The relationship between affecting factors and mass-customisation level: the case of a pigment company in Taiwan

Abstract

The pigment industry provides a wide range of products with small lots to its customers so the strategy is for mass-customisation. In this study, six factors are proposed and analysed to explore their influence on the customisation level. A regression analysis is conducted for the relationship between the six affecting factors and the level of mass-customisation. Data from a real pigment company in Taiwan is used as a case study. The results indicate that all the proposed factors, return of investment of inventory, inventory turnover, capacity efficiency, capacity utilisation, rate of delivery on time, and time for finishing a unit of a job, statistically affect the mass-customisation level in the pigment company. A company can decide its mass-customisation level according to the proposed relationship model of affecting factors.

Keywords:

• mass customisation
• mass production
• FMS