Products at the end of life cycles that are thrown away by the consumers can be harmful to the environment, but could create additional profit as each product or part of the materials of the product can be remanufactured or refurbished and then resold in the market. In this paper, using the ink cartridge as an example, we first describe the product return process, then present the mechanisms for coordinating the customers, the retailers and the manufacturers in order to lure the customers to return the used items while simultaneously presenting potential profits for both the retailers and manufacturers. According to characteristics of ink cartridge industry, an alternative reverse supply chain design is proposed, where partnership is built between OEM and 3rd party refiller to better attract ink cartridge return. Further comparison analysis is conducted to find out which design is better under different circumstances.

The manufacturing sector is a highly dynamic environment subject to continuous change and environmental uncertainty as parts, components and materials are procured and sourced globally. To be competitive, manufacturers must respond to such uncertainties rapidly and with the greatest flexibility in order to procure and maintain the supply of raw materials resources to sustain their manufacturing operations. Thus, the understanding and measuring of the procurement flexibility are key steps in maintaining a competitive advantage. So, the present study examined the theoretical concepts of procurement flexibility and proposed a generalisable measurement scale for manufacturing procurement flexibility. The scale was based on five supplier-manufacturer procurement dimensions of information exchange, supplier integration, product and component delivery, logistics and organisational structure. Further, each of these dimensions was divided into three flexibility elements of range, uniformity and mobility. A measurement scale was developed fiom a review of extant literature on flexibility relationships, purchasing, procurement and supply chain management using Q-Sort methodology. A mail survey of the major industry groups in the Australian manufacturing industry was undertaken. Principal component analysis and multiple regressions were used to examine the relationships between the flexibility dimensions and their elements. The results indicate that there is still much theory formulation and research to be conducted on procurement flexibility measurement scales. The results also revealed that Australian manufacturers have a limited experience with the flexibility issue and in some cases do not have even a procurement strategy. / These results provide important practical information and establish a range of relevant implications for the Australian manufacturing sector and its future competitiveness. This study also provides a basis for the continued development and distillation of procurement flexibility measures. One of the interesting outcomes of the Supplier Manufacturer Procurement Flexibility (ProcFlex) dimensions and the implication for overall Supply Chain Management (SCM) objectives and strateges is that ProcFlex is cumulative. Any inflexibilities and constrictions, like excess and lack of inventory, in procurement activities is accumulated and increases along the supply chain. It is like a 'stock-whip' effect that runs from suppliers to customers as to the reverse of the 'bull whip' effect.

This Master thesis has been made for Volvo Group Trucks Operations, Logistics Services (VGLS) in Gothenburg. Other companies within the Volvo Group and Volvo Car Corporation (VCC) have been involved during the process, including Volvo Trucks Umeå (VTU), Volvo Trucks Tuve (VTT) and Volvo Cars Body Components (VCBC) in Olofström. The thesis has examined activities within the supply chain process between three factories, VCBC – VTU – VTT. The different companies at each location serve different purposes in the supply chain, ultimately leading to a finished truck. To get a complete truck it takes different types of resources and thus an effective and well-functioning infrastructure to cope with the transportation of resources in an efficient way. VGLS is the provider of logistics services between the factories, meaning VGLS is in charge of the transportation process between the locations and take care of related transportation issues. A few years ago a project was started with the participation of VGLS with the aim to identify different types of objects better, via Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), aiming to create a more efficient supply chain. VGLS now wants to further exploit this technology as future implementation of RFID is soon ahead of them. According to the possibilities and opportunities related to RFID this thesis has critically examined activities in the supply chain process and its underlying problems, trying to create the right conditions for VGLS in order for them to better cope and utilize a near future RFID implementation. The main result of this study indicates that the problems of the transportation flow don’t derive from the physical transportation of material, but rather in the information flow between the actors. The results indicate that more emphasis should be placed on creating new ways to achieve more efficient information sharing, which in some cases can be facilitated through the use of RFID.

