IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/infotm/v22y2021i3d10.1007_s10799-021-00330-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

More work cooperation or relationship harmony in mass customization? The impacts of personalized design, modular design, and automated processes

Author

Listed:
  • Edward Aihua Fang

    (Wuhan University)

  • Na Yang

    (Wuhan University)

Abstract

Mass customization (MC) is recognized as a new manufacturing paradigm for market competition, and several empirical studies have discussed elements of organizational structure that are conducive to MC. A previous study proposed a model of quality at source and identified cultural values that can be changed by cultural artifacts, such as the stop-the-line system and the Andon system. This paper explores the impacts of three groups of MC enabler variables (personalized design, modular design, and automated processes) on two internal dimensions of organizational culture (work cooperation and relationship harmony).This paper surveyed 160 samples across five manufacturing industries. The results confirm that the three MC enablers (personalized design, modular design, and automated processes) correlate positively with two internal dimensions of the organizational culture of Chinese manufacturers (work cooperation and relationship harmony). Of the two internal dimensions, work cooperation enhances organizational performance, while relationship harmony has no impact on organizational performance. Modular design, automated processes, and work cooperation are powerful tools in the implementation of MC and organizational performance. Personalized design and relationship harmony are useful in MC. However, these tools are intermediate and limited, and they do not contribute to the general performance of the entire organization. Thus, in terms of internal- and team-oriented cultural factors, work cooperation is more important than relationship harmony in the implementation of MC. Relationship harmony is a tool for managing work atmosphere, and this is a new characteristic feature of MC as a new operational paradigm.

