PLATFORM STRATEGIES AS A LEVER FOR TRANSFORMING SMES FROM SINGLE-CUSTOMER-DRIVEN PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND MANUFACTURING SERVICES TOWARDS MARKET-DRIVEN PRODUCTS

摘要

While focusing on core competencies large companies outsourced segments of their development and manufacturing operations, creating multi-tiered supplier structures, often with SMEs on the lowest tier. These SMEs with a business model of providing an "extended workbench" are often dependent on few customers and don't achieve significant economies of scale.rnOur paper argues for a platform approach to product design coupled with a disciplined search for compatible customers as a first step for a company providing single-customer-driven product development services towards becoming market-driven. We review differences between these two types of SME business models (e.g. tasks, organization, strategies, and processes) and how a platform strategy addresses these differences.rnThe underlying study for the paper consists of several case studies of companies at varying stages towards market-driven products and a history of providing single-customer-driven product development and manufacturing services. The case studies detail the achieved benefits and in cases where the companies have not proceeded the factors contributing to the stalling. The study results are relevant to company executives in search of growth strategies for SMEs working as "extended workbenches" as well as for researchers interested in product development strategies for SME. Further empirical research will focus on identifying solutions to both, platform development and product introduction challenges in SME.