New product strategy in small technology-based firms: a pilot study
Management Science
Project Management: A Managerial Approach
Project Management: A Managerial Approach
A new approach for understanding dominant design: The case of the ink-jet printer
Journal of Engineering and Technology Management
Product innovation through module dynamics: A case study
Journal of Engineering and Technology Management
Journal of Engineering and Technology Management
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Many researchers have explored the advantages of modular product design, its design methods and its effects on product performance. Modular design is, for example, required for product platform, mass customization and postponement in order to achieve greater product variety and differentiation. However, a few empirical studies explicitly examine how to coordinate modular product design in a managerial way. This paper addresses it by conducting multiple case studies with six companies which have successfully adopted modular product design for five years. Seven critical factors are explored in the management of modular product design. These are pre-defined product advantage, selectively used design rules, module definition, system integration, technological newness, internal communication, and supplier and customer involvement. While most of the literature studies the technical dimension of modular design within a firm, this study focuses on the managerial side across the supply chain. It gives new insights on how to manage modular product design and proposes future research opportunities.