The application of necessary but not sufficient principles to the implementation of product lifecycle management software

[摘要] Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is defined as the business activity of managing acompany's products across the product lifecycle.Product Data Management (PDM) systems are the primary system component of PLM. Thefocus of this research is on the implementation of PDM software within the context of PLM.Fifty percent of all PLM projects fail. Failure implies no bottom-line benefit is achieved with theimplementation. The main reason for failure is not the technology but the implementationapproach used.The research question addressed by this thesis is: How can it be ensured that bottom-linebenefit is achieved with the implementation of PLM technology?The Necessary but not Sufficient (N&S) solution is based on Theory of Constraints principlesand was developed to help achieve significant bottom-line benefit with the implementation ofnew technology. This is accomplished through focusing on the removal of limitations(something that prevents the company from better achievement of its goal of increasing profit)as well as addressing the necessary organisational changes (the N&S solution refers to thechanging of customs, habits, policies, procedures, metrics and behaviour).This research applies the N&S solution to the PLM software environment in order to addressthe research question.The outcome of the project is an implementation methodology that will ensure bottom-linebenefit will be achieved with the implementation of PLM software.This implementation methodology was applied to a practical case study from an analysis pointof view and was validated with cause and effect logic.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University