DEFINITION of 'Make-Or-Buy Decision'

The act of choosing between manufacturing a product in-house or purchasing it from an

external supplier. In a make-or-buy decision, the two most important factors to consider are
cost and availability of production capacity.

An enterprise may decide to purchase the product rather than producing it, if is cheaper to
buy than make or if it does not have sufficient production capacity to produce it in-house.
With the phenomenal surge in global outsourcing over the past decades, the make-or-buy
decision is one that managers have to grapple with very frequently.

INVESTOPEDIA EXPLAINS 'Make-Or-Buy Decision'

Factors that may influence a firm's decision to buy a part rather than produce it internally
include lack of in-house expertise, small volume requirements, desire for multiple sourcing,
and the fact that the item may not be critical to its strategy. Similarly, factors that may tilt a
firm towards making an item in-house include existing idle production capacity, better quality
control or proprietary technology that needs to be protected

Why Might the Make or Buy decision arise?

A need to cut costs, in response to competition or as part of a review.

As part of new product development or product redesign, where production and

manufacturing engineering decisions are being made.

Changing demand, for example if volumes sold rise significantly, leaving the current method
of production no longer the cheapest or the most appropriate.

Reduction in capacity. Demands on floor space, skills, equipment or some other variable,
mean the existing way parts are supplied may not be the most efficient use of resources.

Problems with existing suppliers, this includes availability of supply and logistics.

Strategic re-evaluation of business processes in a drive to remain competitive. You may

decide to refocus on core or strategically important activities.

Outsourced Manufacture: Reasons for Buying

Obtain functional or technical expertise beyond your current capability.

Speed suppliers may be able to produce parts far quicker than you could ever dream of.

Inadequate internal quality control or processes to produce items to the required specification.

Lower acquisition cost when compared to internal production.

Free up capacity, space and resources.

A patent may protect certain components; therefore you cant legally reproduce them.

Free up managers and others to get on with core business.

Ensure alternative component sources to guarantee supply.

Maintain supplier commitment and relationship, as well as obtain know-how for strategic
reasons.

Reduce inventory costs, including the overhead of managing them.

Other Important Make or Buy Considerations

On-Time Delivery: If this is a critical factor, which option is positioned to best meet and
guarantee it?

Economies of Scale: Depending on the volume to be produced there may a natural limit on
how much can be manufactured internally.

If greater production volumes are needed in the future, is there the capacity to deliver using
your preferred method of supply?

What is the probability of success for either making or buying? What are the risks, likelihood
and consequences of each?

Responsiveness: If needed, how quickly could an in-house or outsourced supply arrangement

respond to a dramatic change in demand for parts?

If outsourcing is being considered, is it possible to visit, observe and talk to a prospective

supplier?

If so, what is your gut feeling?

What is their track record like (references)?

Are their values similar to yours?

Are they likely to deliver on time, to the right quality and at the right price?

Practical Points for Make or Buy Decision Making

The decision to manufacture something in-house or outsource it to suppliers varies depending on a
wide range of factors, many of them unique to your circumstances. As such, there are no hard and
fast answers that apply in all cases. Having said this, it is possible to maximise the chances of success
by providing practical guidance, drawn from the considerations listed above. Therefore:

Consider outsourcing if the activity does not add value and is not strategic to the business. For
example, only keep the task in-house if it helps build core competencies and specialist skills,
or the activity is critical to the success of the product (often quality related).

The 2 biggest factors to help decide will be cost and available capacity.

For cost, consider and compare the total costs of both in-house production and outsourcing.
Available capacity applies only to the make in-house option. Here you need to understand
what else you are committed to produce. Consider existing production schedules, as well as
the skills available.

Also take into account other factors from the list provided earlier for buy and make
respectively. Similarly, consider broader considerations that apply equally to both, like delivery
times, production volumes and responsiveness.

If you decide to outsource, visit a supplier if possible to get a feel for their ability to deliver, as
well as their sense of values. What is your gut feeling about them? What does their track
record look like? How do they operate contractually and is it an arrangement you can work
with?

Why not bring experience into your make versus buy decision and get a few knowledgeable
employees together before making a judgement call. At minimum, get the opinions of both
production and procurement employees.

Carefully consider all these points before being decisive, putting together a plan and executing it.
Monitor and review how things are going, before making slight adjustments if you feel you need to.
Lean manufacturing businesses realise the importance of make or buy decisions as part of their
manufacturing strategy. For the most successful firms, it is central to cutting out non-value added
activities and therefore focussing on making the most efficient use of their resources. Why not make it
your aim too?

WHAT IS MAKE-OR-BUY DECISION?

