Mass customization and strategic benefits: a case study in Brazil

Abstract

This article presents an overview of the academic debate about mass customization (MC). The objective is to describe how the MC strategy was introduced in a Brazilian company and the results obtained, relating them to theoretical considerations. This is illustrated through a case study in an industry of the Brazilian household appliances sector. The context was the launch of a totally customized product, to be sold on the Internet to consumers with high purchasing power, with the strategic use of IT. The aim was to create value for these customers by reinforcing the brand's own values using a clear differentiation strategy. MC is already used alongside conventional strategies in a growing number of worldwide organizations, but in Brazil the use of this tool is still in its infancy, hence the importance of this study. Its qualities have transformed it into a valuable marketing device in the search for consumer loyalty. This has the effect of strengthening the brand, drawing customers into a closer relationship and making it a powerful tool for sustaining company competitiveness, via a differentiation strategy.

Use of low bandwidth network technologies and sensors for operation and performance monitoring of rural development projects: A case study in South Africa

“…A single case is considered sufficient for this research as the case is not unique, it can be used as a baseline for further research in the field of preventive maintenance in rural communities, and finally the replication and case comparisons are not objectives of this study (Atkins & Sampson, 2002;Tellis, 1997;Yin, 2003). Implementing exploratory research in case studies can be seen in various cases where researchers observe a phenomenon when undertaking work on a project, where no prior research on the specific topic has been conducted (Sanzogni et al, 2008;Zilber & Nohara, 2009). The steps followed in this study are summarized below:…”

Tecnologia De Informação E Customização Em Massa: Evidências Na Indústria De Transformação

“…No Brasil, uma recente pesquisa demonstrou que a adoção dessa estratégia em uma empresa líder na fabricação de produtos da linha branca (geladeiras), a qual decidiu comercializar exclusivamente pela internet uma linha de seus produtos, contribuiu para atrair clientes para um relacionamento mais próximo, criar valor para esses clientes, reforçar os valores próprios da marca e manter a competitividade (Zilber & Nohara, 2009 (Peppers & Rogers, 1997).…”

“…Apesar de certos autores terem destacado o papel da TI na integração entre as diferentes atividades da cadeia de valor (Barrenechea, 2010) e para interação com o cliente (Salvador et al, 2009;Zilber;Nohara, 2009), as descobertas da presente pesquisa, no que toca aos condicionantes do grau de utilização da TI nos processos de customização em massa, não parecem ter sido devidamente contemplados pela literatura pesquisada.…”