A case analysis of a product lifecycle information management framework for SMEs

Information management during the product lifecycle has received a great deal of attention over the last few years, mainly because firms work in a complex business environment characterized by information overload, high levels of competitiveness and the acceleration of technological change. In this context, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software has been evolving rapidly and, today, powerful tools in the market enable high levels of information to be managed. However, commercial PLM software is mostly oriented towards large-sized firms, which poses a big challenge for small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs). To address this issue, SMEs can develop their own Product Lifecycle Information Management (PLIM) Frameworks for managing data and information throughout the product lifecycle processes. This article presents a successful example of a PLIM Framework: the case of Pladomin’s PLIM Framework.