Stage Gate, Living Labouring Capacity, and implications for knowledge development in new product development processes.

This dissertation investigates with a critical case study the use's effects of highly formalized and standardized new product development processes (NPD) such as the Stage Gate process. The process support companies to manufacture innovative products and develop and retain efficiently and effectively new competencies (both technical and non-technical) within the multinational corporation. The first section of the thesis shows in detail how the Stage Gate process works, explaining the different rules and mechanisms that made the process so popular among MNCs. In particular, have been recognized two main literature propositions that examined whether highly formalized and structured new product development processes lead to higher or lower level of living labouring capacity (LLC). Furthermore, the authors analyzed whether the outcome in terms of LLC leads exploitation of already present knowledge (discretion), or development of new knowledge (autonomy). In terms of empirical research, a critical case study on Dana Incorporated has been conducted in order to with a certain level of generalization falsifying or verifying the delineated propositions. The results have been based on multiple interviews, in particular managers and operational employees have been interviewed in order to access the presence within the company of Pfeiffer Living Labouring Capacity (LLC). The syncretic notion has been analyzed in order to recognized the presence of respectively autonomy or discretion contained by Pfeiffer's indicators. The results as general framework showed that Dana Incorporated making use of the Stage Gate process has a positive level of living labouring capacity (LLC) within all the Pfeiffer Indicators. Overall the company showed a positive level of living labouring capacity being able to provide at the management level high level of technological innovation while manufacturing novel products. This outcome has been highly supported by the relevance of acquiring experience both at the individual level and collective level. Considering the duality of the Living Labouring Capacity it's possible to conclude that autonomy was highly prevalent both at the individual and collective level within the company. More specifically Dana Incorporated was proficient to achieve learning opportunity and new knowledge development.