Which production approach blends efficiency of mass production with customization?

Which production approach blends efficiency of mass production with customization?

• A. Make-to-order.
• B. Mass production.
• C. Outsourcing.
• D. Mass customization.

Answer: (D)

Mass customization is the approach that combines the efficiency of high-volume production with the ability to tailor products to individual needs. The idea is to build a standardized platform and modular components that can be configured to meet specific customer specs. By producing the common base at scale, you get the cost and speed benefits of mass production, while flexible processes, rapid changeovers, and postponement of final configuration allow each product to be customized without sacrificing throughput. In short, you achieve economies of scale on the core components and use adaptable manufacturing and assembly to deliver personalized options. This is why it’s the best fit for blending efficiency with customization.

Mass customization is the approach that combines the efficiency of high-volume production with the ability to tailor products to individual needs. The idea is to build a standardized platform and modular components that can be configured to meet specific customer specs. By producing the common base at scale, you get the cost and speed benefits of mass production, while flexible processes, rapid changeovers, and postponement of final configuration allow each product to be customized without sacrificing throughput. In short, you achieve economies of scale on the core components and use adaptable manufacturing and assembly to deliver personalized options. This is why it’s the best fit for blending efficiency with customization.