Title: Knowledge based mass customisation strategies: cases from Finnish metal and electronics industries

Authors: Mikko Ruohonen, Jaakko Riihimaa, Marko Makipaa

Addresses: School of Economics and Business Administration at University of Tampere, Kanslerinrinne 1, 33100 Tampere, Finland. ' Seinajoki Polytechnic, Keskuskatu 32 K, 60100 Seinajoki, Finland ' Department of Computer Sciences, University of Tampere, Kanslerinrinne 1, 33100 Tampere, Finland

Abstract: The rise and development of e-business has transformed many traditional markets and created new ones. Companies have been forced to be more customer-oriented and to consider different mass customisation strategies. We outline in this research the development paths of forty case companies in Finnish metal and electronics industries. The objective was to find out the state of the art in e-business strategies in each company and how it is related to utilisation of mass customisation strategies. The |Four evolutionary phases of e-business| is suggested as the companies move towards to what we call knowledge business (k-business) era.

Keywords: e-business strategy; electronic business; knowledge business; mass customisation; multiple case study; metal industry; electronics industry; evolutionary phases; ERP; enterprise resource planning; supply chain management; SCM; customer relationship management; CRM; knowledge networks; knowledge based mass customisation; customisation strategies; Finland.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMASSC.2006.008629

International Journal of Mass Customisation, 2006 Vol.1 No.2/3, pp.340 - 359

Published online: 12 Jan 2006 *

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