A general framework for new product development projects.

Firms look for procuring a sustainable advantage over their competitors. Therefore, they should be both operationally and strategically efficient. However, as firms work with other companies, they are under threats of misunderstanding, inefficiency, difficult synchronisations, etc. These threats will be transformed into real business traps. In this paper, authors propose a global framework which focuses on collaborative new product development (NPD) projects. The ultimate goal is to minimise harmful potential consequences of collaborations. This framework emphasises critical characteristics of any collaboration among partners. It helps users to have a clearer understanding of the overall environment of such projects. This understanding leads not only managers towards a better definition of their strategy but also guides them to acquire a more resourceful operational efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]