The Generating Mechanism Of Effects Of Product Architecture In R&D

Product architecture is an important output of product innovation,it plays a very important role in product R&D.At present,there are many literatures which study abundant effects of product architecture in product R&D.But the generating mechanism of effects of product architecture has not been studied systematically.The basic theory to analyze and explain the generating mechanism of effects of product architecture is lacking.So it’s difficult to grasp the direction of the product architecture,which affects the role of product architecture in product R&D.The research object of this paper was the generating mechanism of effects of product architecture in product R&D.The paper analyzed relevant literatures about the effectiveness of R&D and the role of product architecture.With the summary and introduction of effects of product architecture in product R&D,the paper analyzed systematically the generating mechanism of effects of product architecture and clarified the path of product architecture in product R&D.The paper used the method of case study and verified the generating mechanism of effects of product architecture in product R&D.The paper formed a systematic analysis framework,which provides an effective solution for enterprises to make strategic decisions.Based on the literature review,this paper summarized the effects of product architecture in product R&D.Referring to the method of content analysis,this paper made a summary of three key elements of the generating mechanism of effects of product architecture,which included the directional risk of product architecture,learning cost,the difficulty of coordination.Thus,this paper introduced six variables,that is experts’ experience,the demand of customer,interactive memory,agile R&D,coupling and reusing.Then,the conceptual model of the generating mechanism of effects of product architecture in R&D was built,with relevant theoretical hypothesis.Based on the theories of resource,organizational learning and coordination,the paper used the method of case study and content analysis to analyze interviewing data and documental materials.Then the paper used primary encoding and secondary encoding to confirm previous theoretical propositions.This paper makes conclusions as followings:1)The directional risk of product architecture,learning cost and the difficulty of coordination can influence the risk and cycles in R&D by product architecture.According to the proportion,it’s followed by the directional risk of product architecture,learning cost and the difficulty of coordination.2)In addition to the directional risk of product architecture,learning cost and the difficulty of coordination,experts’ experience,the demand of customer,interactive memory,agile R&D,coupling and reusing are also very important.The role of the directional risk of product architecture can enhance when there is experts’experience and the demand of customer.The role of the learning cost can enhance when there is interactive memory and agile R&D.The role of the difficulty of coordination can enhance when there is coupling and reusing.Considering the real context of enterprise and the consequence of case study,this paper proposes suggestions about improving the effects of product architecture in product R&D in the view of product architecture,the generating mechanism of effects of product architecture and the organizational management,which provides decision-making reference for product management in R&D and organization management in the enterprise.