Managing the product development of China's SPC switch industry as an example of CoPS

China's stored program control (SPC) switch industry has developed very quickly in recent years. Innovation activities, both by adopting foreign-developed technologies and domestic R&D, are main contributing factors. Facing rapid technology change and growing customer expectations, China's SPC switch manufacturers have to improve management of the innovation process in an industry characterized by increasing complexity and functions. Recommendations for managing complex products and systems (CoPS) in China's SPC switch industry include: increase effectiveness and efficiency of innovation activities through accumulating, outsourcing and fusing technology; improve product and service quality; build marketing and service capability; emphasize horizontal management style and empower product champions and project leaders; and increase collaboration with external network partners to integrate their resources. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.