The Influence of Unique Components on Product Availability: A Case Study in a Jewelry Brand
摘要
This paper investigates the relationship between component shareability and product availability within the jewelry industry, a sector driven by consumers’ quest for unique and meaningful products. This often leads to innovative and distinctive designs and materials, which can be a challenge for supply chain planners. This case study, conducted at a multinational jewelry company, explores whether jewels with unique components suffer from lower availability compared to those with standard ones. The analysis included data on inventory levels, demand, and fill rates from 2022 and 2023. Findings support the hypothesis that products with unique components show lower availability and higher stockout rates. This research highlights a critical challenge of low component shareability and encourages further investigation in the field of systems engineering within the jewelry industry.