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Operationalizing Mass Customization in Manufacturing SMEs—A Systematic Literature Review

Author

Listed:
  • Stéphanie Bouchard

    (Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada)

  • Sébastien Gamache

    (Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada)

  • Georges Abdulnour

    (Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada)

Abstract

With the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution, market globalization, and growing customer demands, companies are being forced to rethink their ways of doing business to remain competitive. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector must also adapt to personalized customer demands. This context forces companies to migrate towards mass customization. The literature proposes several strategies for adapting to this new paradigm but does not offer an implementation sequence for successfully operationalizing mass customization within an SME. Based on a systematic review of the themes surrounding Industry 4.0 and mass customization in the literature, this article aims to highlight the different strategies and factors to be put in place to successfully implement mass customization. This research reveals the lack of a prioritization of factors that favour the operationalization of mass customization. Lastly, the literature does not detail the tools and their levels of maturity resulting from the factors to be implemented. This article highlights the gaps in the literature related to mass customization.

Suggested Citation

  • Stéphanie Bouchard & Sébastien Gamache & Georges Abdulnour, 2023. "Operationalizing Mass Customization in Manufacturing SMEs—A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-21, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:4:p:3028-:d:1060844
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Somohano-Rodríguez, Francisco M. & Madrid-Guijarro, Antonia, 2022. "Do industry 4.0 technologies improve Cantabrian manufacturing smes performance? The role played by industry competition," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    2. Inayat Ullah & Rakesh Narain, 2020. "Analyzing the barriers to implementation of mass customization in Indian SMEs using integrated ISM-MICMAC and SEM," Journal of Advances in Management Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 18(2), pages 323-349, August.
    3. Sameer Mittal & Muztoba Ahmad Khan & Jayant Kishor Purohit & Karan Menon & David Romero & Thorsten Wuest, 2020. "A smart manufacturing adoption framework for SMEs," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(5), pages 1555-1573, March.
    4. Fabrizio Salvador & de Holan Pablo Martin & Franck Piller, 2009. "Cracking the Code of Mass Customization," Post-Print hal-02312930, HAL.
    5. Andrew Kusiak, 2020. "Open manufacturing: a design-for-resilience approach," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(15), pages 4647-4658, July.
    6. Sebastian Saniuk & Sandra Grabowska & Bożena Gajdzik, 2020. "Personalization of Products in the Industry 4.0 Concept and Its Impact on Achieving a Higher Level of Sustainable Consumption," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-19, November.
    7. Chatterjee, Sheshadri & Rana, Nripendra P. & Dwivedi, Yogesh K. & Baabdullah, Abdullah M., 2021. "Understanding AI adoption in manufacturing and production firms using an integrated TAM-TOE model," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
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    Cited by:

    1. Seyed Mohammad Mehdi Sajadieh & Sang Do Noh, 2025. "A Review of Digital Twin Integration in Circular Manufacturing for Sustainable Industry Transition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-49, August.

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