MIT Sloan on Mass Customization

Mass customization glimmers like a golden ticket to companies dealing with a consumer base more diverse and demanding than ever before. But as shown by MIT Sloan Management Review in their article “Cracking the Code of Mass Customization,” there’s a lot more to consider when delivering on the promise of customized products.

Dell Inc. is often thought of as one of the heroes in the world of mass customization. Their introduction of web-based services in 1996 proved to be hugely successful, and since then many other companies have tried to follow suit. Many of these eager followers, though, have been tripped up by a belief that diverse consumers + lots of options = happy customers. The Sloan Review article summarizes the faults in this formula by identifying 3 Fundamental Capabilities of mass customization that companies must have in order to overcome existing consumer tendencies. The combination of these elements gives a great picture of the surprisingly complex strategies needed, and serves as an effective primer for the customization-inclined.