In this paper we examine the product innovation in a supply chain by a supplier and derive a model for a supplier's product innovation policy. The product innovation of a supplier can contribute to the long-term competitiveness for the supply chain, and as it is for many supply chains a major factor, it should be considered in the development of strategies for a supplier. Here, we evaluate the effectiveness of supplier product innovation as a strategic tool to enhance the competitiveness and viability of supply chain. This paper explores the dynamic research performance of a supplier with endogenous time preference under a given arrangement of product innovation. We find that the optimal effort level and the achieved product innovation obey a saddle point path, or show tremendous fluctuations even without introducing the stochastic nature of product innovative activity. We also find that the fluctuation frequency is largely dependent both on the supplier's characteristics such as supplier's product innovative ability and on the nature of product innovation process per se. Short-run analyses are also made on the effect of supply chain cooperation in the product innovation process.

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In recent engineering practices, the manufacturing industries are more technically able to produce product with high quality to desire the customer needs. For accomplishing customer needs many lean tools are used to improve the methods of manufacturing practices in industries. The aim of this research work is enhance the productivity of spool casing assembly used in horn armature core per shift by using method study, time study and VSM. Cycle time for each operation of the product is determined by time study and the value added, non-value-added activities and transportation wastes occurred in the current state process identified and plotted in the current state VSM. The future state VSM was developed to reduce unnecessary wastes such as transportation, inventory, waiting which occurred in the current state VSM. Both current and future state time study are simulated using Flexsim simulation software. From the observed results it was found that, P3 and P5 model productivity was improved by about 5.5% and 6.5% respectively after implementation of appropriate lean tools.

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