The mobile communication market in Taiwan is blooming developing, and the number of mobilephone users is growing up. Nowadays, over 90% of having-a-mobilephone users in Taiwan, even this number are tending toward saturation at present. Therefore, the telecommunication providers expect mobile value-added service can increase the revenue by taking advantage of 3G high-speed transfer rate. But lacking of the ¡§Killer App¡¨, this service doesn¡¦t attract people to use. The ARPU (average revenue per user) doesn¡¦t improve much as we anticipated. The purposes of this study are to realize present situation of mobile value-added service¡¦s development and to develop acceptable content that can be implemented. The study collected literatures and documents to analyze progress of mobile communication system¡¦s development and present situation of mobile value-added service¡¦s development, furthermore, make the development strategy of mobile value-added service according to the new product development procedure, then test user acceptance by TAM. The study proposes ¡§User-generated Content¡¨ as the new mobile value-added service. This service has 6 characters: ¡§highly personalized¡¨, ¡§timely¡¨, ¡§ease of use¡¨, ¡§rich information¡¨, ¡§highly integrated¡¨, ¡§cross platform¡¨. The result of TAM questionnaire proves that ¡§perceived usefulness¡¨ is positive influenced by ¡§timely¡¨, ¡§mobility¡¨, ¡§personalization¡¨, ¡§perceived ease of use¡¨, and ¡§attitude toward using¡¨ is positive influenced by ¡§perceived usefulness¡¨, ¡§perceived ease of use¡¨, ¡§relatives and friends¡¦ influence¡¨, ¡§price¡¨.

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The Software Life Cycle (SLC) often comprises a complex sequence of processes, each with many subparts where various execution decisions throughout the pipeline can greatly affect the success or failure of a given project. Some of the most important decisions involve the allocation of scarce resources throughout the SLC, which are often based on estimations about future market demand and various extraneous factors of high stochasticity. Despite numerous efforts in standardization, many projects are still highly dependent on the subjective aptitude of individual managers, who may in turn rely on ad hoc techniques rather than standardized and repeatable ones. The results can be unpredictability and undue reliance on specific individuals. This paper considers imposing a mathematical framework on two of the key aspects of SLC: Deciding how to dynamically allocate available resources throughout the development pipeline, and when to stop further work on a given task in light of the associated Return On Investment (ROI) metrics. In so doing, the software development process is modeled as a problem in New Product Development (NPD) Management, which can be approached using control theory and stochastic combinatorial optimization techniques. The paper begins by summarizing some of the previous developments in these fields, and proposes some future research directions for solving complex resource allocation problems under stochastic settings. The outcome is a formal framework that when combined with competent Configuration Management techniques, can rapidly achieve near-optimal solutions at each stage of the SLC in a standardized manner. / text

This thesis examines the state of reporting Lessons Learned in a Swedish company that operates globally and explores the areas of potential improvements through better classification and reporting of Lessons Learned from previous projects. Particularly, it explores which the most effective ways to capture and document Lessons Learned are as well as how a System that supports efficient storage, sharing and retrieval of Lessons Learned can be specified. The research is a case study in a Swedish company and is a mixed-model research as it uses both quantitative and qualitative data from primary sources. Indeed, the data collection was done via interviews, questionnaires, a focus group and the study of the company’s documents. The findings revealed some issues in the Lessons Learned methods used in the company, especially in documentation. Additionally, the need for a Lessons Learned System to manage the knowledge and experience from projects was also identified. The thesis concludes with explicit answers to the research questions and more specific with the suggestion of certain guidelines for the employees, a new template for reporting Lessons Learned and the specifications of a Lessons Learned System that can support efficient storage, sharing and retrieval of Lessons Learned.

This thesis deals with two aspects of knowledge needed for new product development; theaccess to external knowledge through outsourcing of NPD and the integration of knowledgedeveloped when outsourcing activities in the NPD process. As modern products competing onincreasingly international markets call for both complex and specialized knowledge, it isbecoming more important to take an outward perspective of knowledge, searching for externalknowledge sources, in order to be competitive. But it is also important for the firm to take aninward perspective on integration of the knowledge achieved from external sources in order tosecure the knowledge gained. Outsourcing of New Product Development (NPD) refers to the outsourcing of activities fordeveloping new products (goods and/or service), where all or the innovative part of the NPDprocess is purchased externally according to a contract from organizational units separatefrom the outsourcing firm. This means that the service to develop a whole or a part of a newproduct is outsourced. This definition implies that (A) the outsourced activity shall be aninnovative (strongly contributing to the newness) part of the NPD process, (B) the outsourcedactivity was previously conducted internally, and (C) the activity shall be purchased andregulated in a contractual agreement between the organizations. Knowledge integration refers to the process of acquiring, sharing, and making use ofknowledge by combining it with previous knowledge in order to create new value. Becauseknowledge possessed in collaborating firms is often complementary, it is important tocombine it with previous knowledge in the firm. Therefore knowledge integration is chosenthroughout the thesis as the term for the overall process. Based on transaction costs theory, resource based and knowledge based perspectives twomajor issues are investigated. First, the identification of which factors are the most importantfor firms when making the decision to outsource activities in the NPD process. Second, theestablishment of the importance for knowledge integration of external knowledge in the firm,and to find what role level of involvement among staff plays for efficiently achievingknowledge integration. The thesis is a compilation thesis (with six appended papers) based on findings from threequantitative studies and a longitudinal case study (presented in two of the appended papers).Using cases from and samples of medium-sized manufacturing firms with in-house NPD itwas found that, while cost has been traditionally considered the most important factor foroutsourcing in general, search for external knowledge is found to have a greater importancewhen intangible processes as NPD is object for outsourcing. It is also found that thematicknowledge is the most important type of knowledge to efficiently integrate to achieve highinnovation performance and that a higher degree of processes and culture supportinginvolvement, increase knowledge integration when outsourcing activities in the NPD process.

