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Innovation models and the front-end of product innovation

Thesis (MScEng (Industrial Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / This thesis explores the innovation survival issue. As role players in an increasingly
global marketplace, businesses acknowledge that regular and constant innovation is
the key to remaining competitive. In other words, in order to be successful, businesses
are compelled to operate and produce products that will satisfy the changing market
requirements and exploit new technology opportunities. The study also investigates
the difficulties and risks associated with innovation activities.
Secondly, with the goal of addressing the identified problems and risks, a study is
made of formal innovation models. The different innovation models are then
compared with each other and plotted on a general Innovation Landscape. The
populated Innovation Landscape thus serves as a positioning guide to innovators, so
that they can select the best-suited innovation model for a specific industry and
project.
A case study is then undertaken to test the level of applicability and the possible
support that formal innovation models can offer to a real industrial problem. The case
study focuses on the front-end of innovation and the formal innovation model studied
was the W-Model. The W-Model is also critically evaluated, based on the results of
the case study, in order to propose improvements so that it can better support future
industry innovation applications.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/1703
Date12 1900
CreatorsVan Zyl, Hillet
ContributorsDu Preez, N. D., Schutte, C. S. L., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering.
PublisherStellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
RightsUniversity of Stellenbosch

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