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Mass customization presents a paradox to traditional manufacturing practices. Historically, companies chose to produce either customized, crafted products or mass-produced, standardized products. Thus, mass customization presents a paradox by combining customization and mass production, offering unique products in a mass-produced, low cost, high volume production environment. If mass customization is truly a combination of mass production and craft manufacturer, how does a manufacturer become a mass customizer? Are the key principles of mass customization rooted in customized product knowledge or mass production techniques? Does the path to mass customization impact financial performances? This paper begins to answer these questions by exploring the total product mix of mass customizing plants using data gathered from 126 mass customizers. This study shows plants that choose mass customization approaches that match the non-mass customized product line characteristics have higher financial performance than those firms without a matched product line.

This article compares courses in two web-based MBA programs on student perceptions of learning and satisfaction. The primary difference between the programs is that one conducts the courses entirely on-line while the other conducts the courses primarily on-line combined with one or two on-site class meetings. The results of the study showed that larger class sizes were negatively associated with learning and course satisfaction while the perceived flexibility of the delivery medium was significantly associated with perceived learning and satisfaction. The results also indicate that more experienced on-line students were more satisfied with their course delivery medium. These findings have significant implications for the role of web-based programs in a business school's strategy. They suggest that that rather than using these courses as a means to drive down the cost of delivering education, business schools may need to identify reasons for which they can charge premiums for them.

This research examines computer-supported collaborative learning. Master’s of business administration (MBA) students in an online program were surveyed to examine the extent to which an orientation toward teamwork and the development of group cohesiveness affect overall student learning and the learning that results specifically from team interactions (team-source learning). The results indicate that both teamwork orientation and group cohesiveness predict student learning, with group cohesiveness mediating the relationship between teamwork orientation and student learning. Teamwork orientation and group cohesiveness appear to be equally important predictors of team-source learning. The implications of this research for the use of teams in online distance education are discussed.

Purpose - Prior research has argued that business practices within English football clubs are amateurish and outdated due to the comparatively small size of clubs and the restrictive nature of the cartel-like industry they compete in. But is this true for large EPL clubs (i.e. those with high market valuation and large number of employees)? Do these clubs have the ability to pursue alternative business strategies, and if so, do their organizational structures, cultures, and behavioral norms support the strategic directions they have chosen to pursue? The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach - This paper evaluates survey responses from 35 executives and business managers within three large EPL clubs. The study utilizes previously validated scales to examine issues of organizational structure, culture, and behavioral norms. Findings - Despite operating within a closed industry, large EPL clubs are not all pursuing identical business strategies. Consistent with contingency theory, the organizational structure, culture, and behavioral norms of large EPL clubs are, for the most part, in line with what the authors would expect to find in successful, large conventional product or service businesses. However, all of the clubs included in this study appear to be following hybrid models each demonstrating characteristics of several alternative competitive strategies simultaneously. Research limitations/implications - This initial study is limited to responses from 35 business executives and managers within three EPL clubs. Practical implications - Although EPL clubs operate within a cartel-like industry, this study shows that business managers within these clubs do have a degree of latitude in choosing between alternative competitive strategies. In order to successfully implement a chosen strategy, business managers must insure that the organizational structure, culture, and behavioral norms within the club's business group are aligned with the overarching objectives of that strategic choice. Originality/value - Grounded in open systems and contingency theory, the authors challenge the conventional wisdom that because large clubs are in the business of sport they are somehow fundamentally different from other large businesses.

Purpose – Prior research has argued that business practices within English football clubs are amateurish and outdated due to the comparatively small size of clubs and the restrictive nature of the cartel-like industry they compete in. But is this true for large EPL clubs (i.e. those with high market valuation and large number of employees)? Do these clubs have the ability to pursue alternative business strategies, and if so, do their organizational structures, cultures, and behavioral norms support the strategic directions they have chosen to pursue? The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This paper evaluates survey responses from 35 executives and business managers within three large EPL clubs. The study utilizes previously validated scales to examine issues of organizational structure, culture, and behavioral norms. Findings – Despite operating within a closed industry, large EPL clubs are not all pursuing identical business strategies. Consistent with contingency theory, the organizational structure, culture, and behavioral norms of large EPL clubs are, for the most part, in line with what the authors would expect to find in successful, large conventional product or service businesses. However, all of the clubs included in this study appear to be following hybrid models each demonstrating characteristics of several alternative competitive strategies simultaneously. Research limitations/implications – This initial study is limited to responses from 35 business executives and managers within three EPL clubs. Practical implications – Although EPL clubs operate within a cartel-like industry, this study shows that business managers within these clubs do have a degree of latitude in choosing between alternative competitive strategies. In order to successfully implement a chosen strategy, business managers must insure that the organizational structure, culture, and behavioral norms within the club’s business group are aligned with the overarching objectives of that strategic choice. Originality/value – Grounded in open systems and contingency theory, the authors challenge the conventional wisdom that because large clubs are in the business of sport they are somehow fundamentally different from other large businesses.

Mass customization has quickly entered the lexicon of popular business. Many companies are striving to provide customized products and services to their customers at low costs. However, the concept of mass customization represents an apparent paradox for manufacturing by combining customization and mass production, offering unique products in a mass produced, low cost, high volume production environment. Historically, production lines were designed to manufacture either customized, crafted products or mass produced, standardized products. Customized products are made using low volume processes that cope well with a high variety of products. Similarly, a mass production process is chosen for making standardized products in a high volume, low cost environment. In contrast to this traditional dichotomy, mass customization provides a one-of-a-kind product manufactured on a large scale allowing customers to purchase a customized product near the cost of a mass produced item. The manufacturing systems required to support mass customization has not been adequately discussed in extent research. This study explores the multi-faceted nature of mass customization by developing a typology of mass customization approaches and the operational parameters required to support each approach. Notions of customer involvement and modularity coupled with modularity types in a conceptual model to provide a basis for identifying mass customizers. The conceptual model suggests a set of configurations of process and infrastructure which work in concert to support the various types of mass customization. This conceptual model is tested through empirical investigation of 194 companies producing both consumer and industrial products. In addition to developing new scales to capture the concept of mass customization, the survey instrument includes scales relating to the environment, performance, business and operations strategy as well as choices made with respect to process, organization and infrastructure. A numerical taxonomy is developed that validates the conceptual typology and demonstrates the discriminating power of the mass customization scales. In addition, the data is used to test the hypothesized configurations and explore the operational parameters required to support each type of mass customization.

\"Technology has introduced dramatic new efficiencies to supply chain design, management, and control--but only to those who can open their minds to these new methods and strategies. This book presents innovative articles from eighteen of today's top young Ph.D. scholars, each based on discussions at the 2000 Frank Batten Young Leaders Forum of the College of William and Mary.

A critical issue in quality is the problem of incorporating the voice of the customer into the design, production, and after-market support of products and services. A number of techniques have been used to facilitate external customer input into the design phase of product development. These include surveys, focus groups and customer interviews. Actual customer purchase decisions, the ultimate measure of customer preferences, are far more revealing than such traditional soft measures. Thus, the problem is how to configure an organization to capture the customer's design preferences at the time of purchase. This can be done through a mass-customization manufacturing system. Mass customization blends the market advantages of customized products with the economies of scale achieved through mass production. Customer entry into the manufacturing cycle can occur at several points: 1. design, 2. fabrication, 3. assembly, or 4. post-production.