Int. J. Technology Management, Vol. 24, No. 1, 2002 1 Copyright © 2002 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. Product architecture and platforms: a conceptual framework Moreno Muffatto and Marco Roveda Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, University of Padua, Via Venezia 1, 35131 Padua, Italy E-mail: moreno.muffatto@unipd.it Abstract: The search for continuous improvement in product development forces companies to look for new competitive capabilities based on a redesign of their product strategies. In particular the role of product architectures, product platforms and modularisation, becomes important in shaping the development and operations strategies. The paper offers a general framework explaining the relevant product structure concepts that could be used to improve product strategies and the management of the development process. The main relationships between these concepts are analysed, highlighting major constraints and opportunities. Keywords: New product development; product architectures; platforms vehicles. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Muffatto, M. and Roveda, M. (2002) ‘Product architecture and platforms: a conceptual framework’, Int. J. Technology Management, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp.1-16. Biographical notes: Moreno Muffatto, M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, PhD on Industrial Innovation and Management, University of Padua. Professor of Business Administration, University of Padua. He is active in research on Technology Management, New Product Development, Supply Chain Management and Logistics. He is a Research Affiliate with the international Motor Vehicle Program, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA. He is European Editor of the International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management; member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the International Journal of Logistics: Research and Application and of the International Journal of Process Management and Benchmarking. Personal web page: http://www.unipd.it/org/mm Marco Roveda, MSc in Mechanical Engineering (University of Padua), PhD on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management. His field of research is the Management of Innovation and the New Product Development Process. Within these areas he is concentrating on the analysis of technical, strategic and managerial conditions concerning the development of modular products and platforms.