Mass Customization Strategy in Global Supply

Master of International Business Administproportionn 12 crowd together Customization International bring out Chain Management Yuliya Samokhina, Olga Baranova, Yuliya Pronkina, horse parsley Manzhosov Content The base imaginations of mint trickdy customization. Principles and goals. (by Yulia Samokhina) Introduction3 bunch Customization of import renderings3 Evolution of plurality customization 4 Mass customization strategies proceedss and disadvantages.. 4 Mass customization as a bidding6 Conclusion8 detention strategies (by Olga Baranova) What is postp championment? clutch typology found on evaluate string activity9 Benefits of consumption clasp agreement13 Critical victor crestors and ideal grassdidate for handle dodging14 standard concepts (by Yulia Pronkina) Definition of modules in the frame urinate of global all toldow for drawstring get it onment15 Types of standardity18 Benefits and d stark(a)backs of modularity. Requirements for significati on of the concept modularity19 modularization in self-propelling persistence (Volkswagens modular outline) 21 Sh bed plan strategies (by Alexander Manzhosov) Introduction23 Platform concept 24 The reasons of implementing computer programmes25Advantages and disadvantages of implementing dual-lane plan strategies26 Sh bed program strategies 28 Volkswagen class. MQB outline 29 Conclusion29 References The staple fiber concepts of kettle of fish customization. Principles and goals. By Yuliya Samokhina Introduction To side material day, citizenry live in the existenceness with developing technologies, where e precise genius requirements to be distinguished. Companies compete with other similar firms, because they extremity to withd new(a) customers as much as mathematical. Mass customization tail end satisfy customers ask to help them buy harvest-festivals with film characteristics.Previously, caboodle doing schemes rumpt be sufficient for manufacturer and cons umers. However, bundle customization decided this problem to ca-ca comfort open conditions for all to provide various(prenominal) forceing. For font, nowadays retailers dont want to nurse more than than collections per season, further they want to possess more styles within the season. Companies micturate new lines of c handlehes to their shops every four to 6 weeks. H&M and Zara have emergenced overlap to use computer technology. Zara uses data from its 426 stores to spot new trends, and swirls 10,000 new returns a year.TopShop sells as galore(postnominal) as 30 pairs of knickers a minute, 6,000 pairs of jeans a day and 35,000 pairs of shoes every week. Why it occurs? The answer is very simple(a) tack on kitchen stove in bay window customization business model has to be flexible and antiphonary to consumer postulate. Main issues ordain be haveed in the endeavor below. Mass Customization primary(prenominal) comments Usually, mass customization requi res very advanced and flexible ne 2rk, because the sea captain purpose of mass customization is adapting unrivalled-to-one. at one time, everyone terminate sword harvest-tides by themselves.Here, I want to draw more triple-cr decl ar definitions of Mass Customization Mass customization is non a pure hardly a hybrid manufacturing concept, which joins the efficacy of trading operations and distinction by providing toweringly value matched cross counselings. Mass customization refers to a customer co- convention do of outputs and service, which meet the ask of to each one individual customer with regard to definite harvest- while features. All operations argon bring to give wayed within a placed solution space, characterized by stable but still flexible and responsive appendagees. As a turn up, the apostrophizes associated with customization allow for a rice level that does non imply a switch in an upper commercialise segment. (Piller 2005c, p. 315 empha sis in original). and then, now each buyer shtup acquire any nices, but the price for it go out be graduate(prenominal). Comm completely, it isnt problem, because each person wants to be allocated from crowd. For instance, if two girls watch in school-leaving caller in one dress, it provide be catastrophe for them. Fortunately, our generation has got a lot of articles with topic mass customization, and hence we washbowl consider mass customization from antithetical foreshortenings. Evolution of mass customizationFirst, I moot it is necessary to soon describe the training of mass harvest-timeion to mass customization. Mass customization has been one of the causes of the economic growth in the 21st century. Below, you brush off see founding, which shows organic evolution of mass customization Fig 1 Evolution of mass customization1 The premier(prenominal) masteryion our civilization has faced with mass customization in pre-industrialization era. In spite of this fact, at present we in any carapace have started to develop it. Of course, these clippings be very contrasting, because today people use modern technologies.Between these periods we quite a little observe mass outturn, which come in vogue with fundamental advantage of miserliness of carapace and it was nib in mid century. For example, it was time of Soviet Union, and then companies aroused a lot of similar clothes, shoes and etc. In late twentieth century, mass customization was back. Manufacturers offer distinct variation of products and customization is realizable. Methods of application will examine in the side by side(p) portion. Mass customization strategies advantages and disadvantages It is very important to take how the mass customization picturet in practice.Generally, scientists mark out four strategies transp argonnt, augmentative, adaptive and collaborative. A close to words virtually each system * Cosmetic scheme companies produce a standard p roduct but present it variantly to different customers. Thereby customers satisfied with the product, and if they want, they drive out permute packaging, for instance, the color, accessories, and other customer personalities. * sheer strategy this strategy is apply by companies, which have specially acquaintance of desires and preferences of customers. For transp arnt strategy is actual E-business.For example, service in website freighter analyses purchases, then it great deal recommend nearlything based on previous purchases. * Adaptive strategy producers try to modify standard product for the trains of customers. Thus, companies try to plan and represent of almost all practicable combinations of product modules, the likes of Microsoft. so most re primary(prenominal)s buy software, he/she can add necessary functions. * collaborative strategy in this content companies dont know what customers in conclusion want. Companies have to go out require of customers and hel p to determine with necessary product, as in result to name its.It is very often, then strategy depends on industry in that location friendship worked. For example, companies which produce food and beverages use cosmetic and transparent strategies. In my opinion, manufacturers have to estimate their possibilities if they want have correctly net. Why are companies interested in mass customization? The answer to this inquire is presented in the benefits of the above strategies * Maximized market share by maximizing customers expiation and physical body of customers. * Cut live of schedule and material waste drudgery has to work as a just in time.Companies should avoid macroscopical inventories of absolute goods. * Increase cash flow get inventories, pre constitutement (thus inflict receivables) en boastful cash flow. * Shorten time of responsiveness (accumulative time from receiving orders to shifting) governing orchestrate and flexible manufacturing in mass custo mization allows the party to adapt to different brings rapidly. * exponent to write out a full line of products or service with frown be the purpose of mass customization is to differentiate products to sidetrackicular demands, resulting in broader product lines of the political party and a much get off attempt of obsolete muniment.It is obvious, that companies cant have exactly positive sides. It is important to understand, which problems may near 1. In mass customization termss are normally greater than in mass production. In or so cases the product may not be different from standard product, but the price will be higher(prenominal). Buyers will be unhappy, thus mass customization is in competent. 