Handbook of Management Scales/Cross-functional product design

Description
The authors identify improvement and innovation as two critical plant level capabilities. These capabilities are each conceptualized as a second-order factor and measured through a distinct bundle of routines. The following routines underlying improvement capabilities are identified: continuous improvement, process management, and leadership involvement in quality. The routines closely related to improvement capability are: search for new technologies, cross-functional product design, and processes and equipment development. The items to measure each routine were selected based on a review of the relevant literature. Items were included that have been used in prior studies. A panel of five academic researchers and managers with expertise in manufacturing operations reviewed each of the items.

Definition
Cross-functional product development is a widely used method for involving different functional areas in new product/process development.

Items

 * Direct labor employees are involved to a great extent before introducing new products or making product changes.
 * Manufacturing engineers are involved to a great extent before the introduction of new products.
 * There is little involvement of manufacturing and quality people in the early design or products, before they reach the plant. (reverse-coded)
 * We work in teams, with members from a variety of areas (marketing, manufacturing, etc.) to introduce new products.
 * We have reduced the time to introduce products by designing product and process together.

Source

 * Peng et al. (2008): Linking routines to operations capabilities: A new perspective. Journal of Operations Management, Vol. 26, No. 6, pp. 730-748. Based on: Sakakibara et al. (1997).

Related Scales

 * Interfunctional design process