The Application of Modular Concept in Personal Computer After-sale Services Outsourcing

在當今瞬息萬變的商業市場上，許多大企業開始認知到過去那種集製造、行銷、服務於一身的整體經營方式需要因時制宜，將資源集中於具有競爭優勢的企業活動，發展企業的「核心能力」。結合企業本身的核心能力與其他企業之核心能力可以達到一加一大於二的效果，而委外正是發揮這種功效的策略之一。關於委外議題的討論，學界已將近飽和，產業界的實務操作也相當成熟。本研究希望能經由另一種思維模式，以廣泛應用於軟/硬體產品設計的模組化概念，藉由一家國際知名電腦廠商在台分公司之個人電腦售後服務業務委外的實務經驗，探討售後服務模組化委外的可行性。結果顯示，以模組化的概念將個人電腦售後服務委外可以有效地節省公司成本，使得整個運作與管理更有彈性和效率，為客戶、承包商與個案公司創造三贏的局面，讓異業結盟更有成效，組織能更迅速導入新功能、增加更多創新的售後服務項目，節省人員訓練的時間，並讓售後服務委外活動更加容易。最後建議有興趣的產學界，可以針對以模組化的概念將服務業務委外的議題多加探討，以鞏固模組化委外的實證基礎。Many large enterprises have realized that their companies cannot be versatile in all business activities in the rapid changing market nowadays. They need to develop their core business which is difficult for their competitors to mimic, allowing the companies to differentiate themselves. Outsourcing is one of the strategies that, by bringing in the outside specialists, the client company is able to redirect or conserve energy directed at the competencies of a particular business. Various dimensions of outsourcing have been explored and discussed academically, and the organizations have already mastered the practice of outsourcing as well. This present research intended to explore the possibilities of applying the concept of modulization, which is widely used in designing computer hardware/software and other physical products, to personal computer after-sale services outsourcing practice carried out by the Taiwan branch office of a famous global company. After exploring the experience of implementing an after-sale outsourcing practice with modular concept, several benefits were reveled: (1) the cost of an organization could be cut down effectively; (2) the operation and management of an organization could be more flexible; (3) a triple-win situation for the end-users, the client company, and the service providers could be accomplished; (4) the inter-industry alliance would be established more effectively; (5) the organization could import newer function and more creative after-sale activities, and save more time in personnel training; and (6) the outsourcing practice was made easier. To solidify the base of applying the concept of modulization on the service outsourcing, interested corporate managers and academic scholars were suggested to discuss and explore more issues on this matter