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The name for this complex is derived from Committee on Engineering Design Theory and Methodology (1991).This research began about 1986 by beginning to ask the question: "Why does it cost how much?" (Dean, 1993f) Over the years, attempts to answer this question have led increasingly toward the conclusion that the major cost driver is, broadly speaking, the engineering process. For a system to be highly competitive, it must be designed to be highly competitive. Generally, to be competitive, a system must be designed for high value (Dean, 1992c) and low cost (Dean and Unal, 1992). The primary research question, at this time, is: "How do we design the aerospace engineering process (Dean, 1993a) so that highly competitive aerospace systems are a natural outcome of the process?"
Although the focus here will be on aerospace systems, most topics and thoughts are generic to most areas of endeavor. The thoughts and methods just need to be translated into the language of the area of endeavor in which you are interested.
This knowledge complex is far from complete and is ever growing. As the construction of this complex continues, you will find new topics being added and more depth within each of the topics. You will also find that the now relatively independent topics will, as time goes on, be bound together as a unity. This complex will include results of research worldwide, so pointers to other related research will be sprinkled liberally throughout. Of course, specific research from NASA Langley will be included as well.
If you expect to find a simple step by step formula for becoming more competitive, then you will be disappointed. What you will find here are ways to think about it and where to look for answers. Knowledge is something which must be acquired through effort. Join me in enjoying the trip! Your contributions to this research are welcome and appreciated.
The first basic assumption of this research is that competitive advantage can be largely described by two fundamental dimensions, cost and quality. For cost, life cycle cost is assumed because the cost of operation, support, evolution, and retirement are of the utmost importance to the customer/user. For quality, customer/user satisfaction is assumed because that is the value for the customer. Note that value is probably dependent to some degree on cost. To be competitive, a system/product must have either lower cost or higher value than the competition.
The second basic assumption is that cost can be derived from transformations of measurable characteristics of either the system/product; the system to bringforth, sustain, and retire the system/product; and the system to bring forth, sustain, and retire the system to bringforth, sustain, and retire the system/product. Confusing? Just a little recursive thought here. Less generally, but more down to earth, competitiveness is a function of characteristics of the product, of the system to develop the product, and of the control by management of both. The effects of all three will be described as time permits.
The third basic assumption is that quality, as defined by the customer/user, is measurable both directly from the customer/user and from characteristics of the product, the system to develop the product, the enterprise, and the regulatory constraints on the enterprise. This measurement process will be described as time and technology permit.
For now, you will find below a list of topical areas. Each has been found to be either a cost driver or a value driver. Since competitiveness is largely driven by either cost or value, each topical area is, or has the potential to be, a competitiveness driver for you. You may obtain more depth about each topical area by clicking on that topic name in the list. Each topical area contains top level explanatory material, pointers to greater depth, and a bibliography. Each bibliography contains references chosen for historical, tutorial, or research relevance and pointers to related topical bibliographies.
Research Bibliography
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