We explore the manufacturer's incentives to use a dual-channel supply chain rather than only a direct or an indirect channel in simultaneous price competition. We first revisit the demand formulation widely used in the context of channel analysis and introduce a different demand formulation...

The application of mass customization in the food industry requires an appropriate system design to meet the customers' needs and wants. One of the systems is the modularization concept for product design. The application of the modularization concept will impact manufacturing systems. Modular...

The advent of the Internet has revolutionized the way companies advertise, develop and distribute products. Firms can now customize their advertising messages and products to the particular characteristics and needs of customers. Customers themselves can create their own products. We investigate...

Purpose: The actual market characteristic oriented toward customers' requirements compels decision-makers to foresee customization abilities. Mass customization represents a valuable approach to combine customizable offers with mass production processes. From a supply chain standpoint, this...

The car sequencing problem determines sequences of different car models launched down a mixed-model assembly line. To avoid work overloads of workforce, car sequencing restricts the maximum occurrence of labor-intensive options, e.g., a sunroof, by applying sequencing rules. We consider this...

We analyze a duopoly game in which products are initially differentiated in variety and quality. Each consumer has a most preferred variety and a quality valuation. Customization provides ideal varieties but has no effect on product qualities. The firms first choose whether to customize their...