The multiple faces of mass customization: Product design, process design and supply chain design

Abstract

Mass Customization is one of the buzz words of the last decade. However, the purpose of efficiently unfolding multiple variants of a product or service has deep grounded consequences for the business processes and the underlying system. Subsequently, the supply chain structures supporting these processes face many challenges. In this paper we expose an integrated view on mass customization from a design perspective, rooted in a user-oriented design paradigm. First, we want to find an answer to whether mass customization is a feasible business model to guarantee sustainability in the Flemish textile industry. Second, how can the long tail business model be designed in an integrated way, relating product, process and supply chain design. The mass customized product/service design framework is based on field data gathered from a technological innovation supporting programme operational in Flanders' textile industry. Based on these data, some preliminary benchmarking observations can be made which relate to product, process and supply chain design. © IFIP International Federation for Information Processing 2013.