Launch management of a global IT-system -A case study at Volvo Cars Customer Service

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the launch of a global IT-system within the automotive industry. When searching for and studying the literature in the area of launch and launch management, we found that this area was clearly under-researched. Also, the studies done in the launch area are mainly quantitative by nature, which called for a qualitative approach that could lead to a conceptual framework for how such a launch should be done.

As many authors conclude, the launch process is the single most costly step in new product development, which implies that more knowledge about this area would be most valuable. We have been examining the launch process regarding an IT-system at Volvo Cars Customer Service called VADIS2004 from a qualitative point of view. The roadmap that we produced focus on critical success factors and the management of the whole launch process.

The most important issues in the management of a launch that we found during our empirical and theoretical studies, was the creation of a Launch Management roadmap. Creating and using such a roadmap would facilitate the work of launch management and could be used in similar industrial settings. Also, we found that the steps actually included together with the internal structure of these steps in the roadmap to be crucial. This in order for the launch manager to get a good and necessary overview of how the work should be carried out. Implementing a launch control plan would help managing the risks that are found in the launch process. Last but not least, important is also the organization’s built-in awareness of managing previous launch experience in a planned way, being that of the learn-loop. This to seek the benefits such as decrease in time, cost savings and lowering the chance of risks to occur.