Oxford Scholarship Online: The Business of Systems Integration

The Business of Systems Integration Prencipe, Andrea Research Fellow at the Science and Technology Policy Research, University of Sussex, and Associate Professor of Economics and Management of Innovation at the University G. D'Annunzio, Italy Davies, Andrew Senior Fellow at the Science and Technology Policy Research, University of Sussex Hobday, Michael Director of the Complex Products Systems Innovation Centre, University of Sussex Print publication date: 2005 (this edition) Published to Oxford Scholarship Online: September 2007 Print ISBN-13: 978-0-19-926323-3
7 Corporate Strategy and Systems Integration Capabilities Managing Networks in Complex Systems Industries doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199263233.003.0007 Andrea Prencipe Abstract: This chapter identifies two analytical categories of systems integration in multi-technology multi-component products, namely synchronic and diachronic. Synchronic systems integration refers to the technological capabilities required to set the product concept design, decompose it, coordinate the network of suppliers, and then recompose the product within a given family. Diachronic systems integration refers to the technological capabilities to envisage and move progressively towards different and alternative paths of product architectures (i.e., new product families) to meet evolving customer requirements. Keywords: coordination, division of labour, modularity, firm capabilities, competitive advantage, aircraft engines, outsourcing,