A Metaknowledge Approach to Facilitate Knowledge Sharing in the Global Product Development Process

Abstract

Widespread adoption of the multi-functional stage-gate product development model and the emergence of the global product development have conspired to create various knowledge sharing problems. Three such knowledge problem categories were identified by the authors in an exploratory study at a multinational heating systems manufacturer. This paper presents the recent developments to an ontology-based knowledge sharing tool intended to tackle these problems and describes an industry-based case study intended to illustrate how the tool may be used in practice. The results of the study demonstrate how the tool addresses the knowledge sharing problem and thereby facilitates the sharing of knowledge in a global product development environment. The project was sponsored by the heating systems manufacturer and the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

Keywords:

• Global product development
• ontology
• metaknowledge