The Final Outsourcing Frontier

Since the late 1990s, manufacturers have outsourced modules of the vehicle to their global supply base, creating large system suppliers who expanded their product development and R&D capabilities. At the same time, both manufacturers and suppliers have globalized their product development and R&D activities by strategically locating these functions in important markets around the globe and linking them through the use of information technology.  But how they link these processes across their global organizations is a key issue. 

Both groups are also beginning to test the waters of outsourcing some of the business processes tied to these critical functions. Countries like India and China are developing the skilled work forces that may make outsourcing these processes more viable than was once thought possible. 

This seminar will look at how major manufacturers and suppliers are organizing their global product development and/or R&D activities.  In particular, we will look at how suppliers are integrated into OEM product development programs and R&D projects, and how Tier 2 suppliers are integrated into Tier 1 supplier product development programs and R&D projects. We will also examine how far along manufacturers and suppliers may be in outsourcing some of their product development and R&D processes.  Thus, speakers will focus primarily on how manufacturers and suppliers are globalizing these functions and discuss how, if at all, they may outsource some of these important processes.

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