2. Increasing of tuition in the production of individual goods could exceed to monetary value. In this case the prob powerfulness of production of regretful goods rises. 3. Requirements for pursueees should be higher. Educated employees have to offer the optimal vari ant responding to the ustomers needs, otherwise, caller-up can lose the loyalty of customers. 4. The production puzzle out can have difficulties with flexibleness. Mass customization as a process I think that it is very important to know how the customization process can be share into many sub-processes including the main stages of the value cosmic string. Moreover, it can help us to understand mass customization in details. First, I want to enumerate all sub-processes and inform at greater length. * The training sub-process * The interaction sub-process * The buy sub-process * The production sub-process * The logistics sub-process The entropy sub-process. 1. The ripening sub-process. The product always should develop, if corporation wants that the mass customization will be victorful. Requirements of buyers will be satisfied and personifys of production will be squeezed. The modularity is quite impelling stopping point as it allows achieving the economy of case and economy of backcloth. On the other hand, the modularity can be simple for imitation by competitors and growth is more expensive. Other strategy, much(prenominal) as a greenality and weapons course of study strategies help to work to the companies to increase reus mightiness in mass customization.Thus, product development in the mass customization is carried out through conception takes. very high effect is reached, when the client participates in development of products himself. Companies should use customers sophisticated abilities. 2. The interaction sub-process. This process is besides elicitation process. Thus, customer has to find the product that exactly fulfills his requirements. Company has to understand that everyone wants. Usually, to identify four types of elicitation process identification (e. g. name and address), customers selections from menus of alternatives, physical measurements and reactions to prototypes.Usually, customers buy products in the Internet (in different Internet-shops) or go to the retail center and to a fault buy necessary thing. Today, it is very apace and tardily to use Internet. For example, Adidas offers to buy sneakers in their web-site, in that location everyone can create cause style. The interaction process is associated with electronic features. another(prenominal) important thing that in mass customization consumers are actively snarly in production process. It is normal then customers are often cal take coproducers or prosumers. 3. The buying sub-process. Suppliers in mass customization are the very important part in reduce bes.Companies with good providers have got really warring advantage. It is fact that the achievement of high profits lies in an effective and contourd lot and material purchasing. Outsourcing strategies have been formed due to the modular architectures. The modular sourcing applies to reduce difficulty in purchasing process. In this case, companies have to trust each other and closely cooperate, if they want to achieve incredible results. 4. The production sub-process. Companies should guidance on the economic order quantity (EOQ). Thus, the processes of production in mass customization should be minimized.The optimization of the production is the main task in the process. If a company wants to meet all the needs of customers, the production must be flexible. Companies need to understand then they want to make individual product, I repute, at what stage. Producers have got two important key basis detain product differentiation and deferment. They are two think concepts, whereby the means placing the decoupling brain at later stages in the production processes. Another one describes that twain(prenominal) production activities are not initiated until customer order arrives. 5.The logistics sub-process. This process includes work with clients and suppliers, plus accompanying. Usually, it call equipment casualty upstream and downstream. Upstre am logistic is transportation, memory of materials and cistrons for production and consolidation. The downstream logistics is the packaging and shipment of end products to customers. Unfortunately, these types of logistics face flagitious problems in mass customization, because be of individualization increase. The all logistic has very heavy bells. Companies spend a lot of money for transportation and warehousing equipment.It is a reason wherefore these companies use outsourcing. Mass customization doesnt have inventories of end product. The companies try to work individually with each person. Nobody wants to gibe another. 6. Information sub-process. This process cooperates with all processes described above. The purpose of the data sub-process is the providing of information stream. The effective information system should capture fol lower berths stages customers needs, develop a magnetic inclination of product requirements, determine manufacturing conditions with respe ct to routing, material processing, assemblage and etc.Radio frequence Identification can help to make identification. In spite of the fact that modern technologies are very effectual, it remains very expensive. Another useful method for the coordination in mass customization is Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI). Any supplier has got timely information somewhat stock levels of modules and components. In addition, the integration of ERP (Enterprise election Planning) helps to correct the agility and adaptability to unforeseen events. The mass customization will make profit if the software is constantly developed and updated.Finally, companies should work with a walloping number of data very accurately. I try to consider mass customization not only as one whole process, but separate sub-processes. It helps to understand the nature of mass customization. However, I should mention interrelated strategies much(prenominal) as cargo hold and modularization, because unremarkably the se strategies allow the companies to work successfully. In my essay I will give short concepts of strategy as below in this work other students will describe them in details. modularization is necessary for the success of mass customization where descend-up make ups are circumstantial.Also, modularization allows making rapid assembly and be efficiency. Modularization usually uses in this field such as computer science, construction, shape engineering and production. The main idea in modularization is the breaking down of the product into standardized components or assembly of components, which is called modules. The second strategy is postponement Postponement means delaying activities in the add drawing string until customer orders are true with the intention of customizing products, as opposed to executeing those activities in anticipation of succeeding(a) orders. These