity in the context of the broader patterns, lessons in adapting to technological change in general are learned. / by J. Peter Zelten. / S.M.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design & Management Program, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (v. 2, leaves 340-342). / by William L. Blake, Jr. / S.M.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design & Management Program, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 94-95). / by Pei Wang. / S.M.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design & Management Program, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 117-118). / Automobiles are complex products. High product complexity drives high levels of design and process complexity and complicatedness. This thesis attempts to reduce complicatedness in the automotive vehicle design and development process utilizing systems engineering tools including the design structure matrix (DSM) and axiomatic design concepts. The title of the thesis is a misnomer; complexity in automotive design and development is not "going away", but through the use of system engineering tools it is believed that the complicatedness of automotive design can be reduced and the consequences of decisions can be better understood at earlier stages in product development. A holistic view of the complexity and complicatedness challenge is considered, in order to identify high leverage points and generic insights that can be carried forward to future product development efforts. The goal is to translate generalized learning and systems thinking to the application of systems tools and processes that enable an understanding of complexity, in order to design better operating policies that guide positive change in systems. The analysis starts with considerations across the automotive enterprise, then the focus sharpens to the early stages of the product development process. Then a more detailed level of abstraction is considered when the automotive chassis tuning process and the interactions between the vehicle dynamics and noise and vibration (NVH) attributes are considered. The automotive rear suspension design is used to illustrate the concepts at the detailed level of abstraction. A rear suspension system case study is included, as it met a number of the challenges inherent in large-scale systems; it provides the elements of a technical challenge / (cont.) and the integration of business and engineering issues, while encompassing detailed and broad issues that across different parts of the organization. The analysis demonstrates that the complicatedness of systems can be reduced and complexity can be managed through the use of the design structure matrix and axiomatic design concepts. Recommendations are made to foster improved decision-making that will result in improved automobiles and include the following: start simply with the application of these concepts on the critical few interactions that drive system performance, manage information explicitly, account and provision for risks in the development process, and reduce complexity and complicatedness through reuse. / by Ronald J. Ziegler. / S.M.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 71-72). / The objective of this Thesis was to strategically redesign and transform the supply chain of a series of detonators in a leading Company serving the oil and gas industry. The scope of the Thesis included data gathering and analysis, and the proposal and implementation of possible solutions. The issues addressed included sourcing and partnership strategies and development of systemic inventory management policies. We optimized the inventory policies to minimize the ordering and holding costs while improving the customer service level. For this purpose, we considered the entire supply chain starting from the Company's internal and external suppliers and Subcontractors all the way to the end-customers. By considering all these players we were able to globally optimize the supply chain. The inventory policy used was a periodic review policy for which we optimized the reorder, order-up-to level and Safety Stock levels. We analyzed the effects of the forecasting error and the potential benefits of risk pooling. / (cont.) We also identified and recommended a new push-pull boundary for the Company's detonator products and provided a generic platform to identify this boundary for other products within the Company. The supply chain management system and managerial insights developed from this project can potentially be extended to other products and divisions within the Company. / by Konstantinos F. Zafiriou. / S.M.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design & Management Program, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 142). / Before companies started competing on Internet time, most companies involved in software product development carried out the different phases of the product development sequentially. If, during the later stages of product development (ex: coding), the company came across new information or the user needs changed then these changes would be incorporated into the next version of the product otherwise risk shipping the product late. Rapid innovation in the technological areas and the Internet has created very dynamic environment in all walks of life. In this environment, the user needs are changing very rapidly resulting in new challenges for the companies and its product development managers. They have to respond to the changing needs of the users very quickly either with rapid product releases and/or incorporating the changes into product under development. To achieve this, companies need a product development strategy that allows them to incorporate changes at any stage in the product development without affecting their time-to-market. This thesis focuses on strategies for rapid and flexible software product development. This research will study systematically the range of approaches that producers of software and hardware use for product development. / by Sharma Upadhyayula. / S.M.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 61-62). / The purpose of this research is to provide an academic study to facilitate and improve the establishment and running of Expression Business Unit in Microsoft's Developer Division. This business unit was created in 2005 to help Microsoft expand into the computer-aided designer market. New business creation within the existing business is commonly called corporate entrepreneurship. This thesis will review the literatures in this area and use the Expression business as a case study.This thesis documents the efforts of a company starting a new business based on the research in business, organization and product. The principle study areas of this project are (1) How to collect market data, conduct market research and competitive strategy analysis for a new business (2) Build a business plan for a corporate venture (3) How to organize an effective corporate venture (4) The similarities and differences between start a start-up company and start a new venture in an established firm.Most of materials used in this thesis are from the author's personal involvement, internal Microsoft presentations, the author's interviews and meetings with key stakeholders involved in this new Business Unit. This project uses academic research to identify the existing theories and practices on corporate venturing. Through the research, this project also details the problems raised in the planning phase.In the end, the author will propose improvements to the current business planning. The improvement is built on top of the existing business and product planning framework, with the intents to enhance Expression venture's product and market areas. Also several areas requires further study have been outlined. / by Yaming Wang. / S.M.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 144-148). / The identification of the different factors impacting a software start-up company's decision to pursue an alliance, acquisition, IPO or venture capital to sustain growth is the main objective of this research study. First and foremost on a software start-up company's list of reasons to pursue and engage in alliances is to leverage the incumbent's tangible and intangible assets. Other factors impacting their decision to leverage alliances include the opportunity to enhance stability and profitability and the opportunity to acquire key customers. Another key factor that encourages start-up company alliance or strategic partnership formation is the need for the start-up company to establish platform leadership. Like the pursuit of alliances, foremost on a software start-up company's list of reasons to pursue and engage in acquisitions is to leverage the incumbent's or the acquirer's tangible and intangible assets. Other factors impacting their decision to get acquired include the boost such an acquisition will provide in helping them establish platform leadership. Acquisitions are also pursued by start-up companies when the founders want to exit. Start-up companies also pursue to get acquired to survive, when no other option are available. Lastly, they would opt to get acquired to penetrate new markets. Given optimal economic conditions, IPOs capture the best liquidity and valuation. It is advantageous versus getting acquired in that one gets to sustain growth while retaining control of the software start-up company. Software start-up companies seek venture capital funding for a number of factors. This includes getting help in business development, leveraging the VC network, obtaining a certification effect, diversifying net worth and reducing risk, and pursuing and engaging in alliances successfully. / (cont.) There is no one universal paradigm to help a software start-up company determine when it is best to pursue an alliance, an acquisition, an IPO or venture capital. A myriad of factors specific to one's situation impacts the decision to choose the right growth strategy. To make the most informed decision, the executive team must consider all these factors. / by Sergio D. Ybanez. / S.M.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, 2009. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 215-218). / This thesis has the main purpose of presenting the Development and Validation phase of the product development system from the point of view of an emerging and growing product development organization, denoting the obstacles and challenges presented over the operation path or testing organizations as the evolve with solution alternatives from the industry and academia. Through the study and analysis of a multinational company of the automotive industry, it was possible to build a framework of study among regions analyzing the test and development operation of engineering organizations at four levels of growth and responsibility. By combining experience and knowledge from leaders and heroes from these regions, with the knowledge and insights from academia and literature; this study is intended to serve as a guide for a testing organization facing the challenge of growing and acquiring greater responsibility. Today's global scenario demand excellence in execution, reducing time and resources in the development of products, being test and development the most resource consuming activities within a generic product development process but at the same time critical and unavoidable. Through a systems engineering approach, the main challenges and improvement opportunities for the development and validation entities at the Ford of Mexico Product Development Organization are documented, with the purpose of creating awareness and proposing the elements fixing a path that would ensure the success for the company as a whole. This path sets the steps for further work in the deployment of a well defined and lean testing system. / by Jose Antonio Almazan Lopez. / S.M.