Enhancing technology evaluation capabilities and global competitive edge for promoting the product and service development in the new field

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24530460
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Business administration
• Research Institution: Tokai University
• Principal Investigator: KAMEOKA Kyoko 東海大学, 政治経済学部, 准教授 (80589614)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): FUKUSHIMA Michi 東北大学, 大学院経済学研究科, 教授 (70292191)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ユーザーイノベーション / グローバルニッチ / プロフェッショナルユーザー / 国際競争力 / 北欧企業 / 現場主義 / 製品開発 / 医療機器・生活支援機器

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Users' feedbacks are critical to R&D of the advanced technology-embedded medical/nursing devices instead of manufacturer-driven development. Then, how do firms evaluate the technology and enhance their global competitiveness?
We interviewed Nordic mid-sized medical device company which has recorded top sales globally in the niche market for the blood gas measuring devices at the use of acute care in hospitals.
As a result, the company observes users' activities at working places in hospitals to create ideas for new prouct development, incorporating into new technologies. They also continue to conduct "KAIZEN" activities during the new product development process. Another key finding is that the company's engineers, sales-persones and marketers collaborate with each other to collect the needs at "Gemba" (working sites), that is to say "proficiency improvement", elaborating the technologies even after product launch.

Free Research Field

経営戦略、技術経営