Does the Parallel Approach Make Sense in the Development of Discontinuous Innovations?

Abstract

While the success of parallel new product development programs such as concurrent engineering is well documented, tlieir~focus on low cost and speed to inarket has rizeant that the bulk of what we k n o w ubout this approach relates to their effectiveness in the development of products which ~ O C L L S on iricrenierital product improvements. Little is known about their utility in projects which involve more “discontin~~ous ’’ innovation. This paper outlines several potential weaknesses of concurrent engineering practices when applied to more discontinuous innovations, and highlights a number of propositions which map out jiiture research questions in the area.