Effect of mass customization on operational performance of flour milling firms in Kenya

Abstract

Despite the generally accepted view that mass customization is a profitable business practice, little has been done to document the impact of mass customization in the manufacturing sector on operational outcomes in Kenya. The study attempted to analyze the influence of mass customization on operating performance among Kenyan flour milling firms. The analysis adopted Survey Research Style. The study focused on 35 firms involved in Maize Milling. Primary data for the studies were used. The collected data were tested for accuracy, continuity and redundancy. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Study of Regression and Correlation was used. Due to their capacity to produce a comparative form with the otherwise abstract existence of the results, tables were used in data presentation. Means, averages, standard deviation, and percentages, were determined. The research concludes that the product customization activities covered in this study were all conducted by the flour milling companies; solution space creation, robust process design, customer preference navigation, and information technology. There was also a correlation between the flour milling firms' practices and operational efficiency. There was also a correlation between the flour milling firms' practices and operational efficiency. Design of the solution space was found to correlate favorably with and important operational efficiency of flour milling companies. Rising levels of solution space production contribute to improved operational efficiency. Robust process architecture was positively associated with the operating efficiency of the flour milling companies and significantly. Rising the robust nature of the method contributes to an improvement in operational efficiency. Navigation of customer preference was found to correlate favorably with and important operational efficiency of the flour milling firms. This means an improvement in navigation of customer preference contributes to an improvement in operational efficiency. Information technology was found to have a strong correlation with and substantial operational efficiency of flour milling firms. This means that improved use of Information Technology contributes to organizational efficiency improvements. The research was restricted to flour milling companies and also limited to only four independent variables. Consequently, the report recommends similar research to be carried out using more experimental variables and even other firms to generalize the results. The modified r squared showed that the variance in operating efficiency was 70.8 percent due to mass customization activities. It indicates that other variables produced 29.2 per cent of the variance. Therefore, this thesis indicates more work should be conducted to determine these factors / practices.