This research is an exploratory study of the relationship between two supply chain management (SCM) concepts, namely supply chain structure and supply chain integration. The objective is to enhance the understanding of the extent to which supply chain structure is relevant to the supply chain integration, and of how this relationship between these concepts contributes to the ideas of supply chain quality (SCQ) in the manufacturing industry. The literature review with reference to the structure and integration results in the following structural dimensions: centralisation, formalisation and communication which are likely to have an effect on the supply chain integration; ultimately, on supply chain quality. For the purposes of this research, the conceptual model was developed, and its validity was explored via case-studies. The two manufacturing supply chains including their focal firms and the first-tier suppliers based in Turkey were selected as the case-supply chains. A total of 41 face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were carried out. The findings of the present study suggest that while formalisation and communication are positively related to the supply chain integration, centralisation in which a focal firm designs and manages the whole network negatively affects the supply chain integration. Hence decentralised, formalised supply chains facilitated by the means of communication are proposed in today’s global economy in order for supply chains to achieve integration, hence considered to attain supply chain quality.

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.

The poor trust culture in the construction sector is often considered an inhibiting factor to collaboration success in the United Kingdom (UK) despite reform efforts. Numerous reform initiatives tend to have focused on improvements in client and main contractor aspects of construction supply chain relationships, prompting claims that failure to integrate subcontractors, suppliers and consultants into collaborative arrangements remains a major shortcoming. Main contractor and subcontractor relationships therefore continue to be typified by such problems as late payments, charging fees to tender for work, award of contracts based on cheapest price rather than best value, negative margins and demand of retrospective discounts and cash rebates; all of which negatively impact on trust. Some main contractor organisations however, continue to embed supply chain management practices as a strategy for levering value from subcontractors. Such collaborative practices and their implications for inter-organisational trust development, and indeed overall project outcomes, have nonetheless received limited attention in construction management research, raising significant questions on the empirical basis for their implementation. This research was thus undertaken to investigate strategic supply chain management practices adopted by UK main contractors and its implications for inter-organisational trust development during projects. The study adopts a multiple case study design so as to unravel complex subtleties of inter-organisational trust development in the main contractors’ supply chain during projects. With four purposefully selected UK main contractor organisations that had implemented strategic supply chain management, data was gathered through a supply chain workshop, semi-structured interviews, passive observations and documentary analysis. From analysis of the data, it was revealed that strategic supply chain management practices of the main contractors were instrumental for trust manifestation across cognition, system and relational based dimensions. These practices served as constitutive elements of face-to-face interactions through which inter-organisational trust developed, whilst providing the institutional framework to which respective supply chain parties directed their psychological expectations. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining a core of subcontractors from which the main contractor can leverage long-term value irrespective of economic climate. This can be achieved by adequately prioritizing relationally trusted subcontractors for sensitive and high risk work packages whilst ensuring that strategic supply chain management principles can be used to engender impersonal (cognition and system-based) trust dimensions amongst other subcontractors used on a project. Accordingly, a supply chain management oriented framework for engendering inter-organisational trust during projects has been developed based on the study findings and evaluated through semi-structured interviews with selected target participants. This framework does not only provide a systematic and coherent approach for implementing or benchmarking strategic supply chain management in a main contractor’s organisation, but can also be used to prioritize and promote different trust dimensions and their associated behavioural consequences on projects, depending on perceived work package risks.

