Mass Customization: The New Frontier in Business Competition
(Harvard Business School Press: Boston 1993)
The Mass Production of standardized goods was the source of America’s economic strength for generations and became the model for successful industries. Today, that model is a major cause of the nation’s declining competitiveness. Innovative companies are embracing a new paradigm of management – Mass Customization – that allows them to individually customize their goods and services at competitive prices or better. The book explains Mass Customization in its historical context, demonstrates why Mass Production cannot work in turbulent industries, and outlines how new forms of competition have led to first greater variety and now increased customization. Based upon academic and field research, Mass Customization: The New Frontier in Business Competition is a thoughtful analysis and commentary on when and how managers in both service and manufacturing industries can make the transition to this new business model. The book details the strategies, methods, and organizational transformations required to develop, produce, market, and deliver individually customized goods and services on a high-volume basis, and shows managers how to analyze their own industries to determine if they should shift to Mass Customization. Winner of the 1995 Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing Research.
