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Ford Partners With Massachusetts Institute of Technology To Create State-of-the-Art Product Development Center

10 September 1997

Ford Partners With Massachusetts Institute of Technology To Create State-of-the-Art Product Development Center

    DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 10 -- Ford Motor Company and
the National Science Foundation have created a partnership with the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and other companies to establish a
new Center for Innovation in Product Development (CIPD).
    The CIPD is an interdepartmental research program with a mission to
advance the theory and practice of product development by combining the best
ideas and experience of industry and academia.
    "While Ford already has an established relationship with MIT, the research
has been primarily in manufacturing," said Robert Matulka, Director, Product
Development Process Leadership, Ford Motor Company.  "The CIPD is unique
because this has never been done for Product Development."
    The CIPD research activities will be conducted through close collaboration
among teams of faculty, engineers, managers and students.  On-campus students
will spend their summers working at Ford and other companies to further their
research.  "This is an exciting partnership for us because we benefit from the
Center's output, which will lead to new methodologies, processes and
technologies to improve Product Development," said Matulka.
    As part of its educational activities, the Center is developing a Product
Development track within the MIT System Design and Management (SDM) program, a
joint offering of MIT's School of Engineering and Sloan School of Management.
Students enrolling in the program will complete sets of both engineering and
management courses and will receive a joint degree from the two schools.
    The program combines traditional on-campus education with distance
learning using new technologies such as real-time videoconferencing-based
classroom delivery, and web and video-based instruction.  The format permits
professionals to pursue an advanced degree while remaining on their jobs.
Ford, which helped develop the new curriculum, will sponsor ten students this
year to start the two-year distance learning Product Development program.
    "Our goal is to get beyond the academic laboratory and put ideas,
processes and products into the hands of companies and customers," said
Professor Warren Seering, CIPD Director.  "The Center's efforts are aimed at
enabling companies to achieve the highest levels of customer satisfaction and
product value, while ensuring long-term vitality and profitability."

SOURCE  Ford Motor Company