ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Many companies in the Western world are currently implementing farreaching reforms of their project management systems for new products. This trend is affecting many different sectors [Giard and Midler, 1993a] and in it can be seen the effects of a shift from the competitive modes of a mass-market economy to those of an economy typified by variety or reactive adaptability. In this context the competitive edge of any company depends, firstly, on its capacity to market genuinely innovative products rapidly and at satisfactory levels of quality and pricing, and secondly, on targeting them at specific market niches, with the aim of outclassing more ordinary products [Dertouzos et al., 1990; Stalk and Hout, 1990; Cohendet and Lléréna, 1992; Coriat and Taddéi, 1993]. The combination of these strategies multiplies the number of projects needing to be managed.
