Customization Versus Price

Do you think the buying habits of online shoppers are changing rapidly? According to this revealing article by Peter Crawfurd published on the Huffington Post site, the habit of conveniently purchasing a variety of standard items quickly and cheaply from one online retailer might be evolving into a different buying pattern: customers are seeking more personalized and customized products at affordable prices with quicker delivery times.

One of the goals of Lean production is dynamic flexibility -- to efficiently produce customized products in the smallest lot sizes possible while satisfying customer demand and clearing a reasonable profit. Crawfurd cites some companies that are currently striving to follow this model (including his own ShirtsMyWay.com), but do you think customization at this very individual level will ultimately survive and overcome the expense? Is this the model that most online retailers will soon be adapting?

Book Talk: Flexibility

Corporations like the future to be predictable so planning is easier, but that’s not the way the world works. Life is full of uncertainty, and businesses have to be prepared to deal with it.

A new book scheduled for publication next week by our sister division CRC Press addresses this issue. In Flexibility: Flexible Companies for the Uncertain World, author Gill Eapen contends that the best way to manage effectively in an uncertain world is through the conscious application of flexibility — an ability to absorb constantly shifting variables and adapt quickly. He Presents specific ways to improve performance, reduce risk, and improve the probability of long-term organizational success

Eapen is the founder and managing principal of consulting firm Decision Options. He has worked with dozens of companies, including Fortune 100 companies, and is also the author of Decision Options, The Art and Science of Making Decisions.

This is a thoughtful, high-level book that anyone involved in strategic planning may find well worth reading.

Do you have a question or comment about a book(s) that you would like addressed in Book Talk? Email me directly at Ralph.bernstein@taylorandfrancis.com.