Modularity and Interface Management: The case of Schindler Elevators

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Modularity and Interface Management: The case of Schindler Elevators

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Juliana Hsuan Mikkola

Abstract

Modularity refers to the scheme by which interfaces shared among components in agiven product architecture are standardized and specified to allow for greater reusability and commonality sharing of components among product families. The management of innovation through modular product architecture strategies is gaining increasing importance for firms, not only in practice but also from a theoretical perspective. It is argued that the degree of modularity inherent in a given product architecture is sensitive and highly dependent upon the number of components and the interface constraints shared among the components, modules, sub-systems, and systems. This paper applies a mathematical model, termed modularization function, for analyzing dynamics and the degree of modularity of a given product architecture by taking into account the following variables: number of components, number of interfaces, new-to-the-firm component composition, and substitutability factor. The application of the modularization function is illustrated with two elevator systems from Schindler Lifts of Switzerland: traction and hydraulic elevators. The comparative analysis of the elevators captures the sensitivity and dynamics of product architecture modularity created by three types of components (standard, neutral, and unique) and two types of interfaces (fundamental and optional).

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Paper provided by Department of Industrial Economics and Strategy, Copenhagen Business School in its series IVS/CBS Working Papers with number 2001-6.

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Handle: RePEc:ivs:iivswp:01-06

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This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

NEP-ALL-2001-09-10 (All new papers)

References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:

Juliana Hsuan Mikkola, 2000. "Modularization Assessment of Product Architecture," DRUID Working Papers 00-4, DRUID, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Industrial Economics and Strategy/Aalborg University, Department of Business Studies. [Downloadable!]
Ulrich, Karl, 1995. "The role of product architecture in the manufacturing firm," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 419-440, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Schaefer, Scott, 1999. "Product design partitions with complementary components," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 311-330, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Langlois, Richard N. & Robertson, Paul L., 1992. "Networks and innovation in a modular system: Lessons from the microcomputer and stereo component industries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 297-313, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)

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Munehiko Itoh, 2004. "Modularization for Product Competitiveness - Analysis of Modularization in the Digital Camera Industry -," Discussion Paper Series 164, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University. [Downloadable!]

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