The dissertation is a case study focusing on supplier development (SD) practices of SMEs in information technology outsourcing (ITO) sector. From the dyadic perspective, the research explored three key issues: (1) supplier development activities of SME firms in ITO sector, (2) the role of supplier willingness in supplier selection and development process and (3) the motivations of suppliers to participate in the SD programs with the client. The results from this case study contribute to the knowledge in SME supplier development practices and client-supplier relationship management. Specifically, the contribution is explored from the ITO sector, with respect to the influence of supplier willingness in SME supplier selection, SD practice in ITO sector and the motivations of suppliers to participate in such activities with the client.

The Swedish game industry has seen tremendous growth and a global impact in the market. Despite the successes there is a lack of research on the matter. By exploring the global value chains of game companies in Skövde (a game industry hub in Sweden) the thesis intends to generate understanding of and map out value chain paths along with identifying critical factors for future growth and maintenance of the leading position in the market. A comprehensive overview of the industry cluster case of Skövde has been achieved through the use of semi-structured interviews with six local game companies. As a result of the study confirmation and extension of the thesis grand theory, the GVC literature, was achieved. A number of critical factors for practical utilization were identified, specifically the relationship with the publisher, the developer’s passion for the project & creative freedom together with contacts in the industry.  A number of scientific contributions have been made through our research. By exploring the GVC in a previously under-researched context we have made a contribution by confirming previous theory as well as laying a base for future research and an extension of the literature in the institutional context-section of the GVC literature. The critical factors findings have the potential of a direct impact on the practical management of the business side of the industry. Finally, as a result of the discovery of close connections with the Transaction Cost Analysis (TCA), Resource Dependency Theory (RDT) and Relational Exchange Theory (RET) theories we have laid the groundwork for future research in these areas as well. / Den svenska spelindustrin har sett en stor tillväxt och har en påverkan på den globala marknaden. Trots framgångarna råder en brist på forskning inom området. Genom att utforska den globala värdekedjan hos spelföretag i Skövde (ett nav för spelindustrin i Sverige) ämnar studien att generera en förståelse av och att kartlägga den globala värdekedjan samt identifiera kritiska faktorer för framtida tillväxt och upprätthållandet av den ledande positionen i marknaden. En omfattande översikt av industri-klustret i Skövde har uppnåtts genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med sex lokala spelföretag. Som resultat av studien har uppsatsens bas-teori, GVC-litteraturen, bekräftats och utvidgats. Ett antal kritiska faktorer för praktisk användning identifierades, specifikt relationen med publiceraren, utvecklarnas passion för projektet & kreativ frihet tillsammans med kontakter inom industrin. Ett antal teoretiska bidrag har frambringats genom vår forskning. Genom att undersöka GVC i en tidigare underforskad kontext har vi bidragit genom att bekräfta tidigare teori samt lagt grunden för framtida forskning och utvidgning av det institutionella kontextavsnittet inom GVC-litteraturen. Upptäckten av de kritiska faktorerna har potential för en direkt inverkan på den praktiska förvaltningen av industrins affärssida. Slutligen, som ett resultat av studien upptäckte vi nära anknytningar med teorier som Transaction Cost Analysis (TCA), Resource Dependency Theory (RDT) and Relational Exchange Theory (RET) vilket innebär att vi lagt en grund för framtida forskning även inom dessa områden.

This research has aimed to understand supply chain resilience in the federal government, specifically healthcare PPE supply chain resilience. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the fragility of global supply chains. Before COVID-19, low-cost medical supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE), which typically requires less skilled labor, had been produced in China and Malaysia and imported to the United States. However, COVID-19 created an overwhelming shortage in medical supplies globally, forcing the United States to create federal policies that could make their domestic supply chain lines more resilient to external disruptions. This research explored the effects of one such policy intervention, the “Making PPE in America Act” of 2021, on maintaining healthcare supply chain resilience of the healthcare supply chains for non-military areas of the U.S. government. Two qualitative studies were conducted to examine the federal government’s response to this issue and its impact on the industry. The research provides valuable insights into the resilience of the healthcare supply chains for non-military areas of the U.S. federal government. It enhances limited scholarly literature on healthcare supply chain resilience through the lens of U.S. civilian healthcare federal government organizations. The research highlights the importance of an organizational-level definition of supply chain resilience, which should be articulated throughout the organization to ensure a holistic approach. It also recommends incorporating technologies to facilitate predictive analytics, real-time data, and technology automation. Federal agencies and industry partners can use this research to develop and implement strategies to improve or, in some cases, create strategies that will positively impact their supply chain resilience posture.Keywords: Global value chain, healthcare, personal protective equipment, reflexive thematic analysis, supply chain resilience / Business Administration/International Business Administration

Today, different parts of a value chain operate in different places, different firms may hold ranges of brands with different national heritages, and leaders, shareholders and customers are widely spread across the world. Policy makers are facing new challenges as national borders define less and less of corporate thinking. In this paper, we argue that there is a need to find a new way of how to understand the relationship between business and nation-states. The theoretical framework was constructed by breaking down the concept of national identity of companies. We found four different aspects that we argue can connect business to nations, and in the empirical study, our ambition is to test this framework. By conducting the study using qualitative content analysis, we aim to answer the research question of if it possible to understand the national identity of companies through different aspects of business, and if so, how this is reflected in the national trade policies of four countries. Our results showed that by looking beyond the traditional view of national identity of companies, policy makers have three important factors to take into regards when considering their relations to business; location, culture and contribution.