Suggested Citation

  • Edward Aihua Fang & Na Yang, 2021. "More work cooperation or relationship harmony in mass customization? The impacts of personalized design, modular design, and automated processes," Information Technology and Management, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 179-192, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:infotm:v:22:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s10799-021-00330-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10799-021-00330-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10799-021-00330-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10799-021-00330-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tsui, Anne S. & Wang, Hui & Xin, Katherine R., 2006. "Organizational Culture in China: An Analysis of Culture Dimensions and Culture Types," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(3), pages 345-376, November.
    2. Hallgren, Mattias & Olhager, Jan, 2009. "Flexibility configurations: Empirical analysis of volume and product mix flexibility," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 746-756, August.
    3. Lau, Chung-Ming & Ngo, Hang-Yue, 2004. "The HR system, organizational culture, and product innovation," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(6), pages 685-703, December.
    4. Kotha, Suresh, 1996. "From mass production to mass customization: The case of the National Industrial Bicycle Company of Japan," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 14(5), pages 442-450, October.
    5. Fang, Edward Aihua & Wu, Qizhi & Miao, Chaowei & Xia, Jiansheng & Chen, Dezhi, 2013. "The impact of new product & operations technological practices on organization structure," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(2), pages 733-742.
    6. Hartanto Wong & Daniel Eyers, 2010. "Enhancing Responsiveness for Mass Customization Strategies through the Use of Rapid Manufacturing Technologies," International Handbooks on Information Systems, in: T. C. Edwin Cheng & Tsan-Ming Choi (ed.), Innovative Quick Response Programs in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, pages 205-226, Springer.
    7. Brian Squire & Steve Brown & Jeff Readman & John Bessant, 2006. "The Impact of Mass Customisation on Manufacturing Trade‐offs," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 15(1), pages 10-21, March.
    8. Ouchi, William, 1981. "Theory Z: How American business can meet the Japanese challenge," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 82-83.
    9. Anne S. Tsui & Hui Wang & Katherine R. Xin, 2006. "Organizational Culture in China: An Analysis of Culture Dimensions and Culture Types," Management and Organization Review, The International Association for Chinese Management Research, vol. 2(3), pages 345-376, November.
    10. Constance E. Helfat & Kathleen M. Eisenhardt, 2004. "Inter‐temporal economies of scope, organizational modularity, and the dynamics of diversification," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(13), pages 1217-1232, December.
    11. Dieter Ernst, 2005. "Limits to Modularity: Reflections on Recent Developments in Chip Design," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(3), pages 303-335.
    12. Ulrich, Karl, 1995. "The role of product architecture in the manufacturing firm," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 419-440, May.
    13. Fogliatto, Flavio S. & da Silveira, Giovani J.C. & Borenstein, Denis, 2012. "The mass customization decade: An updated review of the literature," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(1), pages 14-25.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Gong, Taeshik, 2025. "Bridging the gap: Exploring the nexus of service robot personalization, customer identification, and citizenship behaviors," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    2. Mohammed Musa Bayero, 2023. "IT Infrastructure, Knowledge Management and Firm Competitiveness: Exploring Mediating Role of IT Outsourcing in Nigeria," International Journal of Global Business and Competitiveness, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 43-58, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fang, Edward Aihua & Wu, Qizhi & Miao, Chaowei & Xia, Jiansheng & Chen, Dezhi, 2013. "The impact of new product & operations technological practices on organization structure," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(2), pages 733-742.
    2. Fang, Edward Aihua & Li, Xiaoyi & Lu, Jiajun, 2016. "Effects of organizational learning on process technology and operations performance in mass customizers," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 68-75.
    3. Kaja Prystupa, 2017. "The Role of Organizational Culture in KnowledgeManagement in Small Companies," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 13(3), pages 151-173.
    4. Juelin Yin & Yuli Zhang, 2012. "Institutional Dynamics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in an Emerging Country Context: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 111(2), pages 301-316, December.
    5. Jiajing Sun & Michael Cole & Zhiyuan Huang & Shouyang Wang, 2019. "Chinese leadership: Provincial perspectives on promotion and performance," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 37(4), pages 750-772, June.
    6. Bai, Yuntao & Lin, Li & Li, Peter Ping, 2016. "How to enable employee creativity in a team context: A cross-level mediating process of transformational leadership," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(9), pages 3240-3250.
    7. Shangkun Xu & Rudai Yang, 2010. "Indigenous Characteristics of Chinese Corporate Social Responsibility Conceptual Paradigm," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 93(2), pages 321-333, May.
    8. Soda, Giuseppe & Zaheer, Akbar & Sun, Xiaoming & Cui, Wentian, 2021. "Brokerage evolution in innovation contexts: Formal structure, network neighborhoods and knowledge," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(10).
    9. Wei Li & Jianxun Chen & Hans Hendrischke, 2017. "An Institutional Perspective on Individual Work Well-Being: Evidence from China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 132(1), pages 187-218, May.
    10. Young Won Park & Junjiro Shintaku, 2022. "Sustainable Human–Machine Collaborations in Digital Transformation Technologies Adoption: A Comparative Case Study of Japan and Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-20, August.
    11. Vincent Frigant & Damien Talbot, 2005. "Technological Determinism and Modularity: Lessons from a Comparison between Aircraft and Auto Industries in Europe," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(3), pages 337-355.
    12. Liu, Lana Y.J. & Pan, Fei, 2007. "The implementation of Activity-Based Costing in China: An innovation action research approach," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 249-264.
    13. Bradley J. Koch & Pamela Tremain Koch & Yiheng Deng, 2023. "China and U.S. organizational culture via value statements: an emic-etic yin-yang approach," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(3), pages 1094-1130, July.
    14. Tomovska-Misoska, Ana & Bojadziev, Marjan & Stefanovska, Miodraga & Nikolovska, Zdenka, 2011. "Vox Organizationis – theoretical basis and methodological considerations in the development of an instrument for organizational culture," MPRA Paper 42571, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Mosayebi, Mohsen & Fathi, Michel & Hedayati, Mehrnaz Khalaj & Ivanov, Dmitry, 2024. "Time-to-Adapt (TTA)," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    16. Song Yang & Bruce W. Stening, 2013. "Mao Meets the Market," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 419-448, June.
    17. Ekka Susmita & Singh Punam, 2022. "Predicting HR Professionals’ Adoption of HR Analytics: An Extension of UTAUT Model," Organizacija, Sciendo, vol. 55(1), pages 77-93, February.
    18. Jaewan Yang & Joon Yeol Lew, 2020. "Implementing Sustainable Human Resources Practices: Leadership Style Matters," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-17, February.
    19. Chen, Shih-Chih & Jiang, Wei & Ma, Yin, 2020. "Decent work in a transition economy: An empirical study of employees in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    20. Pablo Jimenez-Moreno, 2021. "Mass Customisation for Zero-Energy Housing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-24, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:infotm:v:22:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s10799-021-00330-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.