PLM Library · Dissertation
Costing Commonality: Evaluating the Impact of Platform Divergence on Internal Investment Returns
- Author
- Bruce G. Cameron
- Publisher
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Year
- 2011
- Pages
- 253
Summary
Investigates commonality investments, cost allocation and the consequences of platform divergence for internal investment returns. This doctoral dissertation examines why anticipated savings from product platforms may not materialize and how cost growth and investment incentives affect their economics.
It offers an advanced research perspective for readers who need to look beyond the general argument for reuse and understand how shared-platform benefits are distributed and sustained over time.
Our verdict
Recommended as an advanced research resource for readers investigating why anticipated platform savings may not materialize. Best suited to a deep examination of platform economics, not a quick introduction to modularization.
Who should read it
- —Researchers studying product-platform economics
- —Platform and finance leaders investigating unrealized savings
- —Advanced practitioners evaluating commonality investments
How it relates to your work
- —Scrutinize cost-allocation assumptions and investment incentives in platform business cases.
- —Consider how divergence changes returns over a product family's lifecycle.
Keep in mind
- —A doctoral dissertation in Engineering Systems, submitted to MIT in August 2011.
- —Free full text is available through MIT. Repository access does not grant permission to redistribute the complete dissertation.
- —At 253 pages, it is a substantial research document rather than a practitioner handbook.