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The impact of mass customisation on manufacturing trade-offs

The impact of mass customisation on manufacturing trade-offs
The impact of mass customisation on manufacturing trade-offs
Management literature has suggested that the advent of mass customisation marks the end for trade-offs between customisation and other competitive priorities (Pine et al. 1993; Westbrook and Williamson 1993; Tu et al. 2001). However, evidence supporting this proposition is anecdotal. This paper examines the impact of product customisation on four competitive priorities, drawing upon the results of a recent survey of 102 U.K. manufacturing firms from eight industry sectors. The study indicates significant compatibility between customisation and quality, volume flexibility, delivery reliability and non-manufacturing costs. On the other hand, trade-offs remain between customisation and manufacturing costs and delivery lead times. The results contradict the initial proposition that customisation can be “free,” and have important implications for firms embarking upon a mass customisation strategy.
mass customization, trade-offs, manufacturing strategy, empirical research
1059-1478
10-21
Squire, Brian
58c04b07-3bf5-45cc-84c8-edddf4f4ecf9
Brown, Steve
b4aaf64c-2032-4715-a9ea-ef5e604b5de1
Readman, Jeff
b99610a6-11c3-413e-8dae-4ae5c1d57307
Bessant, John
d76bc1b2-1d96-4206-8bc7-74fe4ad1cce1
Squire, Brian
58c04b07-3bf5-45cc-84c8-edddf4f4ecf9
Brown, Steve
b4aaf64c-2032-4715-a9ea-ef5e604b5de1
Readman, Jeff
b99610a6-11c3-413e-8dae-4ae5c1d57307
Bessant, John
d76bc1b2-1d96-4206-8bc7-74fe4ad1cce1

Squire, Brian, Brown, Steve, Readman, Jeff and Bessant, John (2006) The impact of mass customisation on manufacturing trade-offs. Production and Operations Management, 15 (1), 10-21.

Record type: Article

Abstract

Management literature has suggested that the advent of mass customisation marks the end for trade-offs between customisation and other competitive priorities (Pine et al. 1993; Westbrook and Williamson 1993; Tu et al. 2001). However, evidence supporting this proposition is anecdotal. This paper examines the impact of product customisation on four competitive priorities, drawing upon the results of a recent survey of 102 U.K. manufacturing firms from eight industry sectors. The study indicates significant compatibility between customisation and quality, volume flexibility, delivery reliability and non-manufacturing costs. On the other hand, trade-offs remain between customisation and manufacturing costs and delivery lead times. The results contradict the initial proposition that customisation can be “free,” and have important implications for firms embarking upon a mass customisation strategy.

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More information

Published date: 2006
Additional Information: Squire, B., Brown, S., Readman, J. and J. Bessant- Editor -->
Keywords: mass customization, trade-offs, manufacturing strategy, empirical research

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 37185
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/37185
ISSN: 1059-1478
PURE UUID: a7f024b9-c416-4caa-b14d-d4514446f6df

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 06 Feb 2008
Last modified: 26 Apr 2022 22:18

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Contributors

Author: Brian Squire
Author: Steve Brown
Author: Jeff Readman
Author: John Bessant

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