Study on the Management of Product Development－A Case Study on Computer and Peripheral High Technology Industry in Hsinchu Science-Based Industrial Park

Abstract

The research is focus on the computer and peripheral industry in Hsinchu Science-Based Industrial Park. By reviewing academic literature on product development, we identify 22 fundamental management principles of new product development. These factors form the basis for a survey of new product development practitioners. By obtaining responses from product management professionals, the survey explores those factors that hold significant differences between "perceived importance" and "practical implementation" of the management principles of product development. With the help of questionnaires and in- depth interviews that look into these factors, its ultimate aim is to explore the management practice of high technology product development of the computer and peripheral industry in Hsinchu Science-Based Industrial Park. This will assist other companies in setting the goals to improve the development process and control mechanism of product development. The conclusions of this study are: In general, the intensity of the "perceived importance" of each factors are higher than that of "practical execution", revealing that those areas leave room to be improved. We use the t-test to analyze the two intensities and find that only 6 factors don't appear significant differences, they are: (1) Product development according to the competency of company, (2) establish a program manager to coordinate activities during product development cycle, (3) Ensure that development team members working at the same location, (4) Hold regular review meeting to monitor the progress of the project, (5) Senior management support and assurance, (6) Setup modification control process(i.e. specification change, design change...etc.). The other factors which appear to have significant differences, are verified and examined by a real world practice in one case study.