strategies are quite often apply.Every year, the mass customization will be more popular in the com panies. Conclusion of this part In this essay, I consider the most important aspects of mass customization. First, it was given the basic concepts of mass customization. I tried to examine the most important definitions and to explain the essence of mass customization. After that, I described a little history from mass production to mass customization. History has shown that the mass customization has already been applied to date. Now companies are using modern technology, so the result of up-to-date mass customization is different.Companies produce products more quickly than ever earlier. Information technology is use in all stages of production, which helps companies to satisfy consumer preferences. Also, I examined mass customization not only as a single process, but also to separate the process in parts, included development, interaction, purchasing, production, logistic and information sub-processes. Each sub-process has to be adjust in order to avoid stagnation in the produc tion and file ware holds. In the essay, I also mentioned the main advantages and frequently used strategies.The company chooses the strategy which it thinks it is the most appropriate strategy. Usually, the strategy depends on the industry in which the company operates. In my opinion, the mass customization is developing and is very useful for manufacturers and consumers. First, customers are satisfied with goods with necessary characteristics. Second, company in the event of mass customization has lower costs compared to if it was make for each customer a impartly comical product. Finally, I want to emphasize that the mass customization has both advantages and disadvantages. The company has to make a choice itself.Postponement strategies By Olga Baranova What is postponement? Effective management of a supply chain includes thinking creatively about how to integrate and perform logistics and manufacturing activities. Postponement strategy offer opportunities to achieve delivery of products in a timely and cost-effective manner by rearranging the conventional production and logistics complex body parts, which are often excogitationed and managed autonomously. Thus, postponement, also known as delayed differentiation, is a supply chain strategy that delays product differentiation at a point close together(predicate) to the customer.This involves designing and developing standard or generic configurable products that can be customized quickly and inexpensively once actual consumer demand is known. Postponement also entails the executing of specific stock list strategies to deploy memorial farther away from the customer slice fulfilling service level objectives and reducing entry costs and minimizing riskiness, strategies for keeping the right inventory, at the right place, in the right form. By pushing the point of product differentiation closer to the customer, postponement can improve customer service levels, reduce inventory costs, and increase top -line revenue.The postponement strategy is based on the following two basic article of faiths of demand forecasting 1. Theaccuracy of the forecastdemand decreases with an increase in the time horizon. The farther the time window for which the demand is being forecasted, the more inaccurate it will be. The figure graphically represents this effect as a funnel as time ex scarpers farther into the future, the forecast illusion grows, showing that the forecast demand will have big and larger variations as time periods progress into the future. 2.Demand projections for a product group are generally more accurate than projections for individual products. It is much easier to forecast the total demand for LCD TVs than it is for an individual TV of a specific brand, model, silver screen size, resolution, and color contrast ratio. Postponement typology based on value chain activity It is based on the review of 15 studies Table 1 was developed to summarize the terminologies used to go do wn different postponement types. These define postponement on the basis of activities or place to differentiate among different postponement types.The check marks in front of every learning indicate the postponement terminology used for that study. The following section (table 1) summarizes these terminologies under product development, purchasing, manufacturing and logistics postponement. Table 1 Summary of postponement terminologies based on the review of studies crossroad Development Postponement Strategy Product development postponement is considered extreme form of customization with all activities including product design taking place after the placement of an order.Moreover in this case, the customers are also involved during the design stage. Product development postponement strategy is preferred in highly volatile purlieus, involving high levels of un authoritativety in terms of consumer demands, technological developments and government regulations. 2 For instance To yota deals with the high levels of doubtfulness by letting their suppliers come up with novel ideas and designs without limiting them with strict specification constraints. The suppliers have total independence to explore different areas within a broad range of design specs.During that time, people at Toyota continue meeting market data on consumer demands and technological trends, till some convergence is achieved. 3 Purchasing Postponement Strategy In the case of purchasing postponement strategy, the purchasing of raw materials is postponed until the information on downstream demand becomes available. Purchasing postponement strategy is preferred when the demand is highly un trustworthy, raw material has high obsolescence cost and is of high value in terms of total product cost or ties up huge fall of working capital.Purchasing postponement would work when the market lead time is greater than the manufacturers production lead time plus the suppliers lead time. 3 However, if the market lead time constraints the manufacturer from applying purchasing postponement, it can be select selectively for a range of products. This would be possible if the company is able to differentiate amongst base demand and soar up demand. For base demand it can proceed with forecasted demand and purchase raw material or even proceed with production in case of considerableer production lead times. However for thrill emand, the company can wait till demand exemplar becomes available and then it can proceed to place orders. In order to manage supplies for the mint demand, the manufacturers can have separate design of supply chain to deal with the surge demand, since under most scenarios regular production lead time for the surge demand would be greater than the market lead time. This design would be based on speed and agility with way on fulfilling orders quickly rather than focusing lower cost by rophyting up dissolute production lines and purchasing raw materials from a different rope of suppliers.However this would be feasible when the increase in cost due to fast paced production would be less(prenominal) than the gains accrued by adopting purchasing postponement strategy. This fact is highlighted by the postponement strategy adopted by Benetton, an vesture manufacturer, which separates between base demand and unpredictable demand. For the base demand, Benetton subcontracts to low cost sources, which have higher lead times, while for the unpredictable part, they utilize their own flexible facilities which have higher operating costs.However for purchasing postponement to work, it is check offling to have high level of coaction between the manufacturers and the suppliers. Suppliers are involve to respond to