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This book defines mass customization and sustainability and sets a framework for such questions as: Do the two concepts empower or hinder one another? Offers a methodology for assessing the three aspects of sustainability: social, economical and environmental.

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To adapt to global competitive pressures, manufacturers must develop methods and enabling technologies towards a personalized, customer oriented and sustainable manufacturing. Mass Customization and Sustainability defines the two concepts of mass customization and sustainability and introduces a framework to establish a link between the two concepts to answer the questions: Are these two aspects empowering one another? Or are they hindering one another?

These questions investigate mass customization as one of the main driving forces to achieve effective sustainability. A methodology to assess the contribution of mass customization to sustainability is developed, providing an assessment model composed by a set of indicators covering the three aspects of sustainability: social, economical and environmental. This is supported and further explained using ideas and new concepts compiled from recent European research.

Researchers, scientists, managers and industry professionals alike can follow a set of practical examples and industrial cases, enabling them to easily transfer Mass Customization and Sustainability theoretical concepts into actions to be enforced into their everyday business for gaining competitiveness. Mass Customization and Sustainability also introduces useful concepts for government officials responsible for establishing sustainable policies and regulations, offering methods to compare the results of implementation of such policies.

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1.Introduction.- 2.Mass Customization Theory and Implementation Framework.- 3.Sustainability Assessment Model.- 4.Assessment of sustainable MC production in a Selected Test Case.- 5.Ideas and Trends from Research Activities.- 6.Hic Sunt Dracones: Here Be Dragons.

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Prof. Dr.Ing Claudio R. Bo‰r He started his professional career in industry as He held the position of Director ICIMSI (Institute CIM for Sustainable Innovation) in SUPSI (2006-2012) andHis research activities include Project Leader and then Research Director at ITIA-CNR (from 1988 to 2006), Project Leader of European Integrated Project EUROShoE (Mass Customization of Footwear) and S-MC-S (Sustainable Mass Customization and Mass Customization for Sustainability). He was also Expert CTI - Swiss Federal Agency for Technology and Innovation (from 1993 to 2007). He is Fellow of C.I.R.P. and has published three books and over 230 papers in the field of manufacturing, applied computer science to manufacturing and production management, plastic deformation simulation, applied robotic, Virtual Manufacturing Environment, Extended Enterprise, Mass Customization (in particular footwear).

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