Inter-partner process learning in collaborative R&D -: a case study from the telecommunications industry

This research sheds light on how and what partner companies in an R&D collaboration relationship can jointly learn to improve their R&D processes. Methodological triangulation is applied: by using the business process simulation method as well as interviews in a two-case study, a set of process improvements for the collaborative R&D process of the case companies is developed. One focus of this article is to introduce the use of the SimLab business process simulation method in the context of collaborative process innovation. The main finding of the case study is a set of direct process improvements that the case companies have developed during the projects examined.