模組型產品創新之介面策略

Interface Strategies in Modular Product Innovation

陳國民(Kuo-Min Chen) ； 劉仁傑(Ren-Jye Liu)

《管理學報》 21卷4期 (2004/08) Pp. 499-514

https://doi.org/10.6504/JOM.2004.21.04.05

摘要

模組型產品兼具低成本與快速組合產出差異產品的優勢，近年倍受產學界關注。以產品結構觀點從事產品創新研究，已蔚為研發管理趨勢。本研究藉由文獻探討，探究包括產品結構中內部介面與外部介面之意涵，與產品族及產品平台創新中介面開放性之意義，建立模組型產品創新之介面策略的基礎理論。本研究依介面之內部與外路兩維度，以介面的開放程度區分出四類型，分別依其環境與產品特質闡述其特定之策略意義，並搭配產品之生命週期變化，闡述產品介面策略變遷。同時針對近年來台灣工具機產業具代表性之三家企業進行實證研究，觀察其產品創新應用實況。本研究，台灣工具機產業受到既有國際標準化的外部介面限制，多傾向於內部介面之創新。但因協力網路之開放程度高，內部介面之封閉性不足，形成了台灣工具機企業集中在模組性能提昇與低成本競爭之現況。本研究所提出之介面策略，不僅具有實務意義，對模組產品創新之理論發展亦饒富涵義。

關鍵字

模組型產品 ； 產品創新 ； 介面 ； 產品結構 ； 工具機產業

並列摘要

Accelerating product innovation speed is a key issue in seeking rapid response to market demands. With low cost and the ability to create differentiated products while simultaneously accelerating the rate of product innovation, modular products have attracted much of attention from both industries and academic researchers for many years. Moreover, product architecture normally dominates the innovation research. The product architecture is the mapping of the components with the product functions. Playing the key role of connecting and interacting between components, the interface standardization is a decisive issue in new product development.
In this study, we have tried to build a basic theory for understanding interface strategies in modular product innovation through a literature review that covers a number of concepts including product architecture, functional modules, internal and external interfaces, product families, and product platforms. Based on a product’s internal and external dimensions and openness of interface, we construct a strategic matrix of interface possibilities in modular product innovation. The interface strategies can be categorized into entire interface innovative, platform interface innovative, dominating interface innovative, and internal interface innovation strategy. We also discuss the technological and organizational requirements for each strategy. The interface strategies revolute dynamically accompanied with the changing environment and time. Available resources and the positioning of firm will affect the inter face strategies in specific stages for firms.
Based on case studies of three important machine tool enterprises, we examine the use of interface strategies in Taiwan’s machine tool industry. This study finds that existing external interface standards impose limits on product innovation. We also find that innovative efforts tend to focus on internal interfaces, while and open supple net work contributes to the high openness between different products in Taiwan’s machine tool industry. In addition, we also discuss the architectural essence of Taiwan’s machine tool industry, with an expectation that such a discussion may provide that impetus for structural changes in product innovation and supplier networks in the industry. Such analysis has implications for both theory and practice.

並列關鍵字

Modular Product ； Product Innovation ； Interface ； Product Architecture ； Machine Tool Industry

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