Research On Supplier Involvement In New Product Development From Bicycle Company T

With the bicycle market being globalized,and bicycle supply chain being globalized,the competition between all brands is becoming fiercer.To be more competitive in this global market,all of the brands are focusing on the key areas,such as new materials,reducing the development lead time,saving the cost,etc.As the key rolein the whole supply chain,suppliers are being considered playing the important role to help the brand achieve the success in all these key areas by the involvement in the early stage of new product development,especially reduction on the lead time of new production development,managing the risk during the development and improving the quality for the production.As a major part of Concurrent Engineering,Supplier Involvement in New Product Development has been proven the importance in automobile industry.SINPD in bicycle industry is also imperative.The earlier we can get suppliers involved in the new product development,the more benefit we will get on the risk management,feasibility assessment,lead-time reduction,and cost reduction.However,in fact,due to the different conditions of industries,supply chains strategies and supplier capabilities,the implementation of the SINPD did not lead to an expected success.Integrated domestic and foreign research achievements,and based on the theories of Strategic Supplier,Project Management and Concurrent Engineering,this paper analyzes the current state of new product development at Company T and compare with the previous new product development mode,it proves thenecessity and advantages of SINPD which considered as one of the concurrent development modes.With the practices of the supplier involvement in NPD at Bicycle Company T,this paper studiesthe problems existed in the current SINPDand finds out the root causes of these problems.By adopting the concept of Concurrent Engineering into new product development at suppliers and optimizing Project Management,this paper provides Company T with a solution to solve the SINPD problems.And this solution is proved by a case practice with improved results.