Knowledge based development practices in systems engineering companies: A comparative study

Many companies have introduced Lean practices in product development and innovation processes to gain competitive advantage. However, the application of Lean outside the factory floor is not straightforward, where principles and practices may be translated and contextualized when introduced in functional areas that differ significantly from manufacturing. Especially in such multifaceted contexts as to be found in System Engineering (SE) companies. In this article, we investigate the extent to which SE companies relate their practices to the knowledge component of Lean product development, and the degree to which such lean practices and capabilities are implemented. The overall goal is to determine how SE companies compare to companies in other industrial sectors in this regard, and thereby gaining new insights into strategies for more contextual implementation of lean in engineering functions. A survey is conducted in the Norwegian manufacturing industry to determine Lean practices from the construct of a generic model as basis. The survey was answered by 257 respondents from 50 companies, providing the opinion of individuals as to where they place their current practices and capabilities on the lean maturity scale for each question, including a supplemental set of performance and productivity related assessment items. Results indicate that there seems to be significant differences between perceived LPD - performance in Systems Engineering versus the other sectors when talking about knowledge management. This study may reveal a potential for the Systems Engineering industry to improve upon the way organizational learning is managed to develop and sustain a culture for continuous improvement.