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Stephen C. Graves and Joel Moses. Grotsky, Dan Moshe, 1971- Leaders for Manufacturing Program. Leaders for Manufacturing Program at MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Sloan School of Management 2006-11-08T16:25:27Z 2006-11-08T16:25:27Z 2002 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/34719 50740087 Thesis (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; in conjunction with the Leaders for Manufacturing Program at MIT, February 2002. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 49-50). Compaq Computer Corporation's High Performance Systems Business Unit (HPSBU) manufactures a series of high-end computer servers called Alpha Servers. These servers are manufactured in relatively low volumes, typically for large institutions that require complex computer systems - either rapid number processing, as in scientific applications, or massive data processing, as in large database applications. They are mostly custom-configured for each customer, each server specifically assembled, and each system specifically configured to meet each customer's needs. As computer manufacturing processes become more standardized, and computers almost commoditized, it becomes impractical to manufacture all system components in-house. To that extent, Compaq has gradually outsourced more and more of the functions, which, combined, are necessary to deliver finished product to Compaq's Alpha Server customers. For instance, as computer manufacturing technology progressed, it quickly became evident, that keyboard manufacturing can, and should, be outsourced to a contract manufacturer, which can achieve economies of scale and produce large quantities of standard keyboards at minimal cost. On the other extreme, Compaq has made sure to keep most of its core competencies in-house, in order to preserve its competitive advantage. The key question faced by Compaq today is which functions to preserve in-house, and which to outsource. A new conceptual model for making this make or buy decision is presented. The purpose of this model is to raise the numerous issues at stake when considering outsourcing of a particular function, specifically when dealing with low-volume, high-complexity products, such as the Alpha Server. This model provides Compaq with a structured method of analyzing the various components that make up the finished product delivered to the customer, and deciding which need to be maintained in-house, which should be outsourced, and which of those can be outsourced. Initial model implementation was performed on the latest Alpha Server product family, dubbed Miracle for the purpose of this document. by Dan Moshe Grotsky. S.M. M.B.A. 59 leaves 5120764 bytes 5120524 bytes application/pdf application/pdf eng Massachusetts Institute of Technology M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 Sloan School of Management. Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Leaders for Manufacturing Program. A new framework for making sourcing decisions regarding low-volume, high-complexity products Thesis application/pdf false Publication unknown unknown <Publication xmlns="https://www.openaire.eu/cerif-profile/1.1/" id="221eb1de-5d29-4d5f-8171-92f5d8768133"> <Type xmlns="https://www.openaire.eu/cerif-profile/vocab/COAR_Publication_Types">http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_1843</Type> <Language>eng</Language> <Title>A new framework for making sourcing decisions regarding low-volume, high-complexity products</Title> <PublishedIn> <Publication> </Publication> </PublishedIn> <PublicationDate>2002</PublicationDate> <Authors> <Author> <DisplayName>Grotsky, Dan Moshe, 1971-</DisplayName> <Affiliation> <OrgUnit> </OrgUnit> </Affiliation> </Author> </Authors> <Editors> </Editors> <Publishers> <Publisher> <DisplayName>Massachusetts Institute of Technology</DisplayName> <OrgUnit /> </Publisher> </Publishers> <License>http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582</License> <Keyword>Sloan School of Management.</Keyword> <Keyword>Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.</Keyword> <Keyword>Leaders for Manufacturing Program.</Keyword> <Abstract>Compaq Computer Corporation&apos;s High Performance Systems Business Unit (HPSBU) manufactures a series of high-end computer servers called Alpha Servers. These servers are manufactured in relatively low volumes, typically for large institutions that require complex computer systems - either rapid number processing, as in scientific applications, or massive data processing, as in large database applications. They are mostly custom-configured for each customer, each server specifically assembled, and each system specifically configured to meet each customer&apos;s needs. As computer manufacturing processes become more standardized, and computers almost commoditized, it becomes impractical to manufacture all system components in-house. To that extent, Compaq has gradually outsourced more and more of the functions, which, combined, are necessary to deliver finished product to Compaq&apos;s Alpha Server customers. For instance, as computer manufacturing technology progressed, it quickly became evident, that keyboard manufacturing can, and should, be outsourced to a contract manufacturer, which can achieve economies of scale and produce large quantities of standard keyboards at minimal cost. On the other extreme, Compaq has made sure to keep most of its core competencies in-house, in order to preserve its competitive advantage. The key question faced by Compaq today is which functions to preserve in-house, and which to outsource. A new conceptual model for making this make or buy decision is presented. The purpose of this model is to raise the numerous issues at stake when considering outsourcing of a particular function, specifically when dealing with low-volume, high-complexity products, such as the Alpha Server. This model provides Compaq with a structured method of analyzing the various components that make up the finished product delivered to the customer, and deciding which need to be maintained in-house, which should be outsourced, and which of those can be outsourced. Initial model implementation was performed on the latest Alpha Server product family, dubbed Miracle for the purpose of this document.</Abstract> <Access xmlns="http://purl.org/coar/access_right" > </Access> </Publication>