摘要:德国汉堡大学留学生物流管理论文定制,基于物流理论的大规模定制系统复杂性和多样性的分析与建议(Complexity and variety in mass customization systems: analysis and recommendations)
y seems to be anecessary competence for firms that plan to pursue mass customization (Blecker et al.,2005).
While many authors argue that mass customization triggers high complexity, thereis, however, a little evidence about the type or nature of complexity that is caused insuch environments. In mass customization literature, the term complexity is mostlyused without having been defined first. Furthermore, variety and complexity areoftentimes used interchangeably as if they were equivalent terms. However, in order toeffectively manage complexity, we believe that it is necessary to argue about acommon framework, which provides an unambiguous interpretation of the term. Sucha framework will enable a better understanding of the causes and effects of complexity.
Toward this aim, we choose the complexity theory that is set forth by Suh (2005).Subsequently, we explore the mass customization system form this perspective. In thisway, we are able to have a better understanding of the origins of complexity in a masscustomization environment. For the management of this complexity, we argue thepotential of variety management strategies that have been developed thus far. Moreimportantly, it is shown that these strategies have unequal potentials of complexityreduction. The paper concludes that in order for managers to reduce thecomplexity ofa mass customization system, they have to ensure that over time, customerrequirements and customization responsiveness are both independent from theposition of the decoupling point, the point at which the customer order penetrates.
Taking this into account, a logical sequence according to which variety managementstrategies should be implemented in practice, is proposed. Finally, the paperdemonstrates that the mere application of modularity can be regarded as a necessarybut not a sufficient condition in order to lead mass customization to success. In effect,some complexity problems will still arise, in spite of the implementation of modularstructures.
Suh’s complexity theoryMathematicians, biologists, chemists, physicists, biologists, computer scientists and
economists did not agree about a common interpretation of complexity. In effect, theproblems dealt with in each field of research have shaped the meaning of the term.Complexity may be equated with system entropy (Shannon, 1948), logical depth(Bennett, 1988), algorithmic complexity (Chaitin, 1987), a state lying between order andrandomness, schema representing the system regularities (Gell-Mann, 1994), number of
parts and their interactions in a system (e.g. Luhmann, 1996), or even ignorance (Yates,1978). In the field of business administration and operations management, in order toanalyze the complexity of the firm, researchers may use the system theoretical point of
view which is taken over from the field of cybernetics. This perspective considers thefirm as a system in which different entities (e.g. departments or functions) interact witheach other in order to transform a certain input to an output. On the other hand, theentropic measure has been successfully applied to examine the complexity ofmanufacturing systems (e.g. Deshmukh et al., 1998; Frizelle and Woodcock, 1995) or
Supply Chains (e.g. Sivadasan et al., 2002).
As stated previously, in our analysis we will use the complexity theory of Suh inorder to address some of the complexity issues in mass customization. Suh’scomplexity theory is based on axiomatic design. Suh (1999, p. 117)
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