Make-or-buy decision processes for technology-intensive components: Insights from the consumer goods industry

Brem A, Elsner R (2018)


Publication Language: English

Publication Status: In press

Publication Type: Journal article

Future Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2018

Journal

Book Volume: 22

Article Number: 1850046

Journal Issue: 6

DOI: 10.1142/S1363919618500469

Abstract

Make-or-buy decisions on technology-intensive components represent a key task in the management of technologies. Against this background, this paper presents an analysis of a technology company which gave key insights into their make-or-buy decisions on the strategic and operative level. The results show two kinds of make-or-buy decisions, called type 1 and type 2. In contrast to type 1 make-or-buy decisions whose scope is mostly limited to the production and quality function, type 2 decisions are strongly linked to engineering and R&D activities. Moreover, two new decision matrices are introduced: a ‘product/subsystem aggregation’ scheme and a ‘make-or-buy controlling’ matrix. In an environment in which companies move towards greater use of outsourcing, the framework ensures that company strategy and core competencies are followed in the long run despite short-range deviations of make-or-buy analysis results. These findings might be helpful and suitable to other manufacturing companies that deal with technology-intensive components on a strategic and operative level.

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How to cite

APA:

Brem, A., & Elsner, R. (2018). Make-or-buy decision processes for technology-intensive components: Insights from the consumer goods industry. International Journal of Innovation Management, 22(6). https://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S1363919618500469

MLA:

Brem, Alexander, and Robert Elsner. "Make-or-buy decision processes for technology-intensive components: Insights from the consumer goods industry." International Journal of Innovation Management 22.6 (2018).

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