This dissertation analyzes the economic incentives involved in three distinct supply chain and revenue management decision environments. The first study examines the adoption of the percent deviation contract in a supply chain to induce the buyer to share some of the demand risk in an environment in which the buyer would typically place her order when she has full knowledge of the customer demand levels. The subgame-perfect Nash Equilibrium decisions are characterized, and the percent deviation is shown to achieve full supply chain channel coordination in cases where a simpler contract cannot. Pareto-improving examples based on industry demand data are presented and discussed. The second section considers a revenue management problem for sports and entertainment organizations. Given that the organization starts the selling season by offering ticket packages exclusively, the optimal time during the selling season for the organization to begin selling individual-event tickets is derived. Extensions of the base model are developed to include multiple ticket packages and heterogeneous ticket packages. The model is illustrated using empirical data sets obtained from the Georgia Tech Athletic Department and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The third section develops a model of vendor-controlled category management in which vendors are in charge of the stocking and assortment decisions for a given amount of shelf space at a vendor when the retailer retains control over the retail price. The subgame-perfect Nash Equilibrium strategies for two vendors and a single retailer are analyzed, and a revenue-sharing contract is shown to coordinate the channel when the vendors can produce multiple brands in a given product category and shelf space is sufficiently large or small.

Supply chain management involves inter-organizational interactions and integration as a whole, sharing operational resources and information among supply chain members, and an objective to optimize the supply chain performance. Among the management processes exists uncertainty that disrupts operational performance. The uncertainty occurs when supply chain members have insufficient information for decision making. The lack of information transparency leads to a rise in each member¡¦s cost and inventory level, inefficiency in capacity utilization, reduction of business values, etc. For these reasons, this study holds that information sharing can effectively deal with uncertainty and improve the performance of the whole supply chain. This research mainly studies information sharing in a supply chain and proposes a theoretical framework of information sharing. It investigates by a case study the uncertainty that the focal company faces in demand, supply, and manufacturing process, explores the company¡¦s current status of information sharing, and researches the factors that may influence information sharing. The results show that PCB (Printed Circuit Board), a highly customized product with a short life cycle and a simple combination of raw materials, has a supply chain of divergent differentiation. PCB has a higher demand uncertainty, but that uncertainty can be effectively reduced by information sharing and process coordination with demand side customers. Besides, the order fulfillment process may be improved as a result. Based on inter-organizational coordination, information sharing through vendor managed inventory mechanism will facilitate supply chain collaboration, and ease the significant influence of bullwhip effect on upstream PCB manufacturers. In this way, PCB manufacturers can share risks and profits with customers. Furthermore, the extent of trust and risk may influence the process of information sharing. A greater extent of trust helps members to share information with each other. Nevertheless, it is considered risky to share sensitive information, which is regarded as a bargaining power.

Abstract Supply chain performance measurement – the process of qualifying the efficiency and effectiveness of the supply chain. The aim of this study is to create a supply chain measurement framework for manufacturing industry, define what data should be measured and verify the measurement framework in the case company's supply chain. The research approach is hermeneutic and the research was a qualitative, constructive single case study research. The case company operates in the steel industry and provides prefabricated products for customers. The case supply chain was defined to be one supply chain in a plant where prefabricated products are produced. There is a review of the current understanding of supply chain management and literature related to supply chain performance measurement and the study creates a framework for supply chain measurement. This study presents the main theory framework of supply chain performance measurement. The key elements for the measurement framework were defined as time, profitability, order book analysis and managerial analysis. The measurement framework is tested by measuring case supply chain performance. The measurement framework is a valid framework for supply chain performance measurement in manufacturing industry. It is stated that supply chain performance measurement is extremely important in developing supply chain. The measurement framework in this study offers guidelines for measuring the supply chain in manufacturing industry but the measurement framework could be used in different areas of industry as well.

