The Aricon VE readiness assessment approach in the new product development (NPD) context

The challenge for industrial companies is to demonstrate their capability to enter a VE cooperative scenario on a 'plug-and-play" basis. There is a need to establish a common and recognised methodology and tools in order to evaluate and qualify companies as far as their cooperation readiness is concerned. The ARICON project aims at defining a cooperation readiness assessment methodology and tools, suitable for identifying companies who are capable of effective cooperation before they enter VEs. The ARICON methodology is being tested in a number of actual business cases, representing different typologies of Virtual Enterprises (peer-to-peer VE, enhanced value chain VE, project conduction VE etc) as well as in different industrial sectors (aerospace, automotive, food, construction and environment). An overview of the ARICON assessment methodology is reported in the paper.