ABSTRACT
In this new millennium, two critical driving factors are identified that may dominate the footwear business and initialize a paradigm shift (Boër and Dulio 2007). First, there is an increasing competitive pressure from low labor cost producers, especially from China and the Far East. Those competitors are capable of delivering products of a similar quality, but at a better price. In order to reduce the production cost, major shoe companies are forced to split the production processes, outsource several production steps to the areas with lower labor costs, and organize global production and supply chain network. The low-cost competition also results in a market push toward further diversification and demands for increasingly higher-quality products. Second, there is a trend that the footwear industry is increasingly integrated into the
30.1 Introduction-Mass Customization and Footwear ...................................... 625 30.1.1 Customer Centric .............................................................................. 627 30.1.2 Quick Response to Market................................................................ 627 30.1.3 Inventory and Supply Chain Management Efficiency ...................... 627
30.2 Dimensions in Customized Footwear ........................................................... 628 30.2.1 Style Customization .......................................................................... 628 30.2.2 Comfort Customization .................................................................... 629 30.2.3 Function Customization .................................................................... 630 30.2.4 Combined Strategy and Challenges .................................................. 631
30.3 Technical Approaches in Shoe Customization ............................................. 632 30.3.1 Product Portfolio Management ......................................................... 632 30.3.2 Customer Interface Design ............................................................... 634 30.3.3 Shoe Configurator ............................................................................. 635 30.3.4 Flexible Manufacturing Process ....................................................... 637 30.3.5 Supply Chain Management ............................................................... 638
30.4 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 639 Questions ................................................................................................................640 References ..............................................................................................................640
fashion industry, driven by a few multiproduct oligopolies. Consumers now expect shoes to not only offer comfort but also reflect their personal identities. Thus, higher fashion consciousness and personalized shoes have been identified in the footwear consumer market (Piller and Muller 2004). Facing two driving factors of paradigm shift, all shoe providers should develop new business strategies and look for innovative business models in order to maintain a competitive advantage. Shoe producers should spend more effort on product quality improvement, innovation in design and materials, quick response to dynamic fashion trends, and more importantly, the individual consumer’s personalized needs and relative supporting service rather than simply offering goods.
