The relationship between technology management and product development boundaries in small and medium-sized enterprises

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are in a prime position to develop new products due to their close relationships with customers, suppliers and competitors. The new product development (NPD) process is interdisciplinary in nature, typically covering early concept design, detailed engineering and high-volume manufacture. This paper examines how technology management in SMEs can overcome the boundaries inherent across these product development disciplines, and thereby refine and accelerate the whole process. The National Centre for Product Design & Development Research (PDR) have employed government-backed Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) to establish two-year collaborative projects with SMEs who are undertaking NPD activities, and this research study employs a case-study methodology based on 15 KTPs that have been successfully completed over the last eight years. The case studies represent a diverse range of SMEs operating across numerous sectors, implementing an equally diverse range of technology. Analysis of these case studies assesses the impact of the product development activities and maps out the interactions between the technology and the management systems for each company. The results highlight the key technology management drivers, which in turn are related to overcoming the main barriers to NPD. Recommendations are made for enhancing technology management for NPD activities within SMEs.