The dynamic structure of the Food Supply Chain (FSC) distinguishes itself from other supply chains. Providing food to customers in a healthy and fresh manner necessitates a significant effort on the part of manufacturers and retailers. In practice, while these partners collaboratively forecast time-sensitive and / or short-life product-groups (e.g. perishable, seasonal, promotional and newly launched products), they confront significant challenges which prevent them from generating accurate forecasts and conducting long-term collaborations. Partners’ challenges are not limited only to the fluctuating demand of time-sensitive product-groups and continuously evolving consumer choices, but are also largely related to their conflicting expectations. Partners’ contradictory expectations mainly occur during the practices of integration, forecasting and information exchange in the FSC. This research specifically focuses on the Collaborative Forecasting (CF) practices in the FSC. However, CF is addressed from the manufacturers’ point of view, when they collaboratively forecast perishable, seasonal, promotional and newly launched products with retailers in the FSC. The underlying reasons are that while there is a paucity of research studying CF from the manufacturers’ standpoint, associated product-groups decay at short notice and their demand is influenced by uncertain consumer behaviour and the dynamic environment of FSC. The aim of the research is to identify factors that have a significant influence on the CF performance. Generating accurate forecasts over the aforementioned product-groups and sustaining long-term collaborations (one year or more) between partners are the two major performance criteria of CF in this research. This research systematically reviews the literature on Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR), which combines the supply chain practices of upstream and downstream members by linking their planning, forecasting and replenishment operations. The review also involves the research themes of supply chain integration, forecasting process and information sharing. The reason behind reviewing these themes is that partners’ CF is not limited to forecasting practices, it also encapsulates the integration of chains and bilateral information sharing for accurate forecasts. A single semi-structured interview with a UK based food manufacturer and three online group discussions on the business oriented social networking service of LinkedIn enrich the research with pragmatic and qualitative data, which are coded and analysed via software package QSR NVivo 9. Modifying the results of literature review through the qualitative data makes it possible to develop a rigorous conceptual model and associated hypotheses. Then, a comprehensive online survey questionnaire is developed to be delivered to food manufacturers located in the UK & Ireland, North America and Europe. An exploratory data analysis technique using Partial Least Squares (PLS) guides the research to analyse the online survey questionnaire empirically. The most significant contributions of this research are (i) to extend the body of literature by offering a new CF practice, aiming to improve forecast accuracy and long-term collaborations, and (ii) to provide managerial implications by offering a rigorous conceptual model guiding practitioners to implement the CF practice, for the achievement of accurate forecasts and long-term collaborations. In detail, the research findings primarily emphasise that manufacturers’ interdepartmental integration plays a vital role for successful CF and integration with retailers. Effective integration with retailers encourages manufacturers to conduct stronger CF in the FSC. Partners’ forecasting meetings are another significant factor for CF while the role of forecasters in these meetings is crucial too, implying forecasters’ indirect influence on CF. Complementary to past studies, this research further explores the manufacturers’ various information sources that are significant for CF and which should be shared with retailers. It is also significant to maintain the quality level of information whilst information is shared with retailers. This result accordingly suggests that the quality level of information is obliquely important for CF. There are two major elements that contribute to the literature. Firstly, relying on the particular product-groups in the FSC and examining CF from the manufacturers’ point of view not only closes a pragmatic gap in the literature, but also identifies new areas for future studies in the FSC. Secondly, the CF practice of this research demonstrates the increasing forecast satisfaction of manufacturers over the associated product-groups. Given the subjective forecast expectations of manufacturers, due to organisational objectives and market dynamics, demonstrating the significant impact of the CF practice on the forecast satisfaction leads to generalising its application to the FSC. Practitioners need to avail themselves of this research when they aim to collaboratively generate accurate forecasts and to conduct long-term collaborations over the associated product-groups. The benefits of this research are not limited to the FSC. Manufacturers in other industries can benefit from the research while they collaborate with retailers over similar product-groups having a short shelf life and / or necessitating timely and reliable forecasts. In addition, this research expands new research fields to academia in the areas of the supply chain, forecasting and information exchange, whilst it calls the interest of academics to particular product-groups in the FSC for future research. Nevertheless, this research is limited to dyad manufacturer-retailer forecast collaborations over a limited range of product-groups. This is another opportunity for academics to extend this research to different types of collaborations and products.

