Mass customization as a framework for manufacturing transformations in the United States wooden furniture industry

It is widely accepted that some segments of the US furniture manufacturing industry have lost considerable market share to lower-priced imported furniture. This situation demands that furniture manufacturers give attention to alternative manufacturing strategies, such as value-delivery, if competitiveness is to be regained. Mass customization principles inherently gear manufacturing toward value-delivery and could potentially be used as a framework to guide the manufacturing transformations that are necessary to improve the competitiveness of the US furniture industry.; Through the use of surveys, case studies and scenario simulations, this study examined the mechanisms by which mass customization might impact the competitiveness of US furniture manufacturers. The study involved tracing the path between drivers of effective customization and indicators of competitiveness for businesses adopting mass customization. The study also proposes a conceptual framework for analyzing how industry competitiveness in the domestic market might be impacted by associated changes in the manufacturing landscape.