产品开发组织超模块化及其对创新的影响——以丰田汽车为案例的研究

Ultra-modular Organization in Product Development System and Its Impact on Innovation——A Case Study on Toyota

本文从产品模块化与组织模块化非对应关系的立论出发,基于对丰田汽车开发系统的典型案例研究,重点探讨了模块化产品开发中超模块组织的性质、成因、结构形态及其在产品创新中的作用。研究发现,模块化产品的开发过程并不一定要采取与之"同构"的模块化组织形式,相反,以超模块组织来加强开发过程中各任务模块之间的联系,有利于促进整个产品系统的突破性创新。本文将模块化产品开发系统中采用超模块组织形式归结为影响产品系统创新绩效的调节变量,由此深化了对组织模块化结构表现形态及其前因后果的认识。

From the standpoint that modular product does not correspond a modular type of organization,this article discusses the nature,origin,structure and role of the ultra-modular organization used for developing modular product basing on an in-depth case study on Toyota＇s recently-transformed RD system.We find that the design of modular products do not result in a ＂homogeneous＂ modular forms of organization.On the contrary,it is possible to achieve disruptive innovation in the product development system applying the ultra-modular pattern of organization to enhance the linkages among differentiated task modules.The article regards the ultra-modular organization as a moderating variable affecting the innovative performance of product development system,thus deepening the understanding on the patterns of organizational modularization and their antecedents and consequences.