the downstream demand in minimum possible time so that the manufacturers can deliver within the market lead times, while resorting to purchasing postponement. In recent times e- market places have sprung up, alter the manufacturers to g et linked with the suppliers without any geographical constraints3. This increases the options of the manufacturers to respond to actual demand.However, having suppliers or their stock centers in close proximity to the manufacturers would lose purchasing postponement strategy. Moreover this type of impulse buying contradicts the approach of developing semipermanent relationships with the suppliers and could also jeopardize the relationships with the alive suppliers. From a supply chain perspective, purchasing postponement involves shifting the ownership of the goods to the most suitable location. However in case of an imbalanced power structure, a manufacturer might index its suppliers to hold perfect goods inventories in order to reduce its own risk and uncertainty cost.In this situation the suppliers are left with speculating the downstream demand, often resulting in the general inventory buildup or Bullwhip effect in the supply chain, which reduces the efficiency of the en t ucker chain. 3 Manufacturing Postponement Strategy Manufacturing postponement is based on holding products at program level later to be customized as per demand bod. This is based on the principle that it is easier to forecast demand pattern at component level as compared to finished product stage3.It involves delaying manufacturing activities and holding inventory in neutral form till the demand pattern becomes visible. Thus this strategy works where at that place are multiple product derivatives, which could be due to different cultural, technological or market related issues. High product variation makes it difficult to forecast and hold inventory at finished stage. Manufacturing postponement allows companies to operate without holding finished goods inventory while maintaining bulk of their inventories at pre-customized form.The inventory at this level has lower risk attached to it because their raw state permits them for wide usage variations. 4 For example, fashion apparel retail business is marked by high product obsolescence costs. This is because of the fact that product are planned long before the actual demand information becomes visible. Zara on the other hand has been able to capture market trends by reducing the time required to realise new products. Among other steps, Zara uses manufacturing postponement to reduce its lead times.Zara concentrates its forecasting efforts on the kind 14and tot up of fabric it buys. Zara gains more speed and tractableness by purchasing more than 50% of its fabric un-dyed later to be used for mingled products and lines ( political program based). It reduces the cost as well as the chances of forecast errors. In un-dyed form it is easier to convert fabric to other uses, while it gives Zara the flexibility to adapt to colors close to the selling season based on the immediate market needs. 5 Assembly postponement StrategyThe computer industry selling customizable product especially through the internet practice assembly postponement strategy. The customers select from various options such as color, memory specs, processors, and the companies such as Dell, HP and Compaq assemble the required models from components received from the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). HP postpones the net assembling step to the last stage at the topical anaesthetic dispersal centers and once demand becomes visible, last-place manufacturing/assembly activities such as power supply, packaging and labeling are carried out.Labeling postponement Strategy Labeling postponement is adopted when the products are marketed under different brand names or are distributed to different markets. For example at times the same OEMs are used by different brands for their products and the OEMs mark the products with labels after receiving respective orders. Similarly certain apparel distribution companies keep products 16unmarked and upon receipt of orders from various institutions print their logos before dispatching the orders. Packaging postponement StrategyPackaging postponement strategy is adopted when the products are marketed in different bundles or package sizes. 6 The final packaging is delayed till orders are confirmed. Packaging activities are generally performed in the downstream locations such as centralized distribution centers. Logistics postponement Strategy Logistics postponement involves a delay in the final movement of the goods. Instead of placing the goods at the final point in the supply chain, they are kept at a central location, with the aim of following the demand pattern for the final shipments. This helps to reduce the inventories in the supply chain 17 while at the same time improves customer responsiveness. 3 Maintaining inventories at final locations would increase the inventory costs while at the same time would result in stock outs at some locations and excess stock at other locations. Logistics postponement often involves the reposition of the final manufacturing activities downstream closer to the end user. This helps tokenly where local anaesthetic variations in terms of consumer preferences exist, which could be collapse, catered to by carrying out the final customization at the local distributer level.Logistics postponement suits those products, which have higher inventory cost and lower transportation costs. Logistics postponement in most of the cases requires a quicker and more responsive transportation system and can result in higher transportation costs. Benefits of using postponement strategy Successful postponement carrying into actions improve customer satisfaction while minimizing inventory costs. By improving their ability to respond to alterations in demand from local and global markets, companies are better able to compete on time while remaining cost competitive. Improvement in Customer Satisfaction Increased ability to offer a wider range of customized goods * Reduced lead time for orders diminution in Inventory Cost * Inventory costs shift upstream to less expensive generic products, which also reduces inventory obsolescence costs * Enables better proviso and allocation of resources by reducing the forecasting horizon * Reduces inventory costs by as much as 30% to 40% in successful implementations Improvement in Order Fill Rates * Since finished products are manufacture from generic components, companies are better able to deliver finished goods on time as a result of postponement.Bottom-Line Benefits * Overall, postponements primary benefits are to reduce the effects of market uncertainty and to meet customer needs, while effectively managing supply chain costs. In many cases, lower overall supply chain costs were achieved by respondents. Critical success factors and ideal candidate for postponement strategy The keys to a successful postponement strategy are to produce standardized products and to arrest customization at the most advantageous point in the supply chain.Proceeding from the af orementioned(prenominal) it is possible to allocate the following factors * Organizational buy-in and support is the primary fine success factor * Implementation of appropriate inventory deployment strategy * A postponement strategy is destined for failure without consistent top-down support from design through implementation * Product design modularity and business process reengineering are critical to ensure smooth execution * Collaboration among all internal functions of the supply chain, as well as with suppliers and customers * Proper inflection and incentives are also importantResolving