Thorsten Blecker

Publications (40) View all

• Chapter: NPD-SCM Alignment in Mass Customization

  Nizar Abdelkafi, Margherita Pero, Thorsten Blecker, Andrea Sianesi
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  ABSTRACT: This chapter aims to develop a new product development supply chain management alignment framework for mass customization. A case study conducted in industry motivates this framework. Variety, modularity, and innovativeness are the product features that should be taken into account when studying alignment in a mass customization setting. From the supply chain viewpoint, configuration, collaboration, and coordination complexities are the variables that matter. We formulate ten propositions explaining the relationships between the variables of the framework. It must be noted that innovativeness, a variable that has so far been neglected with respect to the alignment question, plays a critical role in supply chain management decisions.
  12/2010: pages 69-85;
• Article: A framework for the alignment of new product development and supply chains

  Margherita Pero, Nizar Abdelkafi, Andrea Sianesi, Thorsten Blecker
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  ABSTRACT: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework that explains how new product development and supply chain variables are related to one another and how they affect performance. Design/methodology/approach – The insights from literature and an exploratory case study are combined to develop an alignment framework, which is then tested using a multiple case study design. Findings – Variety, modularity, and innovativeness are the product features that are taken into account when studying alignment. From the supply chain viewpoint, configuration, collaboration, and coordination complexities are the variables that matter. Innovativeness is found to have a stronger effect than variety on supply chain complexity. In addition, there is evidence that matching product features with supply chains improves performance. Originality/value – The paper provides empirical support to the relationships among the variables within the alignment framework. There is evidence that product innovativeness, a variable so far neglected in the alignment literature, can have a critical impact on the supply chain. Furthermore, supply chain complexity must be adequately adapted, depending on the product features.
  Supply Chain Management 03/2010; 15(2):115-128. · 1.53 Impact Factor
• Conference Proceeding: Realizing Process Modifications in Container Terminals with SOA - A Prototype.

  Thomas Will, Thorsten Blecker
  Service-Oriented Computing - ICSOC 2010 International Workshops, PAASC, WESOA, SEE, and SOC-LOG, San Francisco, CA, USA, December 7-10, 2010, Revised Selected Papers; 01/2010
• Article: From open source in the digital to the physical world: a smooth transfer?

  Nizar Abdelkafi, Thorsten Blecker, Christina Raasch
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  ABSTRACT: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the transferability of the open source principles of product development from the realm of software to the realm of physical products. Design/methodology/approach – Based on the inherent differences between software and physical products, a theoretical discussion of the challenges that face the implementation of open source principles in the physical world are provided. A multiple case study methodology is adopted to provide insights into the applicability of the open source concept in product development outside software. Findings – Many of the challenges identified theoretically are actually encountered in practice. To cope with these challenges effectively, hardware design activities can be translated into software development tasks, using programmable hardware. When dealing with open source projects in the physical realm, it is useful to distinguish between projects driven by commercial firms and those driven by individuals, as each project type can impose different conditions on successful implementation. Originality/value – Although much scholarly attention has been devoted to open source software, the issue of transferability of the identified principles to other industries has undergone little in-depth research. This paper provides a solid foundation for further investigation of this topic based on theory and empirical case examples. It derives recommendations for industrial experts wishing to benefit from the open source model in new product development.
  Management Decision 11/2009; 47(10):1610-1632. · 1.30 Impact Factor
• Conference Proceeding: Aligning New Product Development and Supply Chains: Development of a Theoretical Framework and Analysis of Case Studies.

  Nizar Abdelkafi, Thorsten Blecker, Margherita Pero
  01/2009