Application Research Of Postponement Strategy For Mass Customization

Along with the global economy integration level of development and social deepened level of division and cooperation,the diversity of products is becoming more and more obvious. Market is characterized by the fact that customer's needs are more and more uncertain, product life cycle is becoming shorter,and customer's needs for service level and lead time are needed to be improved. It is becoming a trend for modern enterprises pursuing new competence advantages to provide kinds of customized product to satisfy the customer in all aspects. The essential concept of mass customization(MC)is to seek for cost effectiveness and quick response to customized needs. Postponement Strategies,as one of an effective and practical strategic way for the companies to improve their flexibility and agility,are the important means that help the companies efficiently implement MC at low costs.The thesis addresses the growing trend in business to offer wide variety of products while maintaining customer order fulfillment expectations. Postponement is a strategy that allows businesses to take advantage of the offshore capacity and labor for manufacturing in addition to local finishing centers for final assembly,packaging, and distribution.Postponement is widely used in the automotive,apparel,and consumer electronics industries. Many companies produce products that are candidates for postponement but are unlikely to undergo the implementation changes necessary to support it. This thesis highlights the reason is why some of the leading companies who are pioneers of postponement that the enterprises have seen the tangible benefits of lower inventory costs,quicker response time,better forecasts,and more variety as well as the in tangible benefits of better customer service and the coordination and integration of manufacturing,sales,and marketing functions.This The thesis firstly introduces the idea of long tail postponement,By intern investigation and research of interview,makes application analysis of some enterprises on the application of postponement strategy.thesis shows a method for reducing costs,known as postponement,or delayed differentiation through application research analysis. The thesis provides insight into strategic motivations as well as the result for postponement. The outcome is an analysis of performance measures and product or process characteristics which can be used to determine a product's candidacy for postponement. Further the thesis makes comments on the foreground and limitations of application of postponement strategy.