Justification, Case Study Example

Land End’s depends on ASI for development and production of quality products. Eliminating ASI from the supplier chain will directly cut some dealers from the manufacturing process and this may affect LE’s market for new products in the future. It’s due to this that reducing customization option is considered as the bet solution for this problem. As a result of many customization options, the process of making new patterns and manufacturing is delayed. LE’s customers are given the freedom to customize various elements by ASI such as fabric, design and color (Kroenke, 70).

Each of this elements also gives the customers various options the can choose from. The long supplier chain can be associated with the reason why LE’s is experiencing delayed problem in implementing new products into the market. Various management principles and concepts that were considered before coming up with this solution include ensuring the production process will continue to meet customers needs, remain customer focused and technologically viable. Since the customization of new products requires several month waiting period and for ASI to develop the programs and algorithms for the new products requires considerable period, this problem affects the productivity of the company. These two factors have been considered in developing a solution that will help LE’s improve its productivity without affecting its market share (David, 237).

The various customization options allow customers to give many options with a wide range of variation hence making product production a complicated process. This complex supply chain in the manufacturing process needs to be addressed if LE wants to improve its production efficiency. In addition, after customization of each new product ASI will be required to device a new electronic pattern that can be used.

Land End should only provide fewer customization options to its customers. Providing fewer customization options will shorten the period taken by ASI to develop new electronic pattern and hence the period taken to introduce new customized quality clothing will be reduced. It should be noted that the process of setting up new programs for developing the electronic patterns consumes most of the time in the development of new product. Providing fewer customization options will hence improve LE’s deliver efficiency.

If LE has fewer options to manufacture ASI services of developing new programs will be minimized as LE can use the already existing software in designing new products. As a result, LE will be indirectly reducing the supply chain which can be also associated with the delayed process in introducing new products into the market without locking out any important production party. If another solution is considered it will result to reducing the company’s determination of ensuring retailers needs are addressed in the production process or may make the manufacturing process to be technologically handicapped (Kroenke, 69).

Eliminating ASI from LE’s manufacturing process for instance may have negative effects in the expansion of new products markets. It should be noted that after a customized product is identified the time taken by ASI to bring the customized product into wear is reduced compared to standard manufacturing. Standard manufacturing will increase the cost of manufacturing and hence may affect the period required to introduce new products in the market. Hence ASI should not be phase off from new product production process.

ASI plays an important role in the production of quality products and hence has been played an essential role in the growth of the LE’s market. Phasing off ASI will mean customers won’t be allowed to customize their products and the production process will be considered to be less customer focused (Black & Gabriele, 82). However with reduced options for customizing ASI will still be able to give the retailers the chance of ensuring their needs are met in the development of new styles and as the same time ensure technological advancement in the LE’s manufacturing process.

Works cited

Black Ives & Gabriele P. Communications of the association for information systems: Customs made Apparel and individualized service at Land’s end. Vol. 11. Article 3. University of Houston: The Berkeley Electronic press. (Pages 79-87).

David, Aaker. Developing Business strategies. 4th ed. University of California: Wiley publishers. 2008. 379 pages.

Kroenke, David M.  Using MIS 2^nd Edition.  Pearson Education Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 07548. 2009  68-72