the competing interests within a companys supply chain is also essential. Without collaboration, including sorts in the rewards and metrics structures of a supply chain, the changes associated with postponement often result in poor execution. In addition, external collaboration with suppliers and consumers is critical. If suppliers cannot respond to the changes as a result of postponement, a nd if product design is not tailored to customer requirements, postponement can result in cost overruns and increased lead times.The foundation of every successful postponement implementation is organizational buy-in. If management is not willing to take risks, implement momentous changes, and monitor adjusted metrics, they will be less likely to reap the benefits of postponement. While many industries and companies are prime for postponement, there are certain business conditions that position a company for a more successful postponement implementation. Prominent among these are companies that produce a significant chassis of products with short product life cycles and which have a supply chain able to support mass customization.Regardless of business conditions, effective postponement implementation still requires collaboration, organizational buy-in, concerted effort, and the right information technology backbone. Modular Concepts in the Framework of International Supply Chain Management By Yuliya Pronkina In recent years, the competitive dynamics in general and the demand for product customization in particular have increased considerably in virtually all industry sectors partly as a result of new low-budget competitors in the global markets and partly by change magnitude demand for technological operation.The ability to react quickly to unexpected market changes is one of the decisive reasons for the development of modular product architectures. If a company wants to remain competitive or expand its market share, it is posed to manage the compromise between such conflicting goals as * low costs * short lead times * high pure tone of product. Modular strategy is intended to resolve this conflict and be able to become a solution to growing interlacingity of customizable production. It closely links with modular platform systems.In fact, modularity alters manufacturer to combine advantages of mass production (high volume, large quantity production) an d product alteration (flexible and versatile manufacturing systems, product tailoring, etc. ) at reduced cost and increased economies of scale. All in all product development strategies such as modularity, product modular platform, etc are the key to achieving low cost customization The modular concept has played significant role in the development of mass customization. This article examines main aspects of modular concept in the modeling of global supply chain management.Definition of modules in the framework of global supply chain management To understand what modular strategy represents we tried to give the definitions of modules and find its real position among other strategies of mass customization. According to the Oxford Dictionary, definition of modules in general is following Module is each of a set of standardized parts or independent units that can be used to construct a more complex structure, such as an particular proposition of furniture or a building. There are co nvenient statements among authors of studies about general meaning of modularity.According to them we can conclude that modularity refers to an approach to organize complex products and processes efficiently by decomposing complex tasks into smaller parts. It allows the tasks to be managed independently and yet work together as a whole without compromising performance. Thus we can consider modularity as the ability to configure product variants by mixing and matching components within similar product architecture to create variety of kind without losing its functionality. Examples of modules would include many components in automobiles engines, transmissions, audio equipment, tire/wheel options, etc.In electronics, modules would include processor boards, power supplies, plug-in integrated circuits, and disk drives. In software, code could be written in modules (objects) that can be have into various combinations. In fabrication modular strategy is applied as flexible platforms fo r creation a significant number of product variations, modify a firm to gain cost savings through economies of scale from component crudeality, inventory, logistics, as well as to introduce technologically amend products more rapidly.Modular architectures allow firms to minimize the physical changes required to achieve some functional changes. Hence all the physical changes can be easily have without adding complexity to the manufacturing system and, hence, to managerial system. To explore the concept of modularity and consider it in the framework of supply chain management, we decided to compare the differences between integral and modular product architecture and make further comparisons between corresponding supply chain architecture.Product architecture. Integral product architectures are those in which each component is provided directly and specifically to overall performance. Parts and portholes tend to be proprietary. On a highly integrated product like a military airc raft, every part and system has been designed to perform a specific task. Modular product architectures use standard interfaces and can employ off-the-shelf components for much of assembly. Personal computers, clothing, and many other products employ modular architectures12.Supply Chain Architecture. Integral (traditional) supply chains require upright integration within a primary firm or prankish coupling of several firms in order to meet demanding, proprietary design specifications. Modular supply chain architectures are horizontal, with many competing firms specializing in aspects of the overall product. In other words, modularity in supply chains implies that the various units of organizations are freely divided, can operate independently, may be easily reconstructed.The concepts of product modularity and supply chain modularity are rather interconnected changes in the product architecture result in important implications for the supply chain structure and re-distribution of ac tivities crosswise the logistics networks. This figure 2 shows us the simple scheme of interconnections of final assembler and its suppliers in traditional supply chain and modular supply chain. (2) (1) insert 2. Simplified scheme of integral supply chain (1) and modular supply hain (2) In modular supply chain first gradation suppliers are providing modules in the form of subassemblies, are not only components, consequently a modular supply chain is characterized by the presence of value-adding tier-suppliers that coordinate the work of the second tier suppliers. In non modular supply chain the role of assemblier is played only by a local firm. In the result of rather different approach, modular supply chain fosters some distinctions comparing to the traditional one. In the following table we compare the main features of supply chain depending on its mode of organization. Table 2Main features of supply chain depending on its mode of organization11 Traditional supply chain Mass c ustomization supply chain Interface compatibility effects * Integrated vertical structure * eagle-eyed development lead times * Modular product architecture * Reduction of development lead time Component customization * Design and manufacturing focus * In-house product development * Standardized components * Autonomous innovation in NPD * Customer focus * Design for manufacturability Value inputs * Economies of scale * Exploiting advantages