Garment sector trade unions have proved largely powerless to combat hypermobile transnational capital’s systematic extraction of surplus value from the newly industrialized Global South. Optimized conditions for accumulation coupled with the 2005 phase-out of the Multi-Fibre Agreement (MFA) have meant a radical geographic reconfiguration of the globalised garment industry heavily in favour of capital over labour. The thesis approaches the global garment sector from multiple vantage points across the world with the goal of uncovering the obstacles to workers' organisation, examine workers' strategies of resistance, and analyse the changing composition of labour and capital within the clothing commodity chain. The thesis highlights five distinct but interconnected case studies including a transnational workers campaign from a garment factory in Honduras; a history and present-day feasibility of establishing a transnational collective bargaining from El Salvador to Turkey to Cambodia; the prospects for a countermovement in the organizing strategies at the bottom of the clothing commodity and supply chain in Bangalore; the growth of a 'full package' denim manufacturer in changing the relationship between 'buyers' and 'suppliers' on the outskirts of Bangalore; and finally a continuation of this analysis the case of a strike at a monopoly footwear supplier in China. The central research question is: How do workers build power and establish workers' rights in the globally hypermobile garment sector? Ultimately, what is demonstrated within this thesis is that the actions of garment workers shaped and circumscribed the actions of capital in the sector, and as capital transformed new landscapes for accumulation new vistas for opposition begin to emerge.

L’objet de cette thèse est de déterminer l’effet des normes environnementales sur lecommerce du Textile-Habillement et d’analyser les stratégies adoptées dans ce cadre par lespays en développement, plus particulièrement, par la Tunisie. Les exigencesenvironnementales, volontaires et obligatoires, ont touché essentiellement la branche textile etpourraient se substituer aux instruments traditionnels de protectionnisme après ledémantèlement de l’Accord multifibres en 2005. Les résultats des analyses statistiques etéconométriques montrent un effet positif de la certification environnementale sur lesexportations de certains produits d’habillement vers le marché européen signalant ainsil’importance de cette nouvelle tendance. L’étude est affinée autour du positionnement desfirmes tunisiennes sur la chaîne globale de valeur du Textile-Habillement et des stratégiesadoptées afin de faire face à ces normes environnementales. Nos résultats montrent ladifficulté des firmes tunisiennes à réussir une remontée industrielle. Les exigencesenvironnementales inhibent leur passage de la sous-traitance à la co-traitance. Ellesaccentuent également leur dépendance envers les fournisseurs européens de textile. La thèses’interroge en dernier lieu sur l’intérêt du programme « Tunisian Ecolabel » et sur lesdéterminants de l’adoption de la certification environnementale par les firmes tunisiennes duTextile-Habillement. / The purpose of this thesis is to determine the effect of environmental standards on trade inTextile-Apparel products and to analyse the strategies adopted by developing countries, withspecific reference to Tunisia. Voluntary and mandatory environmental requirements havemainly affected the textile industry and could replace traditional instruments of protectionismafter the dismantling of the Multifibre Arrangement in 2005. The result of statistical andeconometric analysis indicates a positive effect of environmental certification on exports ofcertain apparel products towards the European market denoting the importance of this newtrend. The study is focused upon the Tunisian firms’ positioning in the global value chain ofTextile-Apparel industry and strategies which they will have to implement in order to be ableto meet environmental standards. Our results show the difficulty of Tunisian firms to besuccessful in industrial upgrading. Environmental requirements heighten their dependence onEuropean suppliers of the textile industry and prevent the transition from the originalequipment assembly to original Equipment Manufacturer. Lastly, the thesis discusses theeffectiveness of “Tunisian Ecolabel” program and the determinants for adopting theenvironmental certifications by Tunisian firms’ of the Textile-Apparel industry.

Os estudos de Governança de Cadeias Globais de Valor (CGVs) analisaram um grande espectro indústrias nos últimos 20 anos, mas a pesquisa de CGV em indústrias de bens de informação ainda é limitado. Cartões de crédito, sistemas operacionais, jogos digitais e aplicativos móveis são exemplos de indústrias que possuem provedores de plataforma, que mediam as interações entre fornecedores e consumidores. Nos últimos anos, o desenvolvimento de plataformas digitais em indústrias tradicionais possibilitou movimentos disruptivos conhecidos como uberização.Os relacionamentos em plataformas são desenhados para serem multilaterais e possuírem efeitos de rede para atrair um maior volume de participantes, o que muda a natureza da coordenação em relação às cadeias tradicionais baseadas em relacionamentos bilaterais sucessivos. Do ponto de vista normativo, as plataformas são baseadas convenção de projetos, típica do \"novo espírito do capitalismo\", cuja lógica de justificação ainda não incorporada no referencial de governança de CGVs. Este trabalho propõe governança por plataforma como um novo tipo de governança, conciliando as abordagens de coordenação e de normatização. A indústria de jogos digitais foi escolhida por ter simultaneamente características de plataforma tecnológica e de distribuição, enfatizadas respectivