BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - July 10, 2008) - In a study of over 600 discrete and process
manufacturers, Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company (
NYSE:
HHS), found
that the top factors impacting the performance of the engineering
organization are shrinking development schedules, decreasing product price
points and rising raw materials costs. Assessing and optimizing product
performance under these tightening constraints is a tall order, but some
manufacturers are balancing them in a way that allows them to meet market
requirements while still achieving cost and time targets on an 88% or
better average.
"The Best-in-Class' capacity to consistently achieve engineering targets
takes on additional meaning in light of the multi-faceted pressures on
these organizations," said Chad Jackson, Research and Service Director of
the Product Innovation Practice, Aberdeen. "For example, shrinking
schedules is the top pressure on engineering organizations, and while the
Best-in-Class are hitting their targets at a high pace, Laggards are
struggling, meeting 'release to manufacturing' targets only 42% of the time
and engineering-related development costs only 57% of the time. These
companies are no less aware that speed and cost are a problem, but they are
still searching for the means to resolve it."
They are doing this by pursuing a blend of both traditional and nascent
strategies that address the performance of the product and the engineering
department itself. This includes Lean engineering initiatives, Design for
Manufacturing and Quality, Green Product Development programs, as well as
cultivating an innovative use of simulation tools to optimize product
performance within tight constraint of cost and time. While identification
of differentiated strategies offers executive direction, more detail is
often required for impactful and lasting change. The report entitled "The
Engineering Executive's Strategic Agenda" identifies the common
characteristics of Best-in-Class performance as well as the next steps
companies can take to drive the programs they adopt to improve the
performance of the engineering organization.
A complimentary copy of this report is made available due in part to the
contributions of the following underwriters: Altair Engineering and ANSYS,
Inc. To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit:
http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=4902
About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company
Aberdeen is a leading provider of fact-based research and market
intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having benchmarked more
than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is uniquely
positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating
demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment
analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets,
corporations turn to Aberdeen for insights that drive decisions.
As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in
context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's
analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of
Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement -
Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role
Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit
Aberdeen
http://www.aberdeen.com or call (617) 723-7890, or to learn more
about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748 or go to
http://www.harte-hanks.com.
© 2008 Aberdeen Group, Inc., a Harte-Hanks Company
451 D Street, Suite 710
Boston, Massachusetts 02210-1928
Telephone: (617) 854-5200
Fax: (617) 723-7897
www.aberdeen.com
Contact Information: Media Contact:
Chad Jackson
Aberdeen Harte-Hanks
(512) 284-8080
chad.jacksont@aberdeen.com