Should Tesla outsource manufacturing? – The Wall Street Journal

DUBLIN — This is the first really interesting proposal I've read about Tesla's future in a long time – Tesla should stop making cars, which it is bad at, and focus on designing them, which it is good at. It's a simple idea. Many companies, including Apple, have outsourced the complicated and messy business of actually building things to specialists, instead focusing on the fun (and high-value) part of the process: design. Tesla designs good cars, with features that people value. Unfortunately, it struggles to actually build these cars. It has issues with quality control, the pace of output, and cost control. By focusing on design and leaving the hell of manufacturing to a partner, Tesla could capture the value of its brand and design brilliance without the constant distraction of production problems. Perhaps it's time for Elon Musk to reinvent car manufacturing the way he reinvented the combustion engine car. – Felicity Duncan

Tesla Should Pull an Apple: Leave 'Production Hell' to Other People

By John D. Stoll

(The Wall Street Journal) It's been two years since Elon Musk changed the name of his company. Like Apple Inc.'s decision a decade ago to hit delete on "Computer" (nodding to its focus on mobile devices), he dumped the "Motors" from Tesla Inc. to send the message that his was more than just a car company.

___STEADY_PAYWALL___