ZEMCH 2015 - International Conference Proceedings | Page 507

Mass Customization
Mass customization is an approach that involves the entire value chain, from sourcing to final
distribution (Piller, 2003; Duray et al., 2002). According to Pine II (1994), companies moving towards
mass customization usually begin by implementing one approach, or a combination of approaches that requires less modification on their existing processes. Also, the selection of the approach
will depend on how the value chain is configured and when the customization process will take
place (Pine, 1994; Duray et al., 2000). Thus, the moment when costumers are involved in the process may determine the degree of customization and the most appropriate practical approach
(Duray et al., 2000). However, Pine II (1999) argues that some approaches may allow costumers to
adapt the product by themselves, during the use phase, not needing to be involved in the product development process. Figure 1 presents four main approaches to achieve mass customization.
In this spectrum, practical approaches to mass customization are displayed according to the moment that customers are involved in the process, and how the value chain is organized to provide
the customized product. In Custom-tailored products, costumers are involved in early phases of
product development. The product may follow a modular architecture, but the costumer can interfere in the design phase (Duray et al., 2000). Achieving customization through a Combination of
standard components implies that design decisions have already been made and cannot be modified. This combination may involve standard designs or standard components that have already
been produced (Pine II, 1999; Duray et al., 2000). Product customization can also be postponed
to the sales point, and realized through Additional work (Pine II, 1999). Finally, customization can
be achieved by Enabling customization during use (Pine II, 1999; Duray et al., 2000) or customized
services can be delivered with standard products (Pine II, 1999).

Figure 1: Practical approaches for mass customization in manufacturing
Depending on the practical approach for mass customization, different issues regarding the product development process need to be considered, regarding product’s design, the production system and the supply chain design. Most approaches require a product with modular architecture,
allowing the combination of components in different ways to generate a variety of solutions (Collina, 2004). Thus, economy of scale can be achieved through the production of standard elements,
while variety is provided by combining those elements in different ways (Pine II, 1999).

Opportunities and challenges to mass customize low-income housing in Brazil

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