Flexibility in Mass Customization of Houses

Abstract

Mass customization as a business strategy serves to provide for product variations while maintaining the efficiency of production. Houses are one-of-a-kind products that reflect social and cultural differences of inhabitants who live in them. True adaptation of mass customization in the housing industry demands for flexibility, that is, stability and responsiveness in producing highly customized houses. Achieving that requires smooth flow of information among and effective collaboration between customers, designers, and manufacturers. This paper presents a comprehensive framework in the adaptation of mass customization in the housing industry by delineating fundamentals and technological developments in design, customization, and manufacturing spaces. Difficulties and challenges of such an approach are discussed from both companies’ and customers’ perspectives.