The make-or-buy decision is the action of deciding between manufacturing an item
internally (or in-house) or buying it from an external supplier (also known as
outsourcing). Such decisions are typically taken when a firm that has manufactured a
part or product, or else considerably modified it, is having issues with current
suppliers, or has reducing capacity or varying demand.
Another way to define make-or-buy decision that is closely related to the first
definition is this: a decision to perform one of the activities in the value chain inhouse, instead of purchasing externally from a supplier. A value chain is the complete
range of tasks such as design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of a product /
service that businesses must get done to take a service or product from conception to
their customers.
Some companies manage all of the tasks in the value chain from manufacturing raw
materials all through to the ultimate distribution of the completed goods and provision
of after-sales services. Some other companies are happy just to integrate on a smaller
scale by buying a lot of the parts and materials that are required for their finished
products. When a business is involved in more than one activity in the whole value
chain, it is vertically integrated. This kind of integration is quite common.
Vertical integration provides its own set of advantages. An integrated company
depends less on its suppliers and so can be certain of a smoother flow of materials and
parts for the manufacture than a non-integrated company. In addition, some companies
believe they can manage quality better by manufacturing their own parts and materials

instead of depending on the quality control standards of external suppliers. Whats

more, an integrated company realizes revenue from the parts and material that it is
making rather than buying in addition to income from its usual operations.
The benefits of vertical integration are counterbalanced by the benefits of using
outside suppliers. By combining demand from different companie, a supplier can
enjoy econoies of scale. These economies of scale can cause better quality and lower
expenses than would be possible if the business were to endeavor to manufacture the
parts or provide a service by itself. At the same time, a business should be careful to
retain control over those tasks that are necessary for maintaining its competitive
position. Case in point: Hewlett Packard manages the software for laser printers that it
manufactures in collaboration with Canon Inc. of Japan.
In the book World Class Supply Management published in 2003, Donald Dobler,
Stephen Starling and David Burt provide a rule of thumb for outsourcing. The rule
recommends that companies outsource all goods that do not fall into one of the
following three classes: 1) the good is critical to the products success including
customer discernment of key product attributes 2) the good falls well within the firms
key competencies, or within those the company should develop to accomplish future
plans, or 3) the item calls for specialized design and manufacturing equipment or
skills.

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE

DECISION
To come to a make-or-buy decision, it is essential to thoroughly analyze, all of the
expenses associated with product development in addition to expenses associated with
buying the product. The assessment should include qualitative and quantitative
factors. It should also separate relevant expenses from irrelevant ones and consider

only the former. The study should also look at the availability of the product and its
quality under each of the two situations.

Introduction to quantitative and qualitative

analysis
Quantitative aspects can be calculated and compared whereas qualitative aspects call
for subjective judgment and, frequently require multiple opinions. In addition, some
of the associated factors can be quantified with sureness while it is necessary to
estimate other factors. The make-or-buy decision calls for a thorough assessment from
all angles.
Quantitative aspects are essentially the incremental costs stemming from making or
purchasing the component. Factors of this type to look at may incorporate things such
as availability of manufacturing facilities, needed resources and manufacturing
capacity. This may also incorporate variable and fixed expenses that can be found out
either by way of estimation or with certainty. Similarly, quantitative expenses would
incorporate the cost of the good under consideration as the price is determined by
suppliers offering the product for sale in the marketplace.
Qualitative factors to look at call for more subjective assessment. Examples of such
factors include control over component quality, the reliability and reputation of the
suppliers, the possibility of modifying the decision in the future, the long-term
viewpoint concerning manufacture or purchase of the product, and the impact of the
decision on customers and suppliers.

Introduction to relevant and irrelevant

expenses

As mentioned earlier, distinguishing between these two kinds of expenses is necessary

to come to a make-or-buy decision. Relevant costs for manufacturing the good are all
the expenses that could be avoided by not manufacturing the product in addition to
theopportunity cost resulting from utilizing production facilities to manufacture the
good as against the next best alternative utilization of the manufacturing facilities.
Relevant costs for buying the product are all the expenses relating to purchasing a
product from suppliers. Irrelevant costs are the expenses involved irrespective of
whether the good is produced internally or bought externally.

Factors favoring in-house manufacture

Wish to integrate plant operations

Need for direct control over manufacturing and/or quality

Cost considerations (costs less to make the part)

Improved quality control

No competent suppliers and/or unreliable suppliers

Quantity too little to interest a supplier

Design secrecy is necessary to protect proprietary technology

Control of transportation, lead time, and warehousing expenses

Political, environmental, or social reasons

Productive utilization of excess plant capacity to assist with

absorbing fixed overhead (utilizing existing idle capacity)

Wish to keep up a stable workforce (in times when there are

declining sales)

Greater guarantee of continual supply

Factors favoring purchase from outside

Suppliers specialized know-how and research are more than

that of the buyer

Lack of expertise

Small-volume needs

Cost aspects (costs less to purchase the item)

