While I am writing my thesis, and reading literature on mass customization, characteristics of information products and other parent disciplines for this research, it is getting clearer that existing literature has a gap on customization of digital or information products. That makes my research interesting for me and maybe for some other people too.
As can be read on this blog, digital products are being customized and personalized on the Internet. Digital products in the form of music, or music stations, can be customized on Last.fm and Pandora. As I had contacted Frank Piller before on this research, he showed his interest in the subject. Now on his mass-customization weblog this topic is getting attention, as he has reviewed Pandora and some other services that allow music to be personalized.
It makes me curious if customization and personalization is getting more attention in scientific literature in the near future. But if Frank Piller is starting to mention it, I’m sure it will.
July 27, 2006 at 10:45 am |
Your thesis will be the first step to filling the gap
Maybe u should try to promote your work, like sending a copy to Frank Piller himself. There already is a list on his site with recent publications on the subject, I think your work should be there to (when it’s done 
)
July 27, 2006 at 8:46 pm |
Hi, thanks frst for all the nice credits. Second, I think mass customization has been covered already quite deeply in the academic literature, there are at least 1000 scientific articles on it. The problem is, that the concept is getting more and more a buzz word, and so many academics use it just to “sell” all kinds of stuff with regard to flexible manufacturing. What is needed this is a debate what MC really is and if it is worth an own term. If yes, what I think, we should focus more on analysisng the unique capabilities of MC companies. Third, as Michael said, definitly send me your thesis for promotion of my site (once it is published).
July 27, 2006 at 9:00 pm |
Hi mr. Piller. I’m aware of the literature of mass-customization. I don’t know how much I read, too much probably. I read your book “The Customer Centric Enterprise” for example, it gave me some great insights. But there is almost nothing on customizing digital products, such as music.
And mass customization is getting a buzz word, at least if you compare the number of scientific articles on it the recent years. And if you read all of them, not all are on the same topic.
Personally I enjoyed the article of Kaplan and Haenlein (2006) where they try to define mass customization. And I also follow Duray et al. (2000) that mass customizers can be classified on the point of customer involvement ann the type of modularity employed.
I will send you my thesis with all my pleasure! I hope to finish it somewhere in October this year.
August 6, 2006 at 12:49 pm |
Arena…
I am Karin, very interesting article that contained the information I was searching for in Google, thanks….