Globalization has profoundly influenced production strategies, but recent crises have highlighted the fragility of extended supply chains, prompting companies to reassess the offshoring paradigm. This thesis examines the design, evaluation, and implementation of a hybrid modular production model through a case study of an Italian company in the professional lighting systems sector. The objective is to overcome the traditional offshoring/reshoring dichotomy by balancing cost efficiency, resilience, and control. The research integrates a qualitative approach with quantitative tools: a multi-criteria pairwise comparison framework based on 21 parameters across four dimensions (material, financial, economic, and managerial) for selecting countries for modular sourcing; and a dynamic Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model to simulate and evaluate economic, strategic, and organizational trade-offs. The analysis shows that modularization, through the introduction of functional sub-assemblies (“bricks”) combined with localized final assembly, reduces overall costs by 26.2%, strengthens operational control, and safeguards know-how.The results demonstrate that hybrid modularity balances the efficiencies of offshoring with the benefits of reshoring, mitigating risks such as supplier asymmetries and disruptions while enhancing operational agility and brand positioning. The work contributes to the academic debate by addressing gaps in hybrid model literature and proposing an operational framework that links modular product architecture to production location decisions. Practically, it provides decision-makers with analytical tools to design more resilient and flexible supply chains capable of navigating the uncertainty of global markets.
La globalizzazione ha profondamente influenzato le strategie produttive, ma le recenti crisi hanno messo in evidenza la fragilità delle catene di fornitura estese, spingendo le imprese a rivalutare il paradigma dell’offshoring. Questa tesi esamina la progettazione, la valutazione e l’implementazione di un modello di produzione ibrido modulare attraverso un caso studio su un’azienda italiana nel settore nei sistemi di illuminazione professionale. L’obiettivo è quello di superare la tradizionale dicotomia offshoring/reshoring bilanciando efficienza dei costi, resilienza e controllo. La ricerca integra un approccio qualitativo con strumenti quantitativi: un framework multicriterio per il confronto a coppie di 21 parametri in quattro dimensioni (materiale, finanziaria, economica e gestionale) per la selezione di paesi per il sourcing modulare; un modello dinamico di Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) al fine di simulare e valutare i compromessi economici, strategici e organizzativi. L’analisi evidenzia che la modularizzazione, tramite l’introduzione di sotto-assiemi funzionali (“bricks”) combinati con l’assemblaggio finale localizzato in sede, consente di ridurre i costi complessivi del 26,2%, rafforzare il controllo operativo e salvaguardare il know-how. I risultati dimostrano che la modularità ibrida bilancia le efficienze dell’offshoring con i benefici del reshoring, mitigando rischi come asimmetrie con i fornitori e interruzioni, mentre aumenta l’agilità operativa e il posizionamento del brand. Il lavoro contribuisce al dibattito accademico colmando il gap sui modelli ibridi e proponendo un framework operativo che collega l’architettura modulare dei prodotti alle decisioni di localizzazione produttiva. Sul piano pratico, fornisce ai decisori strumenti analitici utili per progettare supply chain più resilienti e flessibili, in grado di affrontare l’incertezza dei mercati globali.
Reconfiguring the value chain: a hybrid modular approach to resilience and strategic flexibility
Franceschini, Greta
2024/2025
Abstract
Globalization has profoundly influenced production strategies, but recent crises have highlighted the fragility of extended supply chains, prompting companies to reassess the offshoring paradigm. This thesis examines the design, evaluation, and implementation of a hybrid modular production model through a case study of an Italian company in the professional lighting systems sector. The objective is to overcome the traditional offshoring/reshoring dichotomy by balancing cost efficiency, resilience, and control. The research integrates a qualitative approach with quantitative tools: a multi-criteria pairwise comparison framework based on 21 parameters across four dimensions (material, financial, economic, and managerial) for selecting countries for modular sourcing; and a dynamic Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model to simulate and evaluate economic, strategic, and organizational trade-offs. The analysis shows that modularization, through the introduction of functional sub-assemblies (“bricks”) combined with localized final assembly, reduces overall costs by 26.2%, strengthens operational control, and safeguards know-how.The results demonstrate that hybrid modularity balances the efficiencies of offshoring with the benefits of reshoring, mitigating risks such as supplier asymmetries and disruptions while enhancing operational agility and brand positioning. The work contributes to the academic debate by addressing gaps in hybrid model literature and proposing an operational framework that links modular product architecture to production location decisions. Practically, it provides decision-makers with analytical tools to design more resilient and flexible supply chains capable of navigating the uncertainty of global markets.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/243047