Extended value chain modelling and simulation for mass customization implementation

Abstract

Even though it is an attractive strategy, Mass customization (MC) is not feasible in all environments, and when it is it presents many challenges to be dealt with. Although the literature presents many methods for implementing MC, none of these presented a structured way for implementing and evaluating such a strategy as a whole, each concentrated on one department or phase of the supply chain or value chain. Implementing MC as a strategy in a company is made in 3 main steps. The first one is deciding on the desired level of MC. The second is planning for the change induced in the whole enterprise by such a strategy, and finally the last by evaluating the implemented strategy and constantly improving it. We suggest in this paper the use of extended value chain modelling and simulation for the second and third steps of MC implementation. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010.