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Vanishing hand versus Systems integrators - Une revue de la littérature sur l'impact organisationnel de la modularité

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  • Vincent Frigant

Abstract

[fre] Depuis le début des années 90, de nombreux travaux s'intéressent au développement de la modularité dans les industries d'assemblage. Nouvelle manière de gérer la complexité croissante des biens finals, l'analyse de l'impact organisationnel de la modularité a donné naissance à deux courants aux conclusions divergentes. Historiquement les premiers travaux soulignent que la modularité engendre un recentrage des firmes qui vont en contrepartie mobiliser un réseau volatil de fournisseurs. Alternativement et souvent en critique vis-à-vis des premiers, une autre série de recherches souligne que les firmes ne peuvent que modérément se recentrer et maintiennent des coopérations étroites avec leurs fournisseurs. L'enjeu de cet article est d'expliciter les arguments soutenant chacune des deux thèses en les confrontant point à point. [eng] Since the beginning of the Nineties, many works are interested in the development of the modularity in assembly industries. Despite an agreement about the technological efficiency of the modularity, there is a debate about the organizational impact of modularity. The first studies stress that the modularity implies vertical disintegration and arm's length relationship. Alternatively, other studies stress that the firms can only moderately focus on their core competencies and they maintain close co-operations with their suppliers. The stake of this article is to clarify the arguments supporting each of the two theses by confronting them point-to-point.

Suggested Citation

  • Vincent Frigant, 2005. "Vanishing hand versus Systems integrators - Une revue de la littérature sur l'impact organisationnel de la modularité," Revue d'Économie Industrielle, Programme National Persée, vol. 109(1), pages 29-52.
    • Handle: RePEc:prs:recind:rei_0154-3229_2005_num_109_1_3063
    DOI: 10.3406/rei.2005.3063
    Note: DOI:10.3406/rei.2005.3063
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