of market mechanism * Standardization of operations * Consolidation of out terminal point logistics * Outsourcing * Flexibility towards specific customers needs * Economies of scale and scope Supplier-buyer interdependence * Supplier involvement in development not critical * Multiple sourcing * Early supplier involvement in NPD * Strategic federation * Supplier as system integrator * High interdependence The good example of applying modular strategy in practice is the following.Two German self-propelling companies, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz decided to develop the auto industrys modularization in the mid-1990s. Their built new plants, which started production in 1996 and 1997 according to the new modular concept on a relatively large scale, specifically at Volkswagens plants in Resende (Brazil), Boleslav (Czech), and Mosel (former einsteinium Germany), and Mercedes-Benzs plants in Vance (U. S. ) and Hambach (France). These plants had two main features. One is that they have assembled cars from relatively large subassemblies. As we can know a car is a system made up of numerous components. At conventional plants, individual components for example, dick panels, gauges, and wire harnesses one by one to a vehicle body on the final assembly line.Instead, at those new plants, these individual components are subassembled on a separate line, and then installed as a module into a body on the final assembly line14. Suppliers procure their own materials and labor force to create separate modules, while Volkswagen provides the infrastructure and designs the interface between manufacturing units. These measures let companies reduce their costs, because on its new plants there were no need in blue collars (administrative staff), for instance, and its modular outsourcing made significant advantages which are resulted in an ability to issue a wider variety of final products in shorter time periods and at lower cost. Types of modularityThere are six types of modularity for the mass customization of products and services * component- sharing modularity, * component-swapping modularity * cut-to-fit modularity * mix modularity * bus modularity * sectional modularity. The following characteristics of different types of modularity are through with(p) by contemporary authors who are mostly referring to Ulrich and Tung study bedrock of Product Modularity (1991). We supposed it is convenient typology and decided to base further information on this ground (figure 3). In component-sharing modularity, the same componen t is used transversely in different products to provide economies of scope.There is a base unit of common components and changeable part. This kind of modularity never results in true individual customization, but allows reducing costs and increasing variety of products. Figure 3. Types of modularity In component-swapping modularity it is possible to change options on a standard product. Modules are selected from a list of options to can be added to a base product, for example cars. The good example for this is the Configurator on the internet site of Volkswagen, where customers can choose additional features which can be added to the base model with several clicks. So customer can make a decision which is convenient for him.Cut-to-fit modularity is similar to component-sharing and component-swapping modularity, except that one or more of the components is variable. The module can be changed before it is combined with other modules. The good examples for it are eyeglasses, or clothi ng. Mix-modularity is also similar to component-sharing and component-swapping modularity, but is distinguished by the fact that when combined, the modules lose their unique identity. An example is house paint. When particular colors of paint are mixed together, those components are no longer visible in the end product16. Bus modularity uses a main platform that can add different components to it.So in the result there is the infrastructure that is really required for each consumer. Sectional modularity is the type of modularity that provides the biggest variety and customization among other types of modularization. Functionally it is rather close to component swapping, but focuses on arranging standard modules in a new, unique form16. In this case each component is connected to another making achievable the configuration of any number of different types of components. The most popular example is Lego. To be able to use this type of modularity a manufacturer has to develop a special interface of its product that allows sections or objects of different types to interlock16.Benefits and drawbacks of modularity, requirements for implementing of the concept pickings all into consideration we can list main benefits of modular strategy * Economies of scale and scope which mean an ability to improve overall performance of production concentrating on divided modules. Suppliers and sub-suppliers have an opport haleness to produce higher volume of its modules and apply its core-competencies to production. * Increased possibility of product/component change and updating. Since each module interface is strictly specified, changes can be made to a module independently of other modules, as so as it is wider open for further product development. * Reduced order lead-time.Since modules are manufactured in relatively large volume, the logistics of production can be unionized so as to reduce manufacturing lead time. Hence, the order lead time can be reduced. * Development of pr oduct variety. The use of modules means that a great product variety can be achieved using different combinations of modules. * Separated tasks. Since the interfaces and modules have been standardized, their interfaces enable design tasks and production tasks to be decoupled. This dividing can result in reduced task complexity and in the ability to complete tasks in parallel. For instance it is easier to test it before final assembly, fibre management can become more efficient due to spaced modules. The ease of product upgrade, maintenance, repair, and disposal. Customer without any problem can change one module to another, for example he can buy an ameliorate video card for his computer, or change an engine module in his automobile17. Although applying modular design provides a number of advantages crosswise the organization, companies must also consider the less discussed drawbacks when evaluating the decision to implement modular design or reviewing existing modular processes. * High Initial Investment. The initial costs to reconfigure existing systems and processes are high. Reconfiguring to the modular design is a complex task, which may disrupt the existing flow of the product pipeline. Lack of Customer-Centricity. Focusing on cost-efficiencies company can lose clear vision of customer needs. * Coordination Complexity. Modular design requires a significant restructuring of processes and can increase product development complexity if companies do not assign clear ownership and collaboration with suppliers in a well-planned implementation process to avoid duplication of processes and inconsistency across product specifications, purchase orders, and manufacturing plans. * Supplier Risk . Companies can experience delays, faulty specifications, and poor material part. Hence there is a necessity of well-organized control in this case.Also, companies may have to share information and technical expertise to ensure suppliers deliver according to new specif ications and cost. A company surrendering too much technical expertise, especially in areas that provide a competitive advantage, may lose technical control to the supplier * Intellectual proportion Risk. Producing modules simplifies the product architecture, enabling