Les nouvelles technologies de l’information deviennent un moyen incontournable pour réaliser des transactions instantanées dont tirent profit certaines chaînes logistiques. De ce fait, de nouveaux moyens liés aux opérations d’approvisionnement se développent. Leur émergence est directement liée à l’environnement volatile où évoluent désormais de plus en plus de chaînes logistiques. Les opérations d’approvisionnement du type «e-Procurement» sont des exemples de ces nouvelles pratiques où les chaînes logistiques sont qualifiées d’agiles. L’objectif de cette thèse est d’aborder des problématiques d’approvisionnement où un décideur est confronté au problème de choix de fournisseurs ainsi que la quantité de produits commandée durant le temps. Ces systèmes évoluent dans un environnement changeant caractérisé par des variations asynchrones et répétitives des prix d’achat et de commande ainsi que des capacités des fournisseurs et où l’évolution de ces données est inconnue. L’exemple des systèmes d’achat sur Internet ainsi que les systèmes d’enchères inversées en ligne s’inscrivent parfaitement dans la problématique traitée ici. Dans ce cadre, les approches classiques d’optimisation peuvent s’avérer inadaptées pour ce problème. Les travaux récents sur l’optimisation dynamique peuvent répondre à ce type de questionnement mais n’ont pour l’instant pas été étudiées dans le contexte des chaînes logistiques. Nous proposons, dans cette thèse, une approche basée sur des algorithmes génétiques dynamiques que nous avons illustrée avec trois cas d’application dans le cadre de l’approvisionnement en ligne. / In a context of increased competition between enterprises, supply chains are struggling to respond to an increasingly volatile and complex environment. With technological advances, current practices to build efficient supply chains have changed. Indeed, the enthusiasms of companies with the use of internet have lead researchers to find adequate methods to cope with the dynamic nature of logistics networks. The purpose of this thesis is to address a dynamic procurement issue under asynchronous and repetitive variations over time. The supply chain considered is composed of two levels (buyer-suppliers) operating in highly agile environment. The questions facing the buyer is how many units of product should be purchased and from which supplier in response to variation in term of price and capacity. Because of this highly changing environment characterized by frequents changes in a short time, most of the classical optimization approaches seems inadequate to address these problems. Recently, dynamic optimization has been used successfully to deal with such problems. However, we have no knowledge of its application in a supply chain context. We propose a dynamic genetic approach which is applied to an e-procurement context in aim to optimize the procurement process during time.

En la presente tesis doctoral, se desarrolla y se valida una metodología de planificación de la red de distribución de cadenas de suministro de la industria de consumo masivo de alimentos envasados, que se ha estructurado tomando como base los conceptos lean y agile, desarrollados por diferentes autores en los últimos veinte años. Se define, también, las ventajas y limitaciones al aplicar esta metodología y compararla con la metodología de planificación tradicional, a fin de determinar si da mayor valor al cliente de este tipo de industria. El tema concluye con la validación de tres hipótesis, que validan la aplicabilidad de la metodología desarrollada y de los conceptos lean y agile en la industria de alimentos envasados, con ciertas limitantes establecidas en el desarrollo de la investigación. / The doctoral thesis, develop and validates a distribution net planning methodology of packaged foods consumer goods supply chain, that has been structured taking as it base the lean and agile concepts, developed by differents authors in the last twenty years. Also, it defines the advantages and limitations when applying this methodology and compare it with the traditional planning methodology, to end determine if it gives main value to the client of this type of industry. The thesis concludes with the validation of three hypotheses that validate the applicability of the methodology developed and of the concepts.

This study shows that the supply chain management of a company                                    using the fast fashion strategy is where the company combines their traditional supply chain with the modern demand driven Quick Response and Agile supply chain. In theory so far fast fashion is described only in terms of demand driven supply chain management however according to this research the fast fashion strategy is shown to be applied by fashion companies characterized by a mix of the traditional and modern demand driven supply chain.

ABSTRACT Due to the change of consumption patterns, the shorter product life cycle coupled with the global competitions, how to provide customers quickly the best quality of products and to maintain a certain profit in changing markets , become the best weapon when competitions. So companies have to put in efforts in supply chain management, from raw material supply to product sales, distribution, various species of strategies set to achieve the best management of the results. The most widely discussed and use of supply chain strategies , that is lean and agile strategies . The purpose of this study is to discuss the impact on supply chain capability and business performance with the implementation of lean strategy and agile strategy , and using the questionnaires, to specify the statistics showing the correspondence of lean /supply chain strategy and business performance.