A introdução efetiva da sustentabilidade em empresas exige ações que extrapolam os limites organizacionais, abarcando o ambiente interorganizacional. Dessa maneira, as empresas deixam de ser consideradas isoladamente e passam a ser analisadas de acordo com suas cadeias de suprimentos, compostas por organizações que contribuem para o alcance dos mesmos objetivos de desempenho. Nesse sentido, uma cadeia de suprimentos é considerada mais sustentável quando insere as dimensões econômica, ambiental e social em suas operações, nas estratégias e na tomada de decisão, possuindo bons níveis de desempenho em tais dimensões. A adoção de práticas de sustentabilidade em cadeias de suprimentos pode ser analisada em um contínuo, formado por dois extremos: a resposta reativa e proativa. Nesse contexto, a proatividade de práticas sustentáveis pode ser definida como a adoção de ações, realizadas voluntariamente por empresas, com a finalidade de melhorar o desempenho ambiental e o desempenho social, além das exigências legais. A empresa proativa afirma sua preocupação e seu compromisso com a sociedade e o ambiente natural, em que está inserida. Diante dessas considerações, tem-se a premissa dessa pesquisa: a postura proativa de empresas em relação a práticas sustentáveis estimula melhor articulação com os elos de sua cadeia de suprimentos, o que colabora para a introdução da sustentabilidade nessa cadeia. O objetivo desta pesquisa é analisar a contribuição da articulação de uma empresa proativa com seus elos para a introdução da sustentabilidade na sua cadeia de suprimentos. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa, distribuída em duas etapas (exploratória e descritiva), envolvendo uma empresa focal proativa e parceiros de sua cadeia de suprimentos. Ressalta-se que, em virtude da complexidade e da extensão de cadeias de suprimentos, optou-se por analisar a cadeia à montante, isto é, foram entrevistados colaboradores da empresa focal (Mercur S.A.) e de empresas fornecedoras (LKC Transportes; PAMF Indústria e Comércio de Confecções; Caeté Embalagens; e, Artecola Química). Primeiramente, foi analisada a proatividade de práticas sustentáveis da Mercur. Os resultados indicam que a Mercur pode ser considerada uma empresa proativa, em função da implantação total de 37 ações em prol da sustentabilidade ao core business da organização e da implantação parcial de seis práticas. Em segundo lugar, investigou-se a articulação e o relacionamento da empresa proativa com os elos de sua cadeia de suprimentos. Verificou-se que os entrevistados consideram que os elos estão em processo de integração. Diante disso, pode-se observar que existem diferentes níveis de articulação na cadeia de suprimentos, envolvendo a Mercur e seus fornecedores. Em seguida, averiguou-se a existência de práticas sustentáveis ao longo da cadeia de suprimentos estudada, as quais foram descritas a partir de cinco categorias de análise (orientação estratégica, continuidade da cadeia de suprimentos, colaboração, gestão de risco, proatividade). Incentivos foram identificados para que práticas pró-sustentabilidade passem a ser concebidas e implantadas por todos os membros da cadeia, colaborando para um desenvolvimento mais sustentável. Nessa perspectiva, diante dos resultados encontrados, assume-se que a premissa de pesquisa foi confirmada, uma vez que a postura proativa de práticas sustentáveis da Mercur estimula maior articulação com os parceiros de sua cadeia de suprimentos, contribuindo para a inserção da sustentabilidade nessa cadeia. Entretanto, a articulação da Mercur com os parceiros também pode incentivar que posturas proativas em benefício da sustentabilidade sejam incorporadas pelas empresas da cadeia de suprimentos. / The effective introduction of sustainability in business requires actions that go beyond organizational boundaries, encompassing the inter-organizational environment. Thus, companies are no longer considered individually; they are analyzed according to their supply chains, composed by organizations that contribute to the achievement of the same performance goals. A supply chain is considered more sustainable when it enters the economic, environmental and social dimensions in their operations, strategies and decision making, possessing good levels of performance on these dimensions. The incorporation of sustainability practices in supply chain can be analyzed in a continuous, formed by two extremes: reactive and proactive response. The sustainable proactivity can be defined as the adoption of actions, performed voluntarily by companies, in order to improve the environmental and social performance beyond legal requirements. A proactive company states its concern and commitment to society and the natural environment in which it operates. Given these considerations, this research premise is: the proactive