Trust-Driven Joint Operations Practices to Achieve Mass Customization: A Comparative Study for U.S., Chinese and Japanese Companies

Authors

Kun Liao, Central Washington UniversityFollow
Thomas W. Sharkey, University of Toledo
Mark A. Vonderembse, University of Toledo
T. S. Ragu-Nathan, University of Toledo

Document Type

Article

Department or Administrative Unit

Finance and Supply Chain Management

Publication Date

2009

Abstract

This study builds a model of trust, based on joint operational activities and mass customization using theories of social capital and the resource-based view of the firm. Based on 208 responses from suppliers in the U.S. and China, this study empirically supports the notion that trust positively drives manufacturer-supplier activities in operations. It also supports the claim that joint operations activities contribute to mass customization capabilities in a significant way. Moreover, the level of trust and the degree of joint activities are different for the four types of suppliers used in the study: U.S. brands produced in North America, Japanese brands produced in China, U.S. brands produced in China, and Chinese brands produced in China.

Recommended Citation

Liao, K; Sharkey, T. W.; Vonderembse, M. A.; & Ragu-Nathan, T. S. (2009). Trust-Driven Joint Operations Practices to Achieve Mass Customization: A Comparative Study for U.S., Chinese and Japanese Companies. Annual Meeting of the Decision Sciences Institute, 40.

Journal

Annual Meeting of the Decision Sciences Institute