Abstract Agility – namely, the ability of a supply chain to rapidly respond to changes in market and customer demands – is regarded as the bearer of competitive advantage in today's business world. The need for agility has traditionally been associated with supply chains in high technology industry products. However, traditional industries also face similar challenges in terms of speed, flexibility, increased product diversity and customization. This study contributes to the discussion on agility in supply chain management (SCM) and provides a novel focus on the development of an agile supply chain in a traditional industry. The object of this study is the development of an agile supply chain in a steel product network in the Raahe area in Northern Finland. The case network is undergoing a shift towards project-oriented business, where quick responses are the priority and agility is recognised as the facilitating factor. Using a constructive approach, an agile supply chain for a steel product network, SteelNet system, is developed. SteelNet system functions through the Internet and agent software technology. In identifying the new challenges raised by advanced information and communication technologies (ICT) in the development of an agile supply chain, the study presents some valuable ICT options for SCM. Following a review of the current understanding of agility in SCM literature, the study identifies the key elements of agile supply chains and proposes a four-dimensional agile supply chain framework by which to assess levels of agility. Using the framework, the study describes how the key elements appear in the case network. The study assesses the change process, and the necessary improvement steps, towards agility. It is concluded that agile supply chains have a major role also in traditional industry, and comprehensive implementation of ICT throughout the chain is of utmost importance in the development of an agile supply chain. Further insights to the discussion on agility are provided, and these and the conclusions extend a drawbridge to other companies and business networks in traditional industry to consider the clear advantages to developing their own agile supply chains.

No / This paper presents a stochastic automaton approach to stock ordering for retailers of time-limited goods, in the modern supply chain network. The rationale applied is that by ordering in small quantities frequently, overstocking will be reduced, capital liquidity improved and wastage limited. A consequence for the complete supply chain is that such an approach could substantially minimise the reactive bullwhip effect, leading to more efficient utilisation, production and agility throughout the chain. Such agility and flexibility can only be achieved by full integration of stock inventory monitoring technologies (such as RFID) with enterprise integration systems (such as ERP) connected to suppliers, mediated by the internet. We undertake a comparative simulation study of stock ordering using a stochastic automaton and a naive traditional approach. This shows that stochastic ordering, prompted by a stochastic automaton, exhibits characteristic properties that are a prerequisite for reducing the bullwhip effect, thus enabling agile inventory management.

This study determined whether local manufacturers of light vehicles in South Africa employ supply chain best practices and strategies. The research design employed was a combination of exploratory and descriptive research design using qualitative and quantitative approaches based on a survey of light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa. A face-to–face, semi-structured interview questionnaire was used, based on purposive sampling. Descriptive statistics using SPSS software were used for the data analysis and interpretation. The findings of the study revealed that across the supply chain, best practices were implemented to a large extent by all manufacturers. Light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa, however face supply chain challenges, which include technological, infrastructural, cost, market/service and production/skills challenges. The most important supply chain performance indicator that contributes to optimisation of performance is quality, followed by final product delivery reliability, and then cost and supplier reliability. All the manufacturers followed a lean strategy for their inbound supply chain and some had a lean supply chain strategy for their outbound supply chain. A number of them also had an agile supply chain strategy in the outbound supply chain which suggests a leagile supply chain strategy. It was also found that in some instances there was a mismatch between strategies and practices in the area of product characteristics, manufacturing characteristics and the decision drivers of supply chain. One of the conclusions of the study was that local manufacturers of light vehicles do not always make decisions and implement practices in line with their chosen supply chain strategies. The study concluded by developing a framework for determining supply chain best practices in line with a chosen strategy that could guide supply chain managers (in locally manufactured light vehicles) in the automotive in South Africa in their decision making. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)

This study determined whether local manufacturers of light vehicles in South Africa employ supply chain best practices and strategies. The research design employed was a combination of exploratory and descriptive research design using qualitative and quantitative approaches based on a survey of light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa. A face-to–face, semi-structured interview questionnaire was used, based on purposive sampling. Descriptive statistics using SPSS software were used for the data analysis and interpretation. The findings of the study revealed that across the supply chain, best practices were implemented to a large extent by all manufacturers. Light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa, however face supply chain challenges, which include technological, infrastructural, cost, market/service and production/skills challenges. The most important supply chain performance indicator that contributes to optimisation of performance is quality, followed by final product delivery reliability, and then cost and supplier reliability. All the manufacturers followed a lean strategy for their inbound supply chain and some had a lean supply chain strategy for their outbound supply chain. A number of them also had an agile supply chain strategy in the outbound supply chain which suggests a leagile supply chain strategy. It was also found that in some instances there was a mismatch between strategies and practices in the area of product characteristics, manufacturing characteristics and the decision drivers of supply chain. One of the conclusions of the study was that local manufacturers of light vehicles do not always make decisions and implement practices in line with their chosen supply chain strategies. The study concluded by developing a framework for determining supply chain best practices in line with a chosen strategy that could guide supply chain managers (in locally manufactured light vehicles) in the automotive in South Africa in their decision making. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)