Implementing mass customisation in the automotive industry: an analysis of requirements for procurement and procurement objects

摘要

The customisation of mass-produced products according to individual customers' wishes has gained high-level importance in many industries during the last decades. Due to highly competitive pressure and satisfied markets, the automotive industry is particularly affected by this development. Mass customisation should enable companies producing goods to meet individual customers' needs with near mass production efficiency by combining the advantages of single-part production and mass production. However, for the implementation of mass customisation, an adjustment of all processes, such as research and development as well as material and information flows in procurement, production and distribution, is necessary. Special attention has to be given to inbound supply chain management and procurement. This paper presents an analysis of the development and the manufacturing of mass-customised goods, the interplay between mass production and mass customisation, and the goals of mass customisation to find out which procurement objects and which requirements for procurement occur in mass customisation. Six specific categories of procurement objects and 17 requirements for procurement were identified during the analysis.