Examples
Practical examples
Are you curious about what this looks like in practice? Time for some real-world examples. A brief description of the OEM and the supplier is given. Then the Black Box question is described, and finally the most important ’tops and tips’: what went well and what can be learned?
Case study 1
The OEM develops equipment for the medical market. The supplier develops, manufactures and assembles frames and positioning systems.
The OEM has a need for a positioning module. The supplier is willing and able to develop and produce such a module. The specification is well established and stable. The OEM trusts that the supplier can develop this module independently, without a collaborative and iterative development process. The development is paid for by the OEM.
Further cost reductions are funded by the supplier and the savings are shared. This form of collaboration leads to great relief for the OEM. The OEM owns the product documentation, so is not completely dependent on the supplier. However, the supplier will need guarantees for the duration of the cooperation in order to recover its share of the investments
What about your future situation?
Consider the following questions:
- Does the Black Box business model fit your future situation?
- Why does or doesn’t this model fit?
- What are some possible areas of concern for your future situation with this model?
