Modularity and Commonality Research: Past Developments and Future Opportunities
Research on modularity and commonality has grown substantially over the past 15 years. Searching 36 journals over more than the past 35 years, I identify over 160 references in the engineering and management literature that focus on modularity or commonality in the product and process development...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | en_US |
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2007
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/37145 |
| _version_ | 1826213712286973952 |
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| author | Fixson, Sebastian K. |
| author_facet | Fixson, Sebastian K. |
| author_sort | Fixson, Sebastian K. |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Research on modularity and commonality has grown substantially over the past 15 years.
Searching 36 journals over more than the past 35 years, I identify over 160 references in the
engineering and management literature that focus on modularity or commonality in the product
and process development context. Each of the references is analyzed along the dimensions
subject, effect, and research method. The subjects of these studies have been products,
processes, organizations, and even innovations, although the set of references shows a strong
preference towards products. Similarly, a broad range of effects has been studied, albeit with the
topic cost dominating all other effects. A variety of research methods has been applied to the
study of modularity and commonality but the distribution of research methods differs
substantially for modularity and commonality research. Despite the wealth of existing research,
there are still significant opportunities for future research. In particular, studies that incorporate
modularity and commonality’s multiple effects on various players along the supply chain, that
combine multiple research methods, and that follow systems over time appear very promising. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T15:53:35Z |
| format | Working Paper |
| id | mit-1721.1/37145 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | en_US |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T15:53:35Z |
| publishDate | 2007 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/371452019-04-10T09:59:06Z Modularity and Commonality Research: Past Developments and Future Opportunities Fixson, Sebastian K. Modularity Multidisciplinary Research Innovation Commonality Research on modularity and commonality has grown substantially over the past 15 years. Searching 36 journals over more than the past 35 years, I identify over 160 references in the engineering and management literature that focus on modularity or commonality in the product and process development context. Each of the references is analyzed along the dimensions subject, effect, and research method. The subjects of these studies have been products, processes, organizations, and even innovations, although the set of references shows a strong preference towards products. Similarly, a broad range of effects has been studied, albeit with the topic cost dominating all other effects. A variety of research methods has been applied to the study of modularity and commonality but the distribution of research methods differs substantially for modularity and commonality research. Despite the wealth of existing research, there are still significant opportunities for future research. In particular, studies that incorporate modularity and commonality’s multiple effects on various players along the supply chain, that combine multiple research methods, and that follow systems over time appear very promising. 2007-04-06T17:22:47Z 2007-04-06T17:22:47Z 2007-04-06T17:22:47Z Working Paper http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/37145 en_US MIT Sloan School of Management Working Paper 4629-06 application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | Modularity Multidisciplinary Research Innovation Commonality Fixson, Sebastian K. Modularity and Commonality Research: Past Developments and Future Opportunities |
| title | Modularity and Commonality Research: Past Developments and Future Opportunities |
| title_full | Modularity and Commonality Research: Past Developments and Future Opportunities |
| title_fullStr | Modularity and Commonality Research: Past Developments and Future Opportunities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modularity and Commonality Research: Past Developments and Future Opportunities |
| title_short | Modularity and Commonality Research: Past Developments and Future Opportunities |
| title_sort | modularity and commonality research past developments and future opportunities |
| topic | Modularity Multidisciplinary Research Innovation Commonality |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/37145 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT fixsonsebastiank modularityandcommonalityresearchpastdevelopmentsandfutureopportunities |