Schoenwitz, M (2014) Aligning product and processes to customer needs in prefabricated house building. PhD thesis, Cardiff University, UK.
Abstract
Given the impact of increasing customer choice on operations, this thesis clarifies the role of customer preferences and its impact on the operations of a company in the house building industry. In doing so, an empirical investigation into customer choice requirements is offered and a framework that helps to align customer preferences with the product and processes is presented. A prioritisation of components is provided which ultimately helps to design houses that meet buyer requirements. Furthermore a method is presented that helps in prioritising problem areas. This study is built on two empirical pillars and the evidence drawn from these sources. First, on the basis of a case study a view of the house as a system of components and sub-components has been developed. This resulted in the set-up of a product architecture in which the Customer Order Decoupling Point (CODP) could be positioned. Second, a preference measurement task applying a pairwise comparison questionnaire was conducted so as to define the level of choice expected by customers for the components. An important outcome of the survey was to identify how customers actually prioritise categories and components in a prefabricated housing design. Combining the results of these two research exercises helps in making the correct decisions about the level of variety to offer. The generalisability of the findings is limited. However, the process of conducting the case study as well as the preference measurement is generalisable in research that concentrates on products with a complex product architecture. The framework can thus be adopted by practitioners manufacturing multi-attribute products seeking to pursue a mass customisation strategy. This research contributes by highlighting the importance of integrating process and product development in order to design a value chain that meets customer needs.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | case study; customer preferences; housebuilding; prefabricated housing design; product architecture; questionnaire survey |
| Index terms: | questionnaire, evidence, practitioner, preference, product development, decoupling, survey, strategy, investigation, building industry, housebuilding, prefabricated house, customer preference, mass customization, exercise, prioritizing, case study, value chain, product architecture, prefabricated housing design |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, design methods, decision analysis, industry analysis, systems engineering, management, construction integration, value chain strategy, strategic management, evaluation and assessment methods, practitioner, health behaviours and lifestyles, innovation studies, manufacturing engineering, decision-making and reasoning, urban design |
| Topics: | Design Practice, Roles and Professions, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Supply Chain Management, Risk Management, Health and Safety, Engineering Principles |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here