The implications of product architecture on the firm

Product architecture defines the functional requirements within a product system, maps these requirements to physical elements or subsystems, and describes the interaction between these physical elements. In spite of the diverse literature on the topic, it is clear that the Implications on the firm have not been clearly outlined. In an attempt to fill this void, this paper offers a framework for classifying the vast amount of existing literature relevant to product architecture and summarizes the managerial implications. The proposed framework classifies the impact of product architecture on the firm along two dimensions: "facet of the firm" and "what is managed." The facet dimension indicates which system element (i.e., organization, product, or consumer) a piece of research considers and the second dimension categorizes how value is created by the facet (managing portfolios, establishing a structure, or executing processes). The key domains surrounding product architecture are research domains In and of themselves. Nevertheless, the task of this paper Is to articulate the concepts and research at the intersection of these key domains with product architecture.