Enterprise integration strategies across virtual extended enterprise networks : a case study of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program enterprise

Over the last decade, many companies in industries that produce complex and technologically-advanced products have begun to integrate their operations along the value chains of the primary products they design, produce or sustain. Increasingly, integration efforts have moved beyond the boundaries of the core or focal enterprise serving as the prime contractor or system integrator to span the entire value chain, to form virtual extended enterprises. These structures allow the members of the virtual extended enterprise to focus on their core competencies in order to collaboratively deliver a world-class product at a competitive price. While integration offers many benefits to enterprises, a high degree of integration is not always desirable or advantageous in a limited duration virtual extended enterprise composed of autonomous companies. Virtual extended enterprises must find a balance between decoupled collaboration and highly coupled integration, balancing the need to closely coordinate their efforts with the need protect the autonomy of their members. The objective of this research is to explore the extent to which a focal enterprise, such as a prime contractor or system integrator, should consider integration across its virtual extended enterprise, identify major barriers to integration, and define key enablers of integration overcoming these barriers.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Technology and Policy Program.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Glazner, Christopher G

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Kirkor Bozdogan.

• Technology and Policy Program.

Statement dc:rights

• 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.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/34515

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/34515