Jeffrey Readman

The Globalization of Product Markets and Immiserizing Growth: Lessons From the South African Furniture Industry

The central issue addressed in this paper is whether some developing countries will find it difficult to compete effectively in global product markets and will therefore be locked into processes of immiserizing growth. It focuses on the role of South African producers in the global furniture value chain, analyzing the factors affecting firm upgrading, particularly the role of global buyers. The paper observes a global industry characterized by increased competition and falling unit prices, with local firms dependent on a falling exchange rate. It concludes with implications for policy and future research, including generalizing the findings to other sectors and countries.

Mass customisation: the key to customer value?

The purpose of this paper is to ask the question – does mass customization really hold the key to customer value? It is argued that while mass customization can, and often does, increase the value of an offering, it is not always the case. In other words, mass customization does not represent the best strategy for all firms in all cases. Neoclassical economists tend to examine the concept of value in terms of utility. Utility is a measure of satisfaction a consumer receives from consumption of goods or services. Utility theory states that consumers spend their income to maximize their satisfaction or utility (Bowman and Ambrosini 2000). In this light, the concept of value delves deeper into the reasons behind consumer choice; in other words, how do consumers decide which offering will bestow maximum utility? For example, Zeithaml incorporates the notion of utility in her definition but goes further to encompass the basis on which utility is assessed, i.e. through what is given and what is received. It is critical that manufacturing firms understand whether their customers (existing and potential) really do value customization. The paper introduces the responsive agility tool that may provide the basis for an informed decision. The tool differentiates a number of value criteria and a method of selecting between them. Further, the tool identifies four levels of customization distinguished by secondary value criteria. We provide a case study demonstrating how the tool may operate in practice. The case study suggests that the tool may effectively differentiate customer types according to their value criteria. Finally the paper proposes that a value judgement is dependent on the negotiated process between a manufacturer and customer.

What challenges lie ahead for improvement programmes in the UK? Lessons from the CINet Continuous Improvement Survey 2003

The results of the UK Continuous Improvement (CI) Survey 2003 are presented in this paper. Key findings underscore performance improvements and the most effective enabling tools and techniques, which support CI initiatives. The paper concludes that more explorative research is required to, first, distinguish CI from other process improvement activities and, second, to distinguish the different applications of CI in production and non-production activities.

Positioning UK Research and Technology Organizations as Outward‐Facing Technology‐Bases

UK research and technology organizations (RTOs) compete globally by offering engineering, technology and innovation services. Although associated historically with specific industries, UK RTOs have expanded into nontraditional markets and sectors. This article profiles 15 UK RTOs and we suggest that UK RTOs have unique technology and innovation capabilities, which cut across industrial boundaries.