Simulation Models to Demonstrate Mass Customization Strategies

Mass customization of products and services has been on the rise over the past several years across different industries. The increased interest in mass customization and personalization is evidenced by the growth in research in the area, in scholarly publications as well as the emergence of new courses on the subject. Introducing courses on mass customization and advancing knowledge on the subject are essential to continue research to make mass customization a sustainable strategy. The effectiveness of such courses can be enhanced to a great extent by incorporating practical demonstrations to provide students an opportunity for active/experiential learning. With this form of learning students take a participatory role rather than merely sitting to listen to lectures and often work together in teams to reflect upon the material taught in the classroom. It has been found that people often learn better through this approach. Therefore, innovative teaching aids that involve experiential learning, such as physical models and hands-on simulations can promote learning of and interest in mass customization. This paper presents a simple but versatile simulation that can be used in classroom environments, or even in technical fairs/exhibitions to help students (and visitors) understand the concept of mass customization and challenges to implementing the strategy.