approach of companies towards sustainable practices encourages better integration with the partners in their supply chain, which contributes to the incorporation of sustainability in the supply chain. In this context, this research aims to analyze the contribution of proactive company integration with its partners to the introduction of sustainability in their supply chain. Therefore, a qualitative research was performed, composed by two phases (exploratory and descriptive), involving a proactive focal company and its supply chain partners. It is emphasized that, because of the complexity and the extent of supply chains, we chose to analyze the upstream chain, i.e., focal company (Mercur S.A.) and supplier firms (LKC Transportes; PAMF Indústria e Comércio de Confecções; Caeté Embalagens; and Artecola Química). The employees of these companies were interviewed. First, it was analyzed the proactivity of sustainable practices of Mercur. The results indicate that Mercur can be considered a proactive company, due to the full adoption of 37 actions for sustainability in the core business of the organization and the partial implementation of six practices. Secondly, it was investigated the integration and the relationship of a proactive company with its supply chain partners. It was found that the interviewees consider that the supply chain is in process of a complete integration. Thus, it can be observed that there are different levels of integration in the supply chain, involving the Mercur and their suppliers. Thirdly, it was examined the existence of sustainable practices throughout the supply chain. These practices were described considering five categories of analysis (strategic orientation, supply chain continuity, collaboration, risk management, and proactivity). Incentives were identified for the design and the implementation of sustainable practices by all supply chain members, contributing to a more sustainable development. From this perspective, given the results, it is assumed that the research premise was confirmed, since the proactive sustainable practices Mercur encourages greater integration with partners in the supply chain, contributing to the sustainable supply chain. However, the integration of Mercur with partners can also encourage that proactive practices in favor of sustainability be incorporated in the supply chain.

Background: This paper considers two levels of supply chain integration as manufacture ( Haleeb foods) and distributors. In the last decade, the advancement in technology and collaboration in the business becoming more commonly used. Firms need to be working closely with their supply chain partner upstream and downstream. However, supply chain integration is a process to join together as business partners and optimize the collective performance of the supply chain.   Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the existing  levels of supply chain integration between Haleeb foods and its distributors in Pakistan. Theory defines that developing countries have a lack of integration between supply chain partners due to some barriers to supply chain integration. Furthermore, this study found the barriers to supply chain integration between the Haleeb foods and its distributors as well as identifying the most common barriers to SCI.   Methodology: This study is to identify different levels and barriers to SCI between Haleeb foods and its distributors. Subsequently, research supported the supply chain integration in the food industry of Pakistan. Furthermore, relevant literature is reviewed to design the questionnaire and sent it to all the distributors of Haleeb foods across the Pakistan through a company representative . 178 responses were received out of 200 distributors in order to complete this survey based study. Pearson correlation was performed out of empirical data to find out the significant relationship. Moreover, the authors used descriptive statistic to identify the levels and barriers to supply chain integration.   Conclusion: The current level of supply chain integration in Haleeb foods and its distributors is low due to less supply chain integration practice and unstable industrial condition in Pakistan. However, the basic dimensions (II, CRS, ORL) of supply chain integration are very important to identifying the levels of SCI. On the other hand, there are some barriers to supply chain integration between Haleeb foods and its distributors. These barriers are strongly influencing on SCI. Originality/value: This is the first empirical work, measuring the existing levels and barriers to supply chain integration in the dairy industry of Pakistan specifically, Haleeb foods and its distributors. This research has given a clear idea about the supply chain integration and collaborative efforts in the food industry of Pakistan.

