The German financial services market is in deep crisis. Deregulation and the new means of communication have fostered competition and made the market a transparent level playing field. Moreover, customers increasingly demand individualized solutions to their financial problems. Many financial...

Use of common parts for different products (commonality) is important methods for managing product variety and preserving competitiveness in the age of mass customization and supply chain competition. In literature, the advantages of inclusion of common components in a product family are well...