DESIGN SUPPORT BY IMPROVING METHOD TRANSFER - A PROCEDURAL MODEL AND GUIDELINES FOR STRATEGIC PRODUCT PLANNING IN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES

Efficient and effective strategic product planning gets more and more important for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to ensure sustainable success in business. Although numerous methods in the field of strategic product planning exist, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises the use of these methods isn’t very established up to now. Usually strategic planning is not institutionalized in SMEs and resources for strategic planning are limited. Furthermore, a lack of experience in method application is observable. SMEs often are not able to select and apply adequate methods for product planning on the one hand. On the other hand, existing method approaches are adjusted to major enterprises, which can afford to have own departments and experts in the field of strategic product planning. In addition negative experiences, where inadequate methods failed, lead to prejudices against method application in common. To enhance strategic product planning in SMEs, existing methods for product planning have to be selected, adapted and combined in a user- and situation specific way for efficient and effective application. Based on existing approaches concerning integrated and systematic product planning, it is the objective to develop and provide instruments that especially fit to the needs of SMEs supporting them to process a company- and situation-specific strategic product planning.