Rapid Prototyping
for Competitive Advantage:
Technologies,
Applications and Implementation
for Market Success
Paul T. Kidd
1997, ISBN 1-901864-00-6
Chapter 3 - Purpose and
Summary
- The purpose of this chapter
is to help readers to understand the wide range of strategic
issues that should be considered when addressing the application
of rapid prototyping technologies.
- In addition the chapter
aims to show how these technologies can enable new strategies,
identifies the business objectives that can be affected by the
use of rapid prototyping, and discusses the strategic imperative
for organisational changes to accompany the implementation.
- A key point stressed in
this chapter is the interrelationship between strategy and technology.
It is not enough to select rapid prototyping technologies based
on strategy. Strategies must also be formulated taking into account
the new things that these technologies can enable. Failure to
recognise this point and act on it is likely to lead to missed
opportunities.
- The strategic issues addressed
are: the strategic nature of the technologies; the technologies
as enablers of new strategies; the impact of rapid prototyping
on the achievement of business objectives; exploiting strategic
benefits in the marketplace; strategic aspects of organisational
and culture changes; and development of change competencies.
|