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What happens when you bring the best of two famous brands together? What sorts of innovations can emerge, and how is a brand image created for the new product? The Smart car came about as a result of a collaboration between car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz and Swatch, the Swiss watch maker. This album examines the innovations behind the Smart car, its supply chain, and its assembly line in Hambach, France, where a finished car is produced every 96 seconds. With its major suppliers situated on the same site, Smart can rapidly assemble a good value customisable car which is both pioneering and appealing. This material forms part of The Open University Course T882 Supply chain innovation, strategy and management.
- Duration 35 mins
- Updated Saturday 5th December 2009
- Posted under Engineering & Technology
Track 1: Supply chains: Smart cars
A short introduction to this album
© The Open University 2009
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- See details of the Open University course this album comes from
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Tracks in this podcast:
| Track | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Supply chains: Smart cars | A short introduction to this album Play now Supply chains: Smart cars |
| 2 | Smart thinking | Introducing the funky customisable Smart car, the result of a partnership between Mercedes and Swatch watches Play now Smart thinking |
| 3 | Smartville | How the innovations continue at Smart's factory, and how the brand image is built Play now Smartville |
| 4 | Behind the brand | The radical re-thinking of the car assembly process and its supply chain, along with 12 on site component suppliers Play now Behind the brand |
| 5 | Innovating the aftermarket | The servicing and selling of Smart cars to customers is also revolutionised, combining the best of Swatch and Mercedes' brand values Play now Innovating the aftermarket |
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