competitors to recognize without difficulty technologies and copy modules. According to that, organizations must increase patent documentation to prevent competitors using key modules in their product architectures. In modular supply chain management, suppliers have a relatively high degree of freedom in production.However it is possible only with long-term commitments and aggressive cost goals. It is clear, that modular strategy has its basic requirements for the suppliers and manufacturers which enable them work together to create value. To implement modular strategy company should be able to meet such requirements, as following * extra organization structure. The organization structure should be flatter with fewe r levels, and creates a freedom for the coordination among processes (modules). It focuses on a high degree of cross-functional integration and employee participation. This results in a much higher degree of decentralization in decision making.Besides, the structure is open to suppliers as well as customers because they (suppliers and customers) are considered extensions of the organization * Management focuses on three parts supplier relation, customer relation, and resource management * Readiness of inputs when needed (this requires an effective supply network), skillful, highly meliorate employees with excellent technical qualifications * High standardization of components. Also adjusting a companys organizational structure with a modular product architecture requires the constant support and enduring responsibility of the top management. The level of quality control and coordination in development of modules should be in a high level.Effective development and efficient use of m odules requires changes in the existing processes in many ways. Modularization in automotive industry (Volkswagens modular strategy) As usual, the automotive industry is a leader in implementing and communicating a modularization strategy. The Volkswagen Group is characterized by its global presence and comprises numerous brands. The Volkswagen Group bases its great success on three major modules which are shared on a broad scale. The successfully implemented modularization strategy is one of the key factors which will enable the Volkswagen Group to become the world leading car manufacturer, not only in terms of sold units but also in terms of superior margins8.Now The VW Group is a large automotive empire encompassing 10 brands, 240 models produced across 94 sites in 153 markets, totaling over 8. 3 million vehicles made each year. The sheer scale of its operations across so many different countries meant that variability of its products is very high. Applying of modular strategy by Volkswagen meets customers expectations for a growing variety of vehicle models, equipment features and design. Through the modularization of the body, vehicles can be produced in different stages for the length, width and wheelbase an approach that benefits the manufacturing process. Well discuss the main features of Volkswagen modular strategy created in its Modular Transverse Toolkit (MQB) in the next chapter.To sum up, companies that are striving to be competitive and still want to have a relatively high profit margins and market shares in our case can choose mass customization strategies and modular strategies in particular because * Modularity makes complexity manageable * Modularity enables parallel work * Modularity is tolerant of uncertainty. Shared platform strategies in the framework of international supply chain management. By Alexander Manzhosov Abstract The logical order of development of international markets, industries and customers behavior led businesses to a ne w frontier of competition for manufacturing industries as well as for service industries to Mass Customization.The core reason for such a change in the market concept was a dramatically increase in diversity of consumers needs within market segments. And as the world recognize guru of management Peter Drucker once state Its a customer who determines what a business is. Its the customer alone whos willingness to pay for a good or for a service converts economic resources into wealth, things into goods. Translated to the real terms that meant for the manufacturers a new challenge of meeting various customers needs while carrying on following to basic trends of reducing costs and development times of a product and optimizing core business processes.Thats why platform strategies were designed and applied to increase the efficiency and profitability of manufacturing. This root word seeks to identify the phenomenon of shared platform strategies, research their advantages and disadvant ages for supply chains and study the consequences of implementing the strategy on the case of Volkswagen Group. Key words mass customization, shared platform strategies, supply chain. Introduction Many modern manufacturers are desire new ways to improve their Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and concentrating their facilities on cost reducing while offering the collection of competitive goods in many different market segments. And one of the methods of achieving this goal is by implementing shared platforms approach.The benefit is possible to be gained because of coordinating of engineering processes with the actual production system and supply chains. The platform allows companies to share not only components, but also production tools and machinery. Thus our first effort to establish the basis of the concept of sharing platforms among the family of products is to define the term platform. After that there is a further problem of realization in which way does the concept shine th e company and how the enterprise can get a competitive advantage by mean of implementing shared platform strategies. Platform concept The ideas of sharing platforms have received increasing attention in product development and operations management in the time when mass customization era arose.So companies had to produce goods and services to meet individual customers needs with near mass production efficiency. The platform concept is closely tied to models of product architecture, modularization and standardization. The platform itself can be defined as a relatively large set of product components that are physically connected as a stable subassembly and are common to different final models. The definition has been utter above can be clarified by Figure 4. Figure 4. Three different products build on the same platform The figure illustrates the general idea of platforms sharing. Three different products are assembled by feature elements A, B, C, D, E.According to the illustration it can be concluded, that this product family consists of the element A (platform) and a set of other elements used in a modular way. What emerges from the definition and illustration that in general designing a platform is about creating common shared components and systems throughout a family line, while providing differentiated features and benefits to add value to each production unit (Figure 5). Figure 5. Common principle of sharing platforms . The trick here is that totally different at the first sight products from different brands and from different price segments of the market can be equal in engineering terms.Still the platform is not a cosmopolitan cure. And based on empirical evidence there are some preconditions of implementing platforms * The product family shares basic groups of elements * The product family is supposed to have a long lifecycle * The level of interconnected systems among the product family is relatively high * The technological environment of the mar ket tends to constant updates * The core functionality of the products is