Pursuing capabilities of flexibility and quality: financial performance implications for mass customisers

Byline: Rebecca Duray Researchers illustrate many theoretical concepts of mass customisation with case examples. Although case examples provide interesting stories, these concepts have not been thoroughly tested and have limited generalisability. Few studies provide broader rigorous tests of mass customisation concepts. This study addresses mass customisation from a broader perspective using 126 mass customising companies to test the tactical requirements of a mass customisation strategy. This paper focuses on the competitive capabilities of quality and flexibility, and links the workforce management practices of mass customisers to financial performance. This study also addresses the softer managerial issues of mass customisation and finds that teamwork and worker flexibility lead to increased financial performance for mass customisers.