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Mass customization:Japan's new frontier

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  • Westbrook, Roy
  • Williamson, Peter

Abstract

Mass customization -- making products tailor-made for each individual buyer, in which even the base components are varied -- sounds impossible. Yet it is a reality in Japan and represents a new Japanese competitive advantage. Roy Westbrook and Peter Williamson, reflecting on many visits to Japan, identify a new generic strategy -- mass customization -- in the story of continuous growth fuelled by response to crisis, so revered in Japan. The authors cite case studies of Melbo (mens' clothing) and National Panasonic Bicycle as successful Japanese examples, underlining the fact that such achievement depends on a high degree of manufacturing competence. This is a serious competitive threat.

Suggested Citation

  • Westbrook, Roy & Williamson, Peter, 1993. "Mass customization:Japan's new frontier," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 38-45, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eurman:v:11:y:1993:i:1:p:38-45
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    Cited by:

    1. Brian Squire & Steve Brown & Jeff Readman & John Bessant, 2006. "The Impact of Mass Customisation on Manufacturing Trade‐offs," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 15(1), pages 10-21, March.
    2. Alford, Dave & Sackett, Peter & Nelder, Geoff, 2000. "Mass customisation -- an automotive perspective," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(1), pages 99-110, April.
    3. Frank Wiengarten & Prakash J. Singh & Brian Fynes & Ali Nazarpour, 2017. "Impact of mass customization on cost and flexiblity performances: the role of social capital," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 10(3), pages 137-147, December.

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