Outsourcing Engineering Activities. Analysis and Improvement of the Process

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• INTRODUCTION
• ABOUT THE CASE COMPANY
• PROBLEM DEFINITION AND OBJECTIVES
• APPROACH
• OUTSOURCING
• DEFINITION OF OUTSOURCING
• OPPORTUNITIES AND RISKS OF OUTSOURCING
• OPPORTUNITIES OF OUTSOURCING
• RISKS OF OUTSOURCING
• EXTERNAL VS. INTERNAL OUTSOURCING
• EXTERNAL OUTSOURCING
• INTERNAL OUTSOURCING
• OUTSOURCING OF ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES
• EMPIRICAL FINDINGS WITHIN THE LITERATURE
• THE IMPACT OF MODULARIZATION ON OUTSOURCING DEVELOPMENT
• FRAMEWORKS FOR OUTSOURCING ENGINEERING
• CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR OUTSOURCING PROTOTYPING
• MODEL FOR OUTSOURCING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPLETE VEHICLE
• COMPARISON OF THE FRAMEWORKS
• CONCLUSION
• PROCESS ANALYSIS AND IMPROVEMENT
• THE PROCESSES
• DEFINITION OF PROCESSES
• CLASSIFICATION OF PROCESSES
• LEVELS OF ABSTRACTION
• PROCESS MANAGEMENT
• ROLES WITHIN PROCESS MANAGEMENT AND PROCESSES
• PROCESS OWNER
• PROCESS MANAGER
• PROCESS TEAM MEMBER
• PROCESS PARTICIPANT
• PROCESS MODELLING
• EVENT-DRIVEN PROCESS CHAIN
• BUSINESS PROCESS MODELLING NOTATION
• FLOW CHART
• RESPONSIBILITY CHARTS
• AS-IS SITUATION
• PREPARATION OF AS-IS MODELLING
• GATHERING INFORMATION
• AS-IS MODELLING
• AS-IS PROCESS ANALYSIS
• PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
• CONCLUSION
• OUTSOURCING ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES AT THE CASE COMPANY
• THE FUNCTIONAL DEPARTMENT BODY & TRIM
• THE BODY & TRIM DEPARTMENTS
• FUNCTIONS AND ROLES IN THE BODY & TRIM DEPARTMENT
• THE SUPPLIERS
• ENGINEERING CENTERS
• EXTERNAL SUPPLIERS
• REASON FOR OUTSOURCING
• FORMS OF OUTSOURCING
• WORK ORDER FOR EXTERNAL SERVICES
• FIXED PRICE WORK PACKAGES
• EXPERIENCE WITH OUTSOURCING ENGINEERING
• CLASSIFICATION OF THE OUTSOURCING PROCESS
• DOCUMENTATION OF THE AS-IS SITUATION
• THE PROCESS FOR WORK ORDERS
• THE PROCESS FOR WORK PACKAGES
• REQUEST FOR QUOTATION
• THE CONTENT OF THE REQUEST FOR QUOTATION DOCUMENT
• ATTACHMENTS OF THE REQUEST FOR QUOTATION
• THE INTERFACE AGREEMENT
• ANALYSIS OF THE AS-IS SITUATION
• FRUSTRATION LENS
• TIME AND COST LENS
• FINDINGS FOR WORK ORDERS
• FINDINGS FOR WORK PACKAGES
• DEVELOPING THE TO-BE PROCESS
• MEASURES USED TO CREATE THE TO-BE PROCESS
• ASSISTING TOOLS
• IT-SYSTEM FOR OUTSOURCING ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES
• TO-BE PROCESS
• THE PROCESS FOR WORK ORDERS
• EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR THE WORK ORDER PROCESSES
• THE PROCESS FOR WORK PACKAGES
• EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR THE WORK ORDER PROCESSES
• REMARKS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION
• CONCLUSION
• CONCLUSION AND OUTLOOK

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis aims to provide a comprehensive theoretical foundation for designing an outsourcing process for engineering activities, specifically focusing on the automotive industry. The study analyzes the existing process for outsourcing engineering activities at a case company and identifies areas for improvement.

• The opportunities and risks associated with outsourcing, particularly in the context of engineering activities.
• The development of a standardized outsourcing process, including risk analysis and process mapping.
• The identification and analysis of bottlenecks and inefficiencies in the existing outsourcing process.
• The design and implementation of a "to-be" process that addresses the identified challenges and improves efficiency and effectiveness.
• The impact of outsourcing on the case company's flexibility and cost reduction.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The thesis is divided into five main chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the case company, defines the problem and objectives of the study, and outlines the approach taken. Chapter 2 provides a theoretical foundation for outsourcing, exploring its definition, opportunities, risks, and frameworks for outsourcing engineering activities. Chapter 3 focuses on process analysis and improvement, covering process definition, classification, management, and modelling techniques. Chapter 4 delves into the case study, analyzing the existing outsourcing process at the case company, identifying inefficiencies, and proposing improvements. Chapter 5 concludes the thesis, summarizing key findings and providing an outlook for future research.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This thesis focuses on the topic of outsourcing engineering activities, specifically within the automotive industry. Key concepts include process analysis, process improvement, risk management, process mapping, and the development of standardized outsourcing processes. The study also examines the impact of outsourcing on organizational flexibility and cost reduction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is outsourcing engineering activities becoming more common?

Companies outsource engineering to reduce costs, increase flexibility, and focus on core competencies, even as these activities climb higher up the value chain.

What are the main risks of outsourcing engineering?

Risks include the loss of critical know-how, dependency on suppliers, quality issues, and increased coordination effort if processes are not well-defined.

How can a standardized outsourcing process be developed?

By using process mapping (flowcharts) to analyze the "as-is" situation, identifying problem areas, and creating an efficient "to-be" process with clear responsibilities.

What is the difference between "Work Orders" and "Work Packages"?

The thesis distinguishes between work orders for external services and fixed-price work packages, analyzing the specific process flows for each at the case company.

What role does modularization play in engineering outsourcing?

Modularization allows for easier separation of engineering tasks, making it more feasible to outsource the development of specific vehicle components or modules.