A conceptual framework for front-end process implementation for SMEs

• Main Authors: Abu, Noor Hidayah, Md Deros, Baba, Abd Wahab, Dzuraidah
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/4136/1/NoR.pdf; http://repo.uum.edu.my/4136/; http://cob.uum.edu.my/ictom

Most new product introduction process do not fail at the end, they fail at the beginning. The key to product development success lies in the performance of front-end phase of new product development (NPD) process. In competitive market place shortened product lifecycle, rapidly emerging technology and increasing customer expectation have forced large organizations and SMEs to be proficient in implementing front-end process to survive and growth. Large organizations and SMEs are different in terms of size and characteristics. In order to ensure success SMEs need to fundamentally understand the implementation of NPD process within SMEs context, rather than fitting large organizational practice. The first part of this paper focuses on front-end process background. Later it followed by discussion on differences in characteristics between large organizations and SMEs with respect to front-end implementation. The proposed conceptual framework is believed to be applicable and suitable for SMEs. SMEs are chosen because they played a major role in the development of Malaysian economy. In other words by improving SMEs business process the resultant effect on the overall Malaysian economy will be very significant.