This diploma thesis has been created based on the demand of the management of DHL Exel Supply Chain and Swindon Pressings Limited to increase the efficiency and utilization of resources employed within they operations. The theoretical introduction part is first of dealing with the terms "logistics" and "supply chain management" in the perspective of their use in the contemporary logistics theory, comparison of their meaning (are there differences) and explanation of their use in this thesis. Subsequently I am explaining "reverse logistic" and its position in the structures of corporations and logistics itself. Supply chain management and the concept of lean manufacturing combined with the six sigma approach are, from my point of view, essential for today's supplier-customer relationships. That is why those topics are examined in the last part of the theoretical chapter. Returnable packaging and the transport process are key elements of the second part -- practical part, the reengineering of logistics processes which occurred at Swindon Pressings Limited. The aim of this thesis is to analyze the give problem, develop problem solving options and critically comment them. Finally choose one of the options, implement it and document the process of "going live".

This research study seeks to identify possible barriers that may exist within supply chain organisations and prevent the full acceptance, integration and utilisation of Internet based information system technologies, as is required by the new information age. The barriers can possibly be behavioural in nature (in measuring the use of information technology applications), psychological (dealing with perceptions) or be based on organisational policies and technical know-how. By conducting an empirical research investigation into the perceptions of users at different levels of supply chain management activity, the intention is to help organisations capitalise on their investment in information technology systems by identifying barriers to its usage after implementation. The hypothesis is derived from existing literature about business organisations‘ experiences and best practices, albeit it beyond the borders of South Africa. The respondents’ perspective is tested in a questionnaire to determine the level of organisational Internet based SCM integration and information sharing in the current South African market. This survey was conducted over a period of four months and targeted 2568 respondents. Both qualitative and quantitative data analyses were used to improve the value of research findings. The value of this research investigation is to assist South African supply chain management practitioners and researchers in competing with global players, since competitive advantage depends on competent supply chains in today’s digital economy, according to Philip Kotler (2001: 3). All the research objectives were achieved from the research sample data analysis. From the empirical research, the findings concern their search for lower prices, the payment receipt of money electronically and their order placement amongst others. The two underlying constructs that govern respondents’ SC interaction and in particular their information sharing activities are confidence and confidentiality, however the null hypothesis cannot be rejected. The results of this study and the contribution to the multi-discipline research area could be improved by future studies taking an even larger sample of the sample population to include more heterogeneous technology users in the study. This could facilitate the extrapolation of the results to the South African SCM market with more certainty. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Business Management / MCom / unrestricted

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019 / Performance measurement of supply chain in the healthcare environment has presented with a number of challenges, and studies exist to confirm this. These problems include rising costs, excessive demands, shortage of supply, and escalating level of customer dissatisfaction are the true reflection of supply chain issues faced by the hospitals. This study aims to find out an effective solution to measure supply chain performance within a hospital in Cape Town. The relation among trust, SCM/IT integration, firm’s performance, and knowledge exchange were investigated. A mixed research method (both qualitative and quantitative) was conducted involving five managers and 80 employees from the hospital. A number of interviews and a close-ended questionnaire were used for data collection. Content analysis was used for qualitative data and the descriptive results were generated through SPSS V25. Hospital and healthcare environment have been used interchangeable in this study. The research findings showed that trust levels between the hospital and its suppliers has no direct impact on supplier integration, but that its influence is interceded by knowledge exchange. Knowledge exchange plays an important role in influencing supply chain performance in the hospital. IT integration and knowledge exchange have a positive impact on hospital–supplier logistical integration between the hospital and its suppliers. In addition, knowledge sharing in supply chain may subsequently build strong relationships among SCM partners and may automatically influence hospital performance. This study recommended that the hospital should develop an approach that facilitates the dynamics of the hospital in order to manage the buyer-supplier relationship. Further research can be done on factors that contribute to buyer/supplier trust development in the healthcare environment.

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / Avocado exports have increased considerably between 2016 and 2019 in Peru. For this reason, it is important that farmers develop strategies in their supply chain that will generate dwell value for their final product. In response to the above, Supply Chain Management Leagile (SCM Leagile) surface. This supply chain strategy Reduce processes that do not generate value to the product and have to rapid response to the constant change in demand for avocado to the international market. The objective of this paper is present a model of SCM Leagile which can be used by the farmers in various agrifood supply chains.