Profitability

In the past the dynamics of the markets in interaction with an increasing globalization led to the fact that industries concentrated more and more on their core competences. By the reduction of the companies vertical integration value-added processes were outsourced in the same measure as supporting activities. In order to be able to meet the so developing complexity, production and logistics networks were formed to enhance the co-operation between the enterprises in a long-term and stable form. In these networks beside products and semi-finished materials also knowledge and information are produced and transferred. The protection and division of knowledge, experience and behaviours are of a special relevance if e.g. a participant leaves the network. In such a case the question arises whether and how the knowledge of the separating participant can be particularly retained for the network and a possible advancing producer, in order to not disturb the efficiency of the network. For the ...

Outsourcing has become an important and even ordinary tool for enterprises to concentrate on their core competences: external know-how can be implemented into research, development and production by leaving out internal services to business partners. But in the past the most interesting partner for outsourcing has not been recognized yet. Creating space for the customer to participate in configuration and even development is the aim of Embedded Open Toolkits for User Innovation (EMOTIO), advanced by the Laboratory for Machine Tools WZL of RWTH Aachen University. Therefore the customer is offered room to modify actual configurations and even implement own creative solutions during the practical use of a product. These changes will be evaluated and leaded back into the production process to improve the product successively.

Product piracy has risen to a serious problem for almost every OEM in the capital goods industry. Identifying the right counter-measures for creating and optimizing a holistic anti-counterfeiting-strategy helps to cope with these challenges. One of the most critical factors in developing such a strategy is establishing a cost/benefit ratio. A three-level selection concept helps choosing the right measures.

Firms offering product-related services can be distinguished by development stages or by types. Type-1 firms focus on the product and may benefit from refinements of service cost accounting. Type-2 firms exhibit an extended offer of separately priced services. For these firms, capacity planning and thus information on fixed capacity costs is especially important. Type-3 firms offer relationship-based services and thereby increasingly apply full-service contracts. This alters the risk distribution between the firm and its customers so that variable costs and pricing issues become more important.

The creation and configuration of innovative business models within the sheet metal forming industry focuses on the development of saleable product-service-combinations. It is necessary to integrate these product-service-combinations in adequate value chain configurations. To charge the output of the product-service-combinations appropriate revenue models must be selected and configured. This article shows an integrative methodology for redesigning existing and creating new business models.

Industrial customers are increasingly expecting to be provided with integrated solutions that in addition to a decent physical product comprise diverse services as well. Such solutions, called product-service systems (PSS), have to fulfil both customer individual targets and manufacturer targets. Due to this, manufacturer have to define key figures, which allow to choose the specific configuration of PSS and to measure the performance while it is used. This paper presents an approach for generating key figures for selecting PSS and controlling their performance.

The following short market survey presents interfaces between services in industry and logistic of five different providers. Main topics in the survey were the use of IT-Systems, connection with cooperation partners, challenges in the Supply Chain and trends concerning the future of industrial services.

Industrial processes need to cope with outstanding requirements. Individual products, delivered just-in-sequence, short delivery time and lowest possible overall costs need to be realized simultaneously. In this context Life Cycle Cost Conceptions (LCC) can help to tap the full potential of cost reduction for manufacturer and customer within the complete life cycle. The following article illustrates essential elements of LCC conceptions, assets and drawbacks and implementing steps that need to be taken.

Today, many companies from different industry sectors view hybrid products as a chance to achieve sustainable competitive advantages. But in practice many companies see little gain in the supply of hybrid products. This article shows that in order to build a competitive advantage companies have to make sure that their hybrid products provide high value for the customer, which in return requires a process of co-creation with the customer. Additionally, we will describe that and how a dialogue-oriented marketing communication can affect a customer’s perception of value.

Firms use product classifications as a mean for structuring diversified ranges of products and harmonizing their description. In many industries, products are subject of differentiation and increasing customer requirements which both require a stronger customization of products. This trend affects also product classifications which undergo changes quicker and more often as well as get more detailed. Therefore, classifying and describing products can no longer be regarded as a one-time task; it has to be done multiple times or even on a regular basis. In this paper, we take a cost perspective and propose a method for estimating product classification costs in firms.