Knowledge management across multi-tier enterprises: the promise of intelligent software in the auto industry

Jack G. Olin, Noel P. Greis and John D. Kasarda

European Management Journal, 1999, vol. 17, issue 4, 335-347

Abstract: The automotive industry is at a critical juncture in its evolution. Vehicle manufacturers are merging horizontally into large portfolio-oriented companies focused on assembly and marketing while reducing their in-house development and manufacturing depth in favor of a multi-tier supplier base. This realignment has increased organizational flexibility and global technology access, but concerns have been raised about the industry's ability to manage complex product programs across multi-tier interfaces -- and about knowledge leaks to competitors. In this paper we argue that these virtually integrated enterprises are not well served by hierarchical planning tools and dedicated communications networks. Instead, distributed intelligence in an open-architecture and secure enterprise network provides the connectivity needed for successful product development and delivery. Emerging software tools such as intelligent agents or applets, common in Internet applications such as assisted personal computing, are well-suited for coordinating complex product management processes in multi-tier enterprises. As these new information technologies advance, competitive success will depend on the intertwined evolution of these embedded software tools and the new business processes that they are creating.

Date: 1999
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0263237399000146
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:eurman:v:17:y:1999:i:4:p:335-347

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/115/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... me/115/bibliographic

Access Statistics for this article

European Management Journal is currently edited by Michael Haenlein

More articles in European Management Journal from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().