Executive review (2004)

Cordelia Müller, Dr. Stefan Rullmann, Peter Schneidewind, Ralf Zander, Alexander Zerdick

2004

Mechanical engineering companies are not the only ones that have to come to terms with intensified cost pressure and shorter product lifecycles. How they can make product development more efficient under the current adverse circumstances is discussed in our lead story, "Strategies, structures and standardization".

On the other hand, one of the main problems facing semiconductor manufacturers is the growing complexity of development projects. "The V model" reveals ways in which they too can successfully reorganize their product development processes.

"Solutions more than the sum of individual products" describes how productoriented companies can set themselves apart from their rivals by offering solutions.

One useful tool to make project costing as accurate a science as possible is what is known as simulation-based costing, the subject of the article "Simulating project costs instead of carrying them".

Finally, "Selling real estate portfolios as a source of liquidity" provides a comprehensive summary of a pan-European study of the disposal of real estate packages.