Cover -- How purchasing became a strategic function: from purchasing to external resources management -- Supply resource management: Salomon and his network of subcontractors in Romania -- How purchasing managers can benefit from new opportunities -- Geopolitics: a new field of expertise for...

Purpose – This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and...

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Findings from a study of Chinese enterprises. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who...

Until recently, few companies accepted that product development could be a managed and structured process. As a result, most development processes have evolved as a mix of black art and esoteric ritual, rather than having been consciously designed. However, with the crucial business significance...

New product development (NPD) remains a vital aspect of marketing for manufacturers of branded goods. Yet it remains an area of great debate and discussion not least about the best strategies and processes for delivering NPD success. Nwabueze and Law consider the NPD strategies of two large...

Next time you receive a birthday‐card that really catches your eye, it might have been thought up by the Hallmark Idea Exchange. This is not a team made up of the best and brightest card designers at Hallmark Cards Inc., but instead comprises about 200 volunteer consumers.

The idea that investors are only interested in short‐term results carries more than a grain of truth. It does, however, begin to look a little bit shaky when the fortunes of DuPont are examined. The US chemical company’s shares are underachievers compared to those of 3M. And it is 3M which...

New product development, particularly the search for real blockbusters, is of crucial importance for any organization. But when a product quickly becomes a smash hit, the next best‐seller must be found – and then the pressure really starts. Creating a totally new market can reap financial...

Japanese sourcing strategies have long been viewed as the benchmark for the automotive industry. However, despite attempts to translate Japanese ideas into globally applicable principles, a large body of literature casts doubt on the transferability of industrial practices beyond their country...