Firms strive to offer value to their customers through mass customization by providing individually designed products and services. However, high process flexibility is a prerequisite to achieve this and process flexibility becomes a key factor for a viable mass customization strategy. In the first paper, "Customization Index: Evaluating the Flexibility of Operations in a Mass Customization Environment", by Cliff Welborn, the author has developed a quantitative index which can be used to evaluate process flexibility by categorizing a process as flexible or inflexible. This categorization can then be used to determine the suitability of the manufacturing process for mass customization initiatives.

In the second paper, "Integrated Approach to Total Productive Lean Six Sigma (TPLSS) Implementation in a Manufacturing Industry", by R M Nachiappan, N Anatharaman and N Muthukumar, the authors have proposed an integrated model that takes into consideration three major improvement tools that help to achieve world-class performance in a shorter time and at a lesser cost. The authors have validated the model with a study carried out in a continuous product line manufacturing industry.

The third paper, "Integrated Vendor-Buyer Cooperative Model with Multivariate Demand and Progressive Credit Period", by S R Singh and Diksha, deals with the development of an integrated supply chain model with variable demand under progressive credit period. A two-tier supply chain with integrated buyer-vendor relationship with certain assumptions has been studied from the perspective of solving the problem of distribution of cost amongst the channel members.

Kaizen is a philosophy which originally aimed at continuous improvements in operations specially covering the areas of quality and process. Over the years, it has gained immense popularity and has been widely accepted as an improvement tool by firms all over the world. The fourth paper , "Kaizen Philosophy: A Review of Literature", by Jagdeep Singh and Harwinder Singh, deals with various literatures published in this area and the applicability of Kaizen to newer areas—with a view to provide information and research opportunities for new researchers.

This issue concludes with a case study titled, "P&G's Logistics Revolution: Co-Creating Value", by Sai Prasanna Ragu. In the fast moving consumer markets, firms compete for shelf space and retailers compete for customer retention and loyalty. Procter&Gamble was one of the first consumer goods companies that realized the significance of shelf space and the need to attract customers at the point of sale. This case study shows how P&G initiated customer-driven Supply Chain Management (SCM) and how, starting from the customers' needs, it worked backwards to production and co-created value.

-- Sumitro Saha
Consulting Editor