Information dependencies within product architecture: Prospects of complexity reduction

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to help organizational managers to keep track of the information management needed not only for product design and development but also to track between different organizational levels. Design/methodology/approach - The research objectives are achieved through implementing the concept in a case company, where various measures of information management are taken into consideration. This empirical study is conducted with a view to formulating and validating the information flow among product development (PD) participants. Findings - The strategic management of information exchange transforms the nature of competition through reducing complexities in product design and bringing flexibility into the production process. This achievement could orientate firms towards rapid and continuous growth of their PD strategies, which are essential for survival in a global business environment. Research limitations/implications - This research was conducted through a single case study approach, which limits its scope for generalizing the concept. It would be more authentic if the approach was validated over multiple case studies. Practical implications - Managing the information flow among PD participants has been considered to be an important issue in today's competitive business environment. It helps to formulate the design architecture, both at the product and organizational level. Originality/value - The strategic management of information exchange transforms the structure of product architecture, which helps to reduce the complexities in product design and bring flexibilityinto the production process. The presented approach shows the intrinsic relationships between firms' resources and customers' requirements, which could help product developers to improve their production flexibility, overcome bottlenecks and achieve product customization.