Co-Development

Abstract

Co-developing, or more often called Comakership, is fastly becoming a new way of inter company cooperation. This form of cooperation distinguishes itself from other forms, like acquisition/ merging/joint ventures/strategic alliances/normal contracting etc., in that a longterm relationship is aimed at. When embarking on a comakership relation it always concerns the relation between the principal (maincontractor) and the suppliers. Co-developing seems to be one of the answers to cope with global competition because it enhances product/market flexibility, lowers developing costs and has strong potential for better quality.

This article will provide some insight into what co-development means and what areas are of interest, when to go for it, what the consequences are for Project Management and participating organizations (both pros and cons), and some trends observed. Some general remarks will be made in a more global perspective, existing differences between eastern and western oriented cultures will be observed.