DEGREES OF CUSTOMIZATION AND SALES SUPPORT SYSTEMS - ENABLERS TO SUSTAINIBILITY IN MASS CUSTOMIZATION

For more than 20 years, mass customization proofed as valuable business strategy to manufacture goods tailored to a customer's needs with nearly mass production efficiency. After pointing out key characteristics of the MC business model using the product-process change matrix we discuss modular product architectures and process stability with regard to sustainability. As tools for translating customer needs into technical specifications a classification of sales support systems is presented where catalogues, query forms, sales configurators and choice navigation systems are characterized. After this we define as different degrees of customization 'tuning', 'cosmetic', 'set-up', 'composition', 'aesthetic co-design' and 'function co-design' and compare them by their impact on the value chain. Depending on market needs and the over-all business strategy both issues can be addressed as enablers for sustainability in the mass customization business model.