STUDY OF DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING ISSUES OF MASS CUSTOMIZATION

Abstract

Consumer markets and purchasing trends are extremely dynamic, and customers today are more demanding than ever. Over the past two decades, mass customization has become more popular as a means of enhancing business due to the growing interest in obtaining customized and increased purchasing power. Mass Customization is a generic business strategy for organizational excellence and organizations striving for competitive advantage are incorporating MC into their business model. A lot of research has been done to improve a single enabler or a bundle of enablers to aid in the improvement process of mass customization. But in certain developing countries like India, mass customization is at its incipient stage, and manufacturing units who desire to implement this production paradigm for competitive advantage require a knowledge of the enablers, drivers, and manufacturing framework to foray into the more competitive arenas of mass customization for getting an edge in the marketplace. Given this need for research, the current study focuses on the enablers, drivers and manufacturing model for mass customization, with special focus on design and manufacturing issues. Though research has been done to identify enablers of mass customization, there has been an associated degree of study in conceptual papers while theory-building articles are less in number. Also, less study has been done in the Indian market scenario. The literature shows that organizations are apprehensive of their technological potential and are not taking the initiative to transform themselves from conventional mass manufacturing companies to mass customization for emerging market needs. As a response to this research gap, a systematic literature review is conducted on enablers for MC and Total Interpretive Structural Modelling (TISM), and MICMAC analysis is used to develop a framework that illustrates how enablers are placed at different levels and how a particular enabler influences the other or getting influenced. Supporting this insight, a theory for accomplishing mass customization in manufacturing units is established. The theory is verified by vii experts by structured questionnaires from three Indian manufacturing companies where Mass customization is being practiced. Practices are suggested to reinforce the attainment of mass customization in organizations aspiring to implement mass customization. Fostering on the foundation laid by erstwhile researcher Hart, who developed an analytical framework of four pillars of mass customization for organizations, the research was conducted to obtain additional discernments on the nature of the linkage between the four pillars Customer sensitivity, Process Amenability, Competitive environment, and Organizational readiness for attaining mass customization for competitive advantage. Hypothesis developed was statistically verified with the help of structural equation modelling. The analysis of 276 valid responses from Indian professional experts was used to verify and obtain a manufacturing model for MC implementation. The research applied multiple case study method to verify the manufacturing model framework for mass customization implementation. This study aimed to validate the previous framework with the help of multiple case studies. Production managers, quality managers, sales and marketing personnel, supply chain managers and business heads from three manufacturing enterprises in India were interviewed in-depth. The case companies are diverse in terms of size, ownership, and markets they serve. In businesses striving to implement mass customization, challenges are identified, and strategies are proposed to enhance the accomplishment of mass customization for competitive advantage. In India, mass customization as a manufacturing approach is a burgeoning concept, and the identification of drivers of mass customization that drive the current market were thoroughly explored. This research work focuses on identifying and ranking the drivers of mass customization adaptation to assist Indian manufacturing companies in strategic planning, encouraging them to take the first step toward a long-term business model in a competitive market and to comprehend strategic goals to build a competitive business structure. Fifteen drivers were grouped into four categories and viii ranked based on inputs from industry experts using the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP). A fuzzy technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution (FTOPSIS) was used to rank various manufacturing sectors for mass customization adaptability in the current economic environment. Case studies in four organizations of Indian origin were conducted to uncover the drivers that led them to pursue the more lauded but less explored area of mass customization and verify the proposed framework. This study will aid managers who are contemplating a transition from mass manufacturing to mass customization in better comprehending the crucial areas where more emphasis is required. Identifying and prioritization of drivers for MC will assist managers and decision-makers in focusing on a few key drivers that will aid in the transition from mass production to mass customization. The case studies will help practitioners to understand the factors/enablers/drivers were practically used by certain companies for MC implementation. Though MC is not an “one size fit” for all companies, it will aid in generating innovative practices for those venturing into this arena.