International benchmarking of integrated product development practices in the auto industry supply chain: A multigroup invariance analysis.

摘要

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between integrated product development (IPD) practices and product development performance in two groups of companies in the auto industry supply chain, i.e., auto manufacturers and auto parts suppliers, in two major auto producing countries, i.e., the U.S. and Germany. An extensive literature review finds six IPD practices and eleven performance variables. To develop a survey instrument, this literature review was followed by in depth interviews with practitioners and academicians and then pre testing with 8 product development professionals to gain brevity as well as to establish face and content validity. A pilot study was later conducted with 33 U.S. respondents to achieve several objectives purification, reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, as well predicative validity. Survey items were deleted, modified, and added as necessary.; A large-scale survey was then conducted in the U.S. and Germany. Using both mail and web responses, a total of 267 usable U.S. responses and 139 usable German response was received. The survey instrument later underwent a rigorous mutigroup invariance analysis using Linear Structural Relationship (LISREL) to develop measuring items that have equivalent true scores across groups to reduce type I and type II errors. After the invariant instrument was developed, the instrument was then tested for reliability as well as discriminant, convergent, and predictive validity.; A series of stepwise regression analyses later finds that each IPD practice affects a certain set of performance variables. Two-way factorial analyses of variance (ANOVA) uncovers the differences between the U.S. and Germany as well as between auto manufacturers and auto suppliers in IPD practices and performance. The differences in performance can be explained by the difference in IPD practices. Moreover, the results suggest that the industry has not been successful in integrating product development across the supply chain, i.e., from auto manufacturers to auto suppliers.; Recommendations for further study include exploring the structural relationship among possible variables, conducting a longitudinal study, studying antecedents of IPD, studying Tier 2 auto suppliers better, and validating the invariant instrument through studying companies in different industries and different countries.