Decision support system for selecting collaborative product development partners

Collaboration is becoming a new current paradigm for product manufacturing, as computer networks facilitate collaboration with partners located in widely distributed locations. Computer network technologies allow a large number of candidate partners to be examined for possible collaboration, so that the most suitable partner, or partners, can be selected from a broader, more diverse group than previously possible. In order to take best advantage of the collaboration paradigm, the precise method for selecting collaborative product development partners is an important technological point. Failed multicompany collaboration projects can do serious harm to the member companies on a number of fronts, in terms of financial cost, loss of prestige, loss of market share, and so on. The optimal collaboration partners should be selected from a group of candidates, so that production of new products can be achieved at a minimum cost, both financial and in terms of effort and expended resources. This paper proposes a decision supporting method for selecting an optimum collaborative product development partner from a group of potential partners. First, the effectiveness of collaborative product development and the need for a partner selection method is clarified. Next, a method for selecting the most suitable product development partner is constructed. Here, technologies that are required for developing the new product are classified into two groups: (1) technologies that have already been developed, and (2) technologies that must be newly developed. The proposed method first excludes unsuitable candidate partners, based on their achievement level concerning existing required technologies, and then selects the most suitable partner from the standpoint of technologies that must be newly developed. Finally, a case study is given to demonstrate the utility of the proposed method.