Technological Collaborations in Iran's Automobile Industry Product Development Process through an Open Design Platform

Abstract

Purpose: This research was conducted to design a mathematical model of technological collaborations network in automotive research and development and to explain the relationships between various components of the network. Methodology: A case study was conducted in Iranian automotive industry. With the mixed method approach in the first stage the Delphi technique was conducted and the opinions of 8 managers and experts in the automotive field were received and the framework of the technological collaborations network was compiled. In the second stage, fuzzy cognitive map technique was used to determine the model parameters, and network modeling method was used to develop the model. Findings: According to the research findings, the technological collaborations network in automotive research and development includes three groups of developers, parts manufacturers and automakers. Conclusion: Relationships between various members were formed as intra-group and inter-group in terms of cost and value, and according to the optimal model, these relationships lead to the formation of a common platform with minimum cost and maximum value for automotive research and development.