《Mass Customization at》.PDFVIP

Mass Customization at Hewlett-Packard: The Power of Postponement by Edward Feitzinger and Hau L. Lee Harvard Business Review Reprint 97101 Mass Customization atMass Customization at In many mass markets, companies are by Edward Feitzinger and Hau L. Lee facing a predicament. On the one hand, cus- tomers are demanding that their orders be fulfilled companies in such industries as apparel, paint, and ever more quickly. On the other hand, they are de- consumer electronics have had similar success: manding highly customized products and services. they have dramatically increased their product va- Even without trying to customize their products, riety, slashed the time they require to fulfill cus- most companies have found it difficult to fulfill or- tomers’ orders, and reduced costs. Other companies ders swiftly and at an acceptable cost. Is it possible, have not: they have mass-customized only to see then, to mass-customize products, deliver them their costs soar out of control. rapidly, and at the same time reduce costs? The key to mass-customizing effectively is post- The Hewlett-Packard Company has confronted poning the task of differentiating a product for a these pressures in many of its businesses, includ- specific customer until the latest possible point in ing computers, printers, and medical products. It the supply network (a company’s supply, manufac- has proved that companies indeed can deliver cus- turing, and distribution chain). Instead of taking tomized products quickly and at a low cost. Some a piecemeal approach, companies must rethink and Copyright © 1996 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. PHOTO BY TONY RINALDO integrate