Product Lifecycle Management System Development with Applications: Evidences from the Outsourcing Process of a Transmission Parts Manufacturer

• Main Authors: Hui-chuan Hou, 侯惠娟
• Other Authors: She-I Chang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/36225260951670622084

碩士 === 國立中正大學 === 會計與資訊科技研究所 === 98 === Automobile industry operates a delicate producing process. Furthermore, automobile industry in Taiwan can be roughly divided in two categories-car industry and parts industry. Car companies mainly produce cars by outsourcing or self-producing. As parts firms offer car parts for assembling, it’s called OEM (Original Equipment Manufacture). Also, parts companies offer those products for car maintenance, it is known as AM (After Market) which offer parts of post-sale service. Taiwan parts companies mainly focus on AM market and supply 85% to 90% of car parts in the world. Result from the features of elasticity and rapidness of producing capacity in AM market, most of parts companies face a difficulty of resources shortage. Hence, it is an important issue to improve structure efficiency by cooperating with outsourcing companies and use resources effectively. Due to the rapid growth of information technology and the needs of cooperation on business operation, research and development and production between companies to companies, departments to departments or person to person, the concept of Collaborative Commerce gradually attracts entrepreneur’s attention. This research used Product Lifecycle Management and integrated system to combine parts companies and outsourcing companies as a simulative enterprise structure. It helped to speed up information delivery, improve both parties’ information knowledge and yet have the two parties work together as a team and increase outsourcing activity efficiency. Moreover, it collected, categorized and sorted out the technical document, image and norm during the product life cycle. Finally, it analyzed the relative information gathered during product life cycle, and then used them to the next product life cycle, as well as, accumulated the information during the process as an important knowledge for the company. This research takes company T as a case. Company T is a manufacturer of transmission system of automobiles. Except developing new product, customized product becomes one of the competitive advantages of the company. In new product market, innovator usually earn more money than the followers, it is a key reason company T sells customized products. Due to the rapid growth of orders and resources shortage, company T had considered different methods to improve producing capacity, for instance, build more factories, increase assembling lines or outsourcing. However, these methods can not catch the pace of the dramatically growing orders. And it found that outsourcing non-core-producing-process is the most effective way to improve production. But this method requires even more effective management and rapid response for R&D, manufacturing progress, technical document and images between both parties. Due to the importance of outsourcing activity for automobile industry, this research will focus on the outsourcing activities during product life cycle. Moreover, this research aims to increase business effectiveness and create competitive advantage for company T and the outsourcing company. And yet, offering a model for other companies in the industry. The research revealed that it was not enough for company to improve producing efficiency by simply changing the producing process of a company. It is vital to integrate the whole supply chain and improve the efficiency of the whole supply chain. Take company T as an example, compare to over relying on past experiences, information technology could help improve efficiency a lot and make manufacturing company and outsourcing firm worked as a team. Through web platform system, enterprises combined the outsourcing firm as one virtual structure, and yet, enterprises could become a structure with features of high efficiency and low cost. The new system will help companies largely in the rapid changing environment.