Collaborative Product Development in PCB Industry

Collaborative product development has become a critical issue for companies to strengthen their core competence and remain competitive in the global market due to the rapid change of global economics. However, most companies have a lack of experience in conducting collaborative design and implementing IT environment that facilitates it. To overcome these deficiencies, this research studies collaborative new product development (CNPD) in the PCB industry based on a case study of one major manufacturer in that sector worldwide. The current practices of the NPD, ODM, and OEM processes for IC substrate design are described. The implications of CNPD for the company are analyzed systematically from three levels: business model, operation process, and information technology. Each level is elaborated from four aspects: Early Readiness, Early Involvement, Multi-side Collaboration, and Design In. Finally, four success factors (C4): Commitment, Coordination, Control, and Creation, are identified for the introduction of CNPD.