Modularização de produtos e customização em massa: evidências teórico-empíricas e proposição de um framework

Abstract

This thesis deals with the proposal of a Framework to analyze how the modularization of the product can provide the capacity of Mass Customization (MC), through the system of activities of the company, to obtain the competitive advantage in the organizations. To achieve this objective, a set of publications that deal with the subject was studied and critically evaluated, including conceptual elements such as: i) competitive advantage; ii) creation and appropriation of value; iii) value chain, activity system and the wealth curve; iv) mass customization; v) postponement; vi) customer order decoupling point (CODP); vii) modularization; and viii) relationship between the concepts of mass customization, product modularization, postponement and CODP; and ix) interactions between product modularization, activity system and mass customization. Based on this conceptual framework, the proposition of the framework was elaborated that presents the elements to be considered in obtaining sustainable competitive advantage, based on the capacity of Mass Customization. This framework constitutes an academic proposition, since, the literature indicates a lack of more detailed studies and systematic reviews addressing the ways in which modularization can lead to obtaining capacity in MC and the way in which companies they must organize for that. From the business point of view, the proposed work indicates the importance of organizational understanding of all existing relationships affected by the use of modularization practices in the company and, as a result, it implies encouraging paths that lead to obtaining the advantage in MC. For the consolidation of this Framework, this research used two case studies. One was developed in a truck manufacturer with a long history of product modularization. The other case, on the other hand, was carried out at a company that manufactures road implements with a recent history of implementing product modularization. The extremes indicated by the level of maturity of the modularization process of the products in the cases studied, allowed the analyzes carried out to provide relevant evidence to support that the proposed Framework has sufficient consistency to be considered an alternative to the in-depth understanding of the question proposed by the thesis.