Mass customization in terms of the customer order decoupling point

In recent years the customer order decoupling point (CODP) has gained increased acceptance as an important concept when organizing value-adding activities in production and logistics. The CODP, which is defined as the point in the value-adding material flow that separates decisions made under uncertainty from decisions made under certainty concerning customer demand, is however normally only used for production- and distribution- related activities. Here we adjust the typical CODP typology and show how the engineering resources can be integrated with the production process so as to take the features of mass customization environments into account. This paper also examines existing mass customization frameworks and offers a more thorough and nuanced typology for classifying various levels of mass customization. Finally, the adjusted CODP typology is used as a foundation for developing a reliable order promise process for mass customizers.