stable but variable in the terms of non-core functions All these criteria are not ultimate and the suitability of decisions taken depends on specificity of organizations type and the product characteristics as well.It also should be added, that depending on criteria mentioned above and the target of the manufacturer, platforms can be categorized into 3 types * Modular * Scalable * Generational The main difference by such a categorizing emerges owing to the strategy of launching the product line. The modular platform usually allows designing functionally different product variants. On the contrary, scalable one aims at creating functionally equal products of many capacities. And the last one, the generational platform is used to be a basis for new generation development. The reasons of implementing platforms It follows from what has been said above, that the platform concept is a quite flexible approach for ma nufacturers, provided sometimes it seems vital for staying competitive on the market.And now we can pass on to the issues closely related to the platform implementation and its consequences for the companies operations and supply chain structure. Nowadays critical issues for consideration in the Supply Chain Management (SCM) are cost containment, development know-how and resources, product quality and logistics. As the supply chain can be represented as the combination of enterprises involved in activities from the supply of raw materials to the manufacturing and delivery of the goods to the customers, the success of the whole supply chain depends on how to generate the most efficient configuration of the products, manufacturing processes and supply sources. In this connection a question is bound to arise whether the shared platform approach is an effective method or not.This brings us to advantages and disadvantages of such a scheme. Advantages and disadvantages of implementing sh ared platform strategies The purpose with platform sharing is to reduce the cost and have a more efficient product development process. And according to the purpose announced from m point of view its possible to classify advantages of shared platform strategy into three key groups * Quantitative * soft * Customer-oriented Quantitative advantages by this mean include such factors as 1. The Global standardization 2. The Economy of scale 3. The rationalization and the reduction of R&D costs The value of the standardizations is quiet obvious.By creating a common platform for the product line the company creates flexibility, which allows not only to produce dissimilar models according to individual customers and even countries tastes but also provides an opportunity to standardize production facilities and streamline logistics and management as well. The economy of scale in this case follows directly from the previous factor the commonality of the exploiting components, modules, mech anisms, assembly lines reduce overall costs and simplifies the business and technological processes within the company sparing human and monetary resources. The next important issue concerns R&D costs. The unity of components under one single platform helps dramatically minimize the cost of developing product lines. Once the platform is designed, the company doesnt need to spend millions on engineering new components.And platform efficiency the ratio between the average R&D costs (or development time) for derivative product over the cost (or time) spent for the platform increases (the lower the ratio the more efficient the platform is). such an effect is possible because different products share the same technology process, structure and production mechanisms. Qualitative advantages include 1. Increased quality and innovations 2. Easer inventory management The proposed components commonality is a multi-oriented tool platform sharing allows manufacturers to design parts with fewer variation. A byproduct of this is increased quality, which results in lower defect rates.On the other hand, people want value for their money they want new technologies. And eliminating the need to engineer separately thousands of parts allows research and development assets to be focused on fewer technologies fostering innovation and quality improvements in the minor set of technologies. One more critical point is inventory management. Its unmistakable that in any supply chain a tremendous amount of inventory is held in the form of components. And its essential to mention that the inventory amount corresponds always to the uncertainty of demand for the finished product. In that way by implementing a platform the manufacturer is able to use it in multiple finished products.So the demand for the platform and all components the platform consists of is an accruement of the demand for all cross-platform finished products. Thats why the use of common components (or set of compone nts platform) in a variety of products has been a very effective supply chain strategy to exploit aggregation and reduce component inventories. Another clear benefit concerns the relations between suppliers and manufacturer. By implementing platforms the producer decreases the uncertainty of demand on different components. That creates a win-to-win situation for both business partners by enabling them to build long-term relationships. The last group of advantages is customer oriented and includes 1. Faster response to changing market needs 2. Greater product varietyIts critical to mention, that this group of pros can be clearly defined through observation on previous advantages. And faster response to changing market needs occurs because platform sharing allows manufacturers to design and launch new products faster and cheaper. And the trick is here that the development and cost of the original platform for new goods have already been paid for. Such flexibility provides an opportun ity to the company to diversify its assortment and satisfy different market shares. However its impossible to complete the study without play up some possible problems when using platform approach 1. Product dilution 2. revulsion 3. Risk concentrationProduct dilution means that a platform, depending on the common machines and systems, can be extended thin if it becomes a source of too many disparate models. Moreover, platforms that span across models of different stature increase the risk of cheapening prodigality products or adding unnecessary cost to lower-end segment. Another challenge is incompatibility. A platforms differentiating technologies must be carefully engineered to integrate with the standardized systems. Otherwise, producers will have to perform modifications to make the two types of technologies compatible. These compatibility regulations first of all are not differentiating modifications and secondly they provide zero value of their own to the finished product. The last but not the least possible problem is the risk concentration.Producers may face greater overall risk if the underlying platform theyve developed and implemented is accident-prone. A defect in a standardized technology multiplies the risk across the whole product line, which leads to expensive authorisation recalls. Shared platform strategies As has been indicated, in general implementing a platform promises much more benefits than negative consequences. And once the decision to implement platforms is considered, there are various strategies for the product implementation (Figure 6). Some of the most astray practiced platform strategies are No supplement, Vertical Leveraging, Horizontal Leveraging and the Beachhead Approach. Figure 6. Shared platform strategiesNo Leveraging platform is usually designed especially for a single market segment. Such strategy is implemented for high scale goods wi