Expected trends in production networks for mass personalization in the cloud technology era
Résumé
Currently, supply chains and manufacturing systems are changing based on the volatility in the current market landscape and shifts in digital technologies. The mass personalization trend is characterized by the ability to offer individualized products. Therefore, since customers are willing to pay over standard prices for individual products, companies have to redesign the processes along the supply network, focusing on higher adaptability, agility, and modularity. Furthermore, reconfigurable supply chain or X-network is a network designed in a cost efficient, responsive, sustainable, and resilient manner that is data driven and adaptable, in order to efficiently adjust supply chain capacities and functionality in response to the market volatility. Through the Industry 4.0 key technologies, improved flexibility can be achieved along with improved supply chain planning and controlling strategies. Consequently, this chapter discusses the ways and the technologies that can support the digital transformation and enable the development of innovative concepts in modern supply chains.