اثرات استاندارد سازی و نوآوری در سفارشی سازی توده ای: یک تحقیق تجربی  Effects of standardization and innovation on mass customization: An empirical investigation

1. Introduction Mass customization (MC) aims to offer customized products on a large scale and in a responsive manner so that nearly every customer can find products that satisfy their specific needs at a reasonable price (Anderson and Pine, 1997; Jiao et al., 2003). By aligning a manufacturer with its customer needs (Salvador et al., 2009), MC satisfies the demands for customization efficiently (Jitpaiboon et al., 2013; Kortmann et al., 2014). Mass customizers usually face the challenges of increasing product variety and process complexity (Duray et al., 2000; Salvador et al., 2009). Therefore, delivery speed, which refers to the extent to which a company promptly delivers products in response to customer needs (Calantone and Di Benedetto, 2000), is crucial for mass customizers to create and deliver value to customers (Jitpaiboon et al., 2013; Tu et al., 2001). The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the roles of standardization and innovation in building MC capability and improving delivery speed. This study addresses the following two research questions. First, what are the individual and interactive effects of standardization and innovation on MC capability? Second, how do standardization, innovation, and MC capability jointly influence delivery speed? MC capability enables a manufacturer to produce customized products rapidly at a cost comparable to the unit cost achieved with mass production (Tu et al., 2004). Implementing MC requires unique manufacturing systems and operational practices (Salvador et al., 2009). For example, studies have shown that MC capability can be developed through standardized modules (Peng et al., 2011; Tu et al., 2004) and innovative product and process designs (Jitpaiboon et al., 2013; Kristal et al., 2010). Standardization refers to the use of common parts, components, and platforms in research and development (R&D), production, and purchasing (Perera et al., 1999). Innovation is the practice of adopting, integrating, and implementing new knowledge and technologies in product and process development (Manu and Sriram, 1996; Wan et al., 2005). Standardization aims at growth through economies of scale and by increasing productivity and market share, whereas innovation aims at making a manufacturer more profitable and adaptive to market dynamics. Two competing views exist on the relationship between standardization and innovation (Thompson, 1965; Fixson and Park, 2008). Standardization emphasizes the similarity, uniformity, and continuity of behavior and encourages bureaucracy, which may hinder the generation of new and path-breaking ideas and thus restrict companies to existing products or technologies (Thompson, 1965; David and Rothwell, 1996). Recently, some researchers argue that standardization allows employees to develop common languages and methodologies that facilitate knowledge distribution and combination, product and process development, and the adaptation of new technologies (Funk and Luo, 2015; Wright et al., 2012), thereby enhancing innovation. Because of the potential mixed effects of standardization on innovation and their major roles in MC (Fogliatto et al., 2012; Salvador et al., 2009), understanding the combined effects of standardization and innovation on MC capability and delivery speed can help manufacturers gain a competitive advantage. This study can provide insights into the relationship between standardization and innovation and their roles in MC capability development. The results reveal that the interaction between standardization and innovation enhances MC capability and that MC capability carries the effects of standardization and innovation on delivery speed, thereby contributing to the MC literature. Thus, the findings can help managers in manufacturing firms to develop a more clear understanding of the effects of standardization and innovation on organizational capability and performance.