Wish to sustain a multiple source policy

Item not necessary to the firms strategy

Limited facilities for a manufacture or inadequate capacity

Brand preference

Inventory and procurement considerations

Costs for the make analysis

Direct labor expenses

Incremental inventory-carrying expenses

Incremental capital expenses

Incremental purchasing expenses

Incremental factory operating expenses

Incremental managerial expenses

Delivered purchased material expenses

Any follow-on expenses resulting from quality and associated

problems

Cost factors for the buy analysis

Transportation expenses

Purchase price of the part

Incremental purchasing expenses

Receiving and inspection expenses

Any follow-on expenses associated with service or quality

MakeorBuyDecisions
Notallthecomponentsthatmakeupaproductareproducedinhouse.Somemaybe
purchasedfromasupplier.Thedecisionconcerningwhichitemswillbepurchased
andwhichitemswillbemadeisreferredtoassourcing,verticalintegration,or
themakeorbuydecision.
Themakeorbuydecisionrestsonanevaluationofthefollowingfactors:
1. Cost.Woulditbecheapertomaketheitemorbuyit?Toperformtheservice
inhouseorsubcontractitout?Thisistheprimaryconsiderationinmostmake
orbuydecisions.Althoughthecostofbuyingtheitemisrelatively
straightforward(i.e.,thepurchaseprice),thecostofmakingtheitemincludes
overheadallocationsthatmaynotaccuratelyreflectthecostofmanufacture.In
addition,therearesituationsinwhichacompanymaydecidetobuyanitem
ratherthanmakeit(orviceversa)when,fromacoststandpoint,itwouldbe

cheapertodootherwise.Theremainingfactorsinthislistrepresent
noneconomicfactorsthatcaninfluenceordominatetheeconomic
considerations.
2. Capacity.Companiesthatareoperatingatlessthanfullcapacityusuallymake
componentsratherthanbuythem,especiallyifmaintainingalevelworkforce
isimportant.Sometimestheavailablecapacityisnotsufficienttomakeallthe
components,sochoiceshavetobemade.Thestabilityofdemandisalso
important.Typically,itisbettertoproduceinhousethosepartsorproducts
withsteadydemandthatconsumeasetcapacity,whereasthosewhosedemand
patternsareuncertainorvolatileareusuallysubcontracted.
3. Quality.Thecapabilitytoprovidequalitypartsconsistentlyisanimportant
considerationinthemakeorbuydecision.Ingeneral,itiseasiertocontrolthe
qualityofitemsproducedinyourownfactory.However,standardizationof
parts,suppliercertification,andsupplierinvolvementindesigncanimprovethe
qualityofsuppliedparts.Poormanufacturingpracticesinthe1970sforced
manyU.S.companiesinthe1980stopurchasemajorcomponentsfromforeign
competitorstomeetcustomerqualityexpectations.Thisledtothecreationof
"hollow"corporationsthatfarmedouteverytaskexceptputtingthefinallabel
on.
4. Speed.Sometimescomponentsarepurchasedbecauseasuppliercanprovide
goodssoonerthanthemanufacturer.Thesmallersupplierisoftenmore
flexible,too,andcanadaptquicklytodesignandtechnologychanges.Of
course,speedisusefulonlyifitisreliable.
5. Reliability.Suppliersneedtobereliableinboththequalityandthetimingof
whattheysupply.Unexpecteddelaysinshipmentsorpartiallyfilledorders
becauseofqualityrejectscanwreakhavocwiththemanufacturingsystem.
Manycompaniestodayarerequiringtheirsupplierstomeetcertainqualityand
deliverystandardstobecertifiedasanapprovedsupplier.ISO9000isthe
EuropeanCommunity'squalitycertificationprogram.Thoseforeigncompanies
thatarenotcertifiedsimplymaynottradeinEurope.Othercompaniesassess
hugepenaltiesforunreliablesupply.DaimlerChrysler,forexample,finesits
suppliers$30,000foreachhouranorderislate.
6. Expertise.Companiesthatareespeciallygoodatmakingordesigningcertain
itemsmaywanttokeepcontrolovertheirproduction.CocoaColawouldnot
wanttoreleaseitsformulatoasupplier,eveniftherewereguaranteesof

secrecy.Althoughautomakersmightoutsourcemanyoftheircomponentparts,
theyneedproprietarycontrolovermajorcomponentssuchasengines,
transmissions,andelectronicguidancesystems.Japanese,Taiwanese,and
KoreanfirmsarecurrentlylearningAmericanexpertiseinaircraftdesignand
manufacturebyservingassuppliersofcomponentparts.Thedecisionof
whethertoshareyourexpertisewithasupplierforeconomicgainsisadifficult
one.
Companiesthatcontroltheproductionofvirtuallyalloftheircomponentparts,
includingthesourceofrawmaterials,aresaidtobeverticallyintegrated.This
strategywaspopularformanyyearswhencompaniesdidnotwanttobedependenton
othersfortheirlivelihood.Today,buyingcomponentsandrawmaterialsfromvendors
ismorecommon,butrelationshipswithvendorshavebeenstrengthened.Supplier
partnershipsarevaluableassetsingainingacompetitiveedge.Chapter9,"Supply
ChainManagement,"discussestheimportanceofsupplierrelationshipsfromaglobal
perspective.