The front end as a process: the case of a multinational Brazilian firm

Gama, Fábio; Amboni, Nério; Alperstedt, Graziela Dias; Moraes, Mário César Barreto

doi:10.1590/0104-530X1134-15

Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Brasil

Español English

sumário « anterior atual seguinte »

Sumário

Articles • Gest. Prod. 23 (03) • Jul-Sep 2016 • https://doi.org/10.1590/0104-530X1134-15 copy

The front end as a process: the case of a multinational Brazilian firm

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

This article examines the context of the front-end process in a multinational Brazilian firm that manufactures electric motors. By adopting an in-depth case study method, this article evaluates the front end as a strategic and tactical process within the Brazilian firm studied. The competitive arena, consisting mainly of Asian competitors, encouraged the Brazilian firm to review the stages of the front-end process and include new activities, such as (i) involving abstractive practices in the first stages; (ii) developing cross-functional capabilities in the research and development department; (iii) adopting tear-down activities of competitors’ products concerning all business segments; and (iv) defining a priori the boundary conditions of financial constraints.

Keywords:
Front end; Capturing of new opportunities; New product development; Innovation management

Category	Tasks realized	Opportunities for improvement
1a – I/C Refinement	• Closed meetings, in workshops and restricted to the emergent themes including in particular the sales and marketing team.	• Meetings dedicated to stimulating the creative process looking at the long term and breaking product paradigms. • In-person workshops, with the participation of external stakeholders; such as clients and suppliers, as well as other interested departments; • Implementation of an information system that allows capturing and rewarding ideas coming from different social groups, such as: government, universities, regulators and the community;
1b – I/C Selection	• Use of four holistic criteria (market urgency, financial return, leadership of product, and ease of implementation), which use qualitative and quantitative reasons to rank the opportunities.	• The grades for the criteria should be given not only by the Marketing department, but by the responsible departments and then debated and refined until the more convincing opinions and evidence are established.
2a – I/C Internal alignment	• Analysis if the current resources (human and structural) have the capacity to develop the opportunities captured.	• Development of the multifunctional and voluntary abilities that allow the research and development groups to develop projects of different natures;
2b – I/C External alignment	• Technological evaluation and cost of competitors, conducted mostly subjectively.	• Analytical evaluation of costs conducted with specific criteria to evaluate particularly to determine if competitors have achieved the technological limit of the respective product or if there is room for new improvements using tear-down practices.
3 – I/C Legitimization	• Presentation of the portfolio of projects realized by the directors to the vice presidents.	• Macro guidelines conceived before beginning the process of capturing new opportunities by the vice presidents, indicating which battles should be given priority to reduce efforts and unnecessary evaluations. • Inclusion of at least one member from each region on the legitimizing committee capable of identifying remaining gaps and facilitating the dissemination of the decision-making process. • Annual review of the process.

Universidade Federal de São Carlos Departamento de Engenharia de Produção , Caixa Postal 676 , 13.565-905 São Carlos SP Brazil, Tel.: +55 16 3351 8471 - São Carlos - SP - Brazil
E-mail: gp@dep.ufscar.br

Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[1] Source: Authors (2013).