Understanding the organizational impact of PLM systems: evidence from an aerospace company

Abstract

Purpose The implementation of product lifecycle management (PLM) technologies poses different challenges in comparison to the ones faced by companies using other information systems. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of PLM on both new product development (NPD) process and on users' individual work, and also to analyse the linkages between PLM's organizational impact and users' attitudes towards technology. Design/methodology/approach This research is based on a survey of PLM end‐users in an aerospace company. Findings This paper shows that in the NPD process, PLM favoured a tighter workflow logic, easier product carryover, and more efficient product data retrieval. At the individual level, this has led users to spend more time on technical work, without impacting their productivity. This was true in the product design department and for older workers with low job seniority in particular. Research limitations/implications Although the findings were drawn from a single case, this paper highlights the contribution made by technology acceptance models in explaining the organizational impact of technologies that support complex knowledge‐intensive tasks. Practical implications This paper points out that for a technology like PLM, each user needs different supporting mechanisms depending on his/her role and age. Young workers primarily need adequate sponsorship by top management and compatibility of new technology with their job. Older users, given their higher initial scepticism, need more training in the early phases of a new technology's introduction. Originality/value This paper contributes to existing literature by providing empirical evidence of both the impact of PLM systems and the determinants of their acceptance among end‐users.