Strategies of mass customization: evidences and analyses in garments companies

Resumen

With the intensification of market competition, companies have tried not only to add value to their products and services, but also to develop a long-lasting relationship with customers. In this sense, the use of strategies of mass customization can constitute an alternative to reach this goal. The objective of this paper is to understand how some Brazilian companies of the garments manufacturing industry are working towards the mass customization of their products. For this purpose, case studies were carried out. The main technique used for the gathering of data consisted of semi-structured interviews. The adoption of two strategies of mass customization was found: modularity for the adjustment of components and manufacturing postponement. Information technology, the agility and the flexibility of suppliers were highlighted as the main factors that made mass customization possible. The main difficulties were the lack of qualification of suppliers to provide small amounts of fabric and the inability of logistics companies to quickly collect and deliver the finished products. It was concluded that the compatibility between the activities is essential for the attainment of competitive advantages associated with the adoption of strategies of mass customization

Key words: mass customization, strategy, competitiveness.