Project-to-project learning in global new product development.

This thesis deals with project-to-project learning in global new product development (NPD). Based on a Systematic Literature Review on knowledge management and NPD management, it shows that limited empirical research exists to explain the factors that influence project-to-project learning and that limited guidance is provided to NPD practitioners wanting to implement knowledge management initiatives in global NPD. An in-depth case study is presented of three global NPD project teams in a large multinational organization active in the design and manufacture of complex systems for the automotive sector. Three research questions and five research propositions are built to guide empirical research on project-to-project learning. Case study methodology using data from observations, surveys, interviews and reviews of documents are used to uncover the project-to-project learning behaviour of global NDP teams. A three-step approach to data analysis is used to review the case study with the help of knowledge flow mapping, thematic coding and survey data analysis. The research shows that radical, global NPD project teams need high volumes of both internal and external knowledge to be successful and that an intrinsic bias exists at different seniority levels, impacting on knowledge management. The research also shows that both social and structured knowledge management initiatives are effective and are used for project-to-project learning in global NPD. Finally, the implications of research findings for NPD practitioners and researchers are discussed.