This book brings together seminal articles by leading scholars of technological and organizational systems, exploring the impact of 'modularity'. Modularity refers to an ability to take apart and put together differenct products and networks, or to 'mix and match' components in order to meet different user specifications. This is of key importance today where new systems such as the World Wide Web and many areas of the computer industry depend on it. The volume pulls together and defines an exciting new area of inquiry: into how our 'modular age' is reshaping the business eco-system.
- Includes contributions from leading scholars of technology and organization
- Modularity refers to an ability to take apart and put together different products and systems, or to 'mix and match' components in order to meet different user specifications.
- Consolidates and defines an area of inquiry that is becoming increasingly important with the development of web-based and 'network' industries.
- Sensitizes readers to the complexity of issues surrounding new modular products and systems created by e-business
- Encourages readers to make connections among different levels and disciplines.
- Initiates a debate around issues of modularity.
- Includes a commentary co-authored by the late Nobel Laureate Herbert A. Simon to whom the book is dedicated.
Author(s): Raghu Garud, Arun Kumaraswamy, Richard Langlois
Publisher: Wiley
Year: 2002
Language: English
Commentary: 58094
Pages: 424
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......Page 7
INTRODUCTION......Page 9
PART ONE OVERVIEW......Page 21
1 THE ARCHITECTURE OF COMPLEXITY......Page 23
2 TECHNOLOGICAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGNS FOR REALIZING ECONOMIES OF SUBSTITUTION......Page 53
3 NETWORKS AND INNOVATION IN A MODULAR SYSTEM: LESSONS FROM THE MICROCOMPUTER AND STEREO COMPONENT INDU......Page 86
PART TWO MODULARITY AND ARCHITECTURES......Page 123
4 THE ROLE OF PRODUCT ARCHITECTURE IN THE MANUFACTURING FIRM......Page 125
5 MANAGING IN AN AGE OF MODULARITY......Page 157
6 TOWARD A GENERAL MODULAR SYSTEMS THEORY AND ITS APPLICATION TO INTERFIRM PRODUCT MODULARITY......Page 180
PART THREE NETWORKS AND STANDARDS......Page 223
7 THE ECONOMICS OF NETWORKS......Page 225
8 THE ART OF STANDARDS WARS......Page 255
PART FOUR FIELD-LEVEL AND ORGANIZATIONAL DYNAMICS......Page 281
9 DYNAMICS OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNITIES AND TECHNOLOGICAL BANDWAGONS: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF COMMUNITY EVOLUTION IN T......Page 283
10 DOMINANT DESIGNS, TECHNOLOGY CYCLES, AND ORGANIZATIONAL OUTCOMES......Page 324
11 MODULARITY, FLEXIBILITY, AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN PRODUCT AND ORGANIZATION DESIGN......Page 370
INDEX......Page 398