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Nowadays, industries are characterised by their speed and changeability. Many institutions from the industrial environment, such as the technological development, appear to vary over industries. Industries are generally characterised by their instability. In addition, it is a common trend for MNCs to start the development of products in multiple countries. This in turn seems to bring many problems with it along, such as the lack of communication between departments and the difficulties of sharing knowledge. The recognition of implications for New Product Development (NPD) best practices in a sophisticated industry and complex international environment therefore led us to the overarching research question: “How can MNCs from different industries best manage their corporate portfolio of New Product Developments (NPDs) on an international level?” The following three considerations are used to help us answer the main issue: (1) how NPD best practices can create a competitive advantage for MNCs, (2) how industrial institutions can influence the NPD best practices, and (3) how international institutions can influence the NPD best practices. The purpose of this thesis is therefore to comprise the academic research of NPD best practices for MNCs with both the industrial and international institutions that influence NPD best practices of MNCs. This research has been conducted through a qualitative research; six industrial cases from five MNCs have therefore been used to answer these questions. Empirical data was gathered through five face-to-face interviews and one phone interview. The theoretical framework therefore includes the NPD best practices, and the main institutions within both the industrial and international environment. These three areas have been synthesised from the earlier on mentioned three themes, which have been used as a basis throughout the empirical findings. Within the analysis, the theoretical framework and empirical findings have been systematically combined to find answers regarding our three sub questions. Concluding, it seems that strategy, processes, resources and capabilities, and portfolio management are commonly used practices, whereas these seem to be influenced by both industrial and international institutions.

Purpose        The overall purpose is to describe how manufacturing companies involve customers in order to develop new innovations that meet customers’ needs, and furthermore illustrate how the customer involvement process can be managed. By investigating companies in similar industries where the degree of technology and pace of innovation is high, we clarify how, when and with who companies can engage activities for customer involvement.  Method In this qualitative study, we use a deductive approach, where individual interviews were conducted in two case companies.  Theoretical framework In the theoretical framework we introduce the DART-model, in which building blocks of the interaction between companies and customers are treated. Connected to this, we discuss problems regarding transferring customer needs and receiving customer input. Furthermore we highlight conflicting methods of customer involvement, different types of customers to involve and different stages in which the interaction should take place.  Empirical study Empirical data were collected through personal interviews with six business managers at the headquarters of Electrolux and Volvo Cars.  Conclusion  In contrary to the overwhelming literary hype of open innovation where companies are suggested to actively co-create value together with the customers, our findings indicate that companies learn proactively from passive customers in the early stages of the NPD-process to acquire unarticulated needs in order to create customer value. These are conscious decisions to avoid opening up the companies to the customers in terms of transparency and access. This subsequently accompanies the further process for how, when and who to involve, as the process goes from proactive towards stepwise more traditional reactive methods of customer involvement for product innovation

Background: Today’s market is constantly going through changes. Customers havenew tendencies and preferences towards the products they buy. It is a customer centeredbusiness culture and companies must follow it if they want to stay in the market.Therefore communication is more personalized and tries to exchange as muchinformation with customer as possible. This enhances customer relationship anddevelops more customized products. The development of customer intimacy is requiredin order to have a broader understanding on customer needs. In that way firms are moreable to meet customer preferences with the products they provide.Purpose: The aim of this study is to describe sales strategies of additional products toexisting customers in the B2B Swedish market. Further this study will identifycommunication tools when contacting customers.Research Questions:RQ1: What sales strategies can Electrolux Laundry Systems implement for additionalproducts?RQ2: How can Electrolux Laundry Systems use communication when offering newproducts?RQ3: How could communication affect the customers?RQ4: How could managers and employees perceive the sales perspectives of ElectroluxLaundry Systems?Method: The chosen method was in depth interviews. In these interviews theresearchers asked open-ended questions via face to face and via telephone and recordedthe respondents answers. The observations were carried through interviews with ninecustomers of Electrolux Laundry Systems. Scandic Hotel Värnamo, VärnamoMunicipality, Ekdahls Länghem, Ljungbybostäder, Ljungby Hospital, ElderlyHomecare Ljungby, Tekniska Förvaltningen and Ljungby Municipality.Results: The research demonstrated that the company analyzed uses customer focussales strategies and direct marketing communications as the main tools to maintain andnurture a strong relationship with customers. Also important factors have beenhighlighted that explain the essence of the study, such as the use of communication andsales efforts to establish close relationships to later on cross-sell additional products in amore suitable way according to customer’s explicit needs.

The combined environmental effects of technological change, increasing competition, new legislation and increasingly demanding consumers have created pressure within the financial services industry for change. One outcome has been a proliferation of new products in the marketplace. This research explores new product development within one subset of this industry -- building societies. By combining the new product development, service marketing and financial services literature, a foundation has been developed for an empirical study into the development practices and the characteristics of successful and unsuccessful new products. The determinants of success and failure for new product development have been examined utilizing a comparative methodology, and subsequently a discriminant model has been developed that successfully classifies successful and unsuccessful new products. By determining how new products are actually developed, the findings support previous claims that intangibility, inseparability, heterogeneity and perishability do have an effect on the development process. Further, the level of sophistication of the development activities is lower than in previously reported research. Notable variations from the development process for tangible new products are the inclusion of system design, system testing and personnel training stages. The majority of societies have been found to lack strategic integration of the development process, to apply different measures of success and to prefer qualitative market research techniques over quantitative approaches. As well, considerable variation exists in the organizational approaches used to manage the process, although organizational related variables were found to have a strong impact upon the predictability of a successful outcome for a new product.