ABSTRACT
The societal impact is related more to the role interventionist research can play in government research policy making. This chapter shows how management research can be conducted while, at the same time, leaving a strong mark on the industry under examination. The potential for a theory contribution was expected, initially, to lie in analyzing how cost information can be used for diffusing a new technology in a new market. Thus, the theory contribution was positioned in the interface between the technology diffusion and cost management literature, with the more detailed theory contribution to be argued based on the empirics and reflection of the case. The case company has transformed traditional manual hose assembly kit manufacturing into a capital-intensive process with expensive machines and IT infrastructure. The product-centric control aspect within the cells arises from the ability of the cutting machine to print instructions for the operator directly onto the hose.