In today’s Chinese automotive industry, the traditional self-management logistics mode cannot fulfill higher requirement of logistics performance, more and more automotive manufacturers seek to outsource their logistics activities to third-party logistics service providers to optimize supply chain management. Milk run system is a typical example of 3PL mode in automotive industry, which can help firms minimize costs and improve logistics function simultaneously. Given the increasing importance of 3PL, many literatures are concerned about the usage of 3PL; however, few of them discussed 3PL form the perspective of China. Besides, in terms of Milk run system, seldom articles focus on this innovative logistics mode, especially in Chinese automotive industry. Therefore, in this thesis work, authors discuss 3PL from the perspective of Chinese automotive industry, especially focus on the typical 3PL mode—Milk run system, set SGM as case company, aiming at find out the factors that facilitate Chinese automotive manufacturers convert self-management mode to 3PL mode, and then discuss the benefits of professional 3PL services; in addition, authors emphasize on Milk run system and its unique benefits.  The research objectives are solved by combining literature review and empirical findings. Relevant literatures are downloaded from Internet and Library’s database. Empirical findings are gathered by interviews and questionnaires.  Through comparing literature review with findings, both external and internal factors that facilitate automotive manufacturers change logistics mode are summarized. Besides, some professional 3PL services are identified by literature review and validated by questionnaires. According to different categories of 3PL services, their benefits are discussed from two aspects: supply chain integration and core competence improvement. In addition, the benefits of Milk run system are represented by literature review and then through comparing with empirical findings, some unique benefits are summarized. In this thesis work, the main theoretical contribution is the knowledge of Milk run system, which including its features, implementation processes, and its benefits.

Abstract In this globalized era, most industries will not be able to survive by simply optimizing internal structures and infrastructures based upon business strategy. The most successful manufacturers seem to be those that have carefully linked their internal processes to external suppliers and customers in unique supply chains. Quality management represents company-wide activities to improve the quality level of products and works through customer orientation, continuous quality improvement, employees¡¦ involvement, etc. to establish and sustain a competitive advantage. From a perspective of competitive strategy, quality is often seen as a source of differentiation. Quality improvement is an important issue influencing long-term viability of any business enterprise, especially manufacturing companies producing physical goods. A number of researchers suggest that better performance can be achieved by consolidating customer and supplier bases, removing unnecessary steps in the chain, speeding up information and material flows, and creating long-term partnerships with major customers and suppliers to leverage the capabilities of several companies in the chain. Recent years have seen growth in the importance of integration suppliers, manufacturers and customers. Effective integration of suppliers into supply chains serves as a key factor for some companies to gain competitive advantage. Supply chain integration refers to a formation of network encompassing elements of supply chain, which are the suppliers, customers and the company. This paper presents results of an empirical study on effect of quality management practices upon supply chain integration in Aerospace Industry manufacturing companies. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis were conducted to test hypothesizes. This paper used six scales to measure different aspects of quality management including top management leadership for quality , small group problem solving , processes management, supplier involvement, information and feedback and customer forcus upon supply chain integration. Regression results indicated two external factors including supplier involvement, customer forcus have significant impact on supply chain integration, also will increase company competitive performance if all resourses have been adopted properly. For those four internal factors,such as management leadership for quality , small group problem solving , processes management, information and feedback doesn¡¦t have significant impact on supply chain integration.

Background Supply chain integration is a prevailing issue of current research and influences the competitive advantage of companies significantly. However, construction industries are argued to be the least integrated supply chains of all due to their complexity. e-Procurement is one way to improve integration in a supply chain and has currently been implemented by some actors in the Swedish construction industry. Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate outcomes achieved and challenges encountered when implementing e-Procurement in the Swedish construction industry in order to generate contributions to literature considering the detected research gaps. Method This study has been carried out according to an abductive approach given its flexibility to simultaneously review existing theory when analyzing the empirical findings. However, outcomes achieved and challenges encountered when implementing e-Procurement in the construction industry, in particular in Sweden, lacks considerably in scientific literature. Thus, an exploratory and qualitative study has been conducted in order to assess the phenomenon in a new light and generate knowledge. The empirical findings have been collected in a single holistic case study of a supply chain in the Swedish construction industry which recently has implemented e-Procurement. The empirical data emanates from semi-structured face-to-face interviews which have been conducted with nine respondents from five different organizations operating in the Swedish construction industry. The data has been analyzed using summarizing, categorizing and pattern matching. Conclusions The Swedish construction industry, at least the investigated supply chain, was and still is rather underdeveloped when it comes to electronic purchasing processes. However, the results of this study show that quite many outcomes and challenges with regard to e-Procurement are similar to other industries. Overall, 15 outcomes and five challenges have been detected for this supply chain. The implementation of e-Procurement in the Swedish construction industry faces positive conditions to be successful and has the potential to change routine working methods.