Even though interest in open innovation (OI) both as a research field and as an industrial practice for creating competitively advantageous innovation through collaboration has grown exponentially over the last decades, the issue of how to transform OI strategy into a sustainable competitive advantage is still an open research question. Selecting partners capable of operationally and strategically contributing to the OI project goals is a strategic decision for companies striving to effectively implement the OI concept. The study is aimed at defining a structured and methodology-supported decision-making process for OI partner selection based on a novel hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) model which is enhanced by interval type-2 fuzzy sets (IT2F) to deal with the inherent uncertainty. The model combines IT2F Delphi (IT2FD), IT2F Analytical Hierarchy Process (IT2F AHP), and IT2F Preference Ranking Organization METHod for Enrichment of Evaluations (IT2F PROMETHEE). The study provides a comprehensive framework of the OI partner performance indicators; additionally, it provides a contingent approach to identifying evaluation criteria depending on the nature of the company’s innovation processes, contextual conditions, and innovation strategy. The case study is used to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed process. The study’s results highlight the significance of specific factors related to the partners’ technological competencies.

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) provides a paradigmatic model that enables companies to operate more effectively in the face of shorter product lifecycles, global networking, and increasing complexity. However, despite strengthening the PLM initiative, companies still struggle to implement this concept. The limited results of current PLM implementations often stem from a lack of unique indicators or consistent methodologies that help companies prioritize their implementation efforts. This article proposes an approach to set a PLM strategy, focusing on enhancing company innovation potential by introducing a structured methodology capable of (i) capturing latent needs based on the normative-contingent New Product Development (NPD) evaluation model and (ii) quantifying the influence of various PLM functional aspects on NPD capability. The proposed methodology is based on the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method, modified to overcome the limitations of the conventional approach, employing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for prioritizing request attributes and the Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS) method for quality attribute importance ranking. Motivated by the arbitrary and vague nature of the decision-making environment in the PLM implementation projects, which introduces uncertainties that could be effectively managed by fuzzy logic, the study introduces Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Sets (IT2FSs) to minimize ambiguity and inconsistency in expressing and modeling preferences. The main study contribution pertains to generating quantitative and objective guidelines for adequately grounding a PLM strategy from the perspective of enhancing the company’s innovation potential. The findings of this study ultimately contribute to establishing an optimal model of the PLM concept implementation process, tailored to specific company requirements. Finally, an empirical case study demonstrates the effectiveness and practicality of the proposed approach.

Developing new products is an essential strategy tool in achieving a company's comparative advantages and its sustainable development. The problems that may occur during this process may lead to inefficiency and failure in the market, and thus also to poorer organizational performance. Accordingly, recognizing and analyzing NPD problems in a proper way is of exceptional importance for sustaining a company's growth and increasing its profitability. The paper proposes a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methodology for recognizing and prioritizing the problems that may occur during the process of a New Product Development (NPD). The proposed approach is based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology, which enables the assessment of an impact of these problems on the success of the NPD; the AHP method is also integrated with the fuzzy set theory, which is aimed at avoiding the problem of uncertainties and ambiguities. The possibilities of the application of proposed methodology are illustrated in the case of a company manufacturing corrugated paper and special cardboard packaging.

One of the important factors of the economic optimization of production processes is the proper dimensioning of the batch in which production is carried out. This request becomes particularly pronounced in the conditions of the textile industry, where the economic rationalization of production is of crucial importance for a market success. In the paper, we presented the model of the optimization of the batch size based on an analysis of the structure of the expenses, inclusive of a request for their minimization. The suggested model enables the determination of the batch size which has the lowest costs and also the extent to which it is allowed to deviate from the calculated optimum, but still remain within economic rationality. The aim of the theoretical and practical aspects of the paper is to point out the contribution of the suggested approach towards the economicrationalization of production processes in the textile industry.

New industrial initiatives and innovations are being brought forward at an increasingly rapid rate, radically transforming job profiles and imposing the need for new paradigms in engineering education. Over the last few decades, PLM has evolved into the key business paradigm for supporting companies’ efforts to achieve long-term sustainable competitiveness by balancing innovation and efficiency growth on the one hand and cost optimization on the other. New labor market demands, shaped by rapid PLM evolution, require a shift in current engineering education to adapt to new realities and better prepare engineers for future challenges. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the state of the art in PLM education, highlight issues facing PLM education, and discuss possible future trends and developments. The paper aims to increase awareness of the importance of PLM education development and encourage active debate about potential actions as responses to current issues.