Enabling customization using standardized operations

This article presents four standardization techniques - product, part, proc urement, and process - that help mitigate the negative impacts of product v ariety on a firm's operations. The ability of a firm to use these standardi zation approaches depends on the degree to which it can modularize its prod ucts and processes, on what it is trying to achieve for its customers, and on the costs associated with standardization. The article presents a framew ork for thinking about these options and choosing among them.