Implications of mass customisation on business information systems

Modern information and communication technologies like the internet or mobile computing are enforcing changes of Business Information Systems (BIS) in the context of an evolving e-business and global economy. This paper analyses the impact of mass customisation on future BIS, with focus on globally distributed value chains. Consequently, we address the question of how to scale mass customisation in existing supply webs. New and innovative concepts are needed to keep transaction costs low and information logistics transparent. Using a case study from the footwear industry, we present an innovative multiagent approach, which uses information represented with explicit machine-understandable semantics for coordinating and negotiating activities throughout the supply web.