Product modularity: Conceptualization, measurement, and consequences

Customized products help firms creating differentiated value for consumers in highly competitive markets. Modular product designs enable firms to fulfill market requirements for customization while balancing profitability targets. In modular product design, larger systems are broken down into independent sub-components, while the functionality of the entire system is preserved. While product modularity has received great attention from the literature in production and process optimization, research on consumer perceptions of modular products is still in its infancy. The present study develops a two-dimensional scale for product modularity as a basis for an online consumer survey, assessing their perceptions of modular product designs and potential effects of product modularity on product adoption intention. Particular value of this study lies in the application of a consumer research vantage point in the literature field of modular product design