WeBid: A Web-based framework to support early supplier involvement in new product development

It has been found from the contemporary research in the fields of concurrent engineering and supply chain management that significant benefits can be achieved if suppliers are involved in the early stages of product development process. However, recent investigation in manufacturing industries has also revealed that this approach is not widely practised in industries and its implementation has been a great challenge to researchers and practitioners. The research reported here proposes to develop an overall methodology for enabling better supplier involvement in new product development process and to demonstrate the framework through a prototype web-based platform on the Internet/intranets using the web technology. This paper presents some results from the initial investigation, development and implementation of the proof-of-the-concept prototype system called WeBid.