Towards the integration of concurrent engineering environments within organisational strategy

Abstract

In an increasingly uncertain marketplace manufacturing organisations are striving to find new ways to meet customer requirements for competitively priced, customised products, delivered in shorter lead times. It is argued that to meet these demands there is a need to integrate the design, development and production functions within a concurrent engineering (CE) environment. The literature reports many cases of failed CE projects. One of the main reasons for this failure is believed to be a lack of formal methodologies to assist organisations with the processes required to move from sequential to concurrent product development phases. This paper describes the Cougar methodology which has been developed specifically to address this issue. The paper initially outlines briefly the progression of ideas within organisational theory from classical to contemporary strategy. It then considers the development and application of the Cougar methodology. Finally, a case study is described detailing the success of the concept within a leading UK engineering company with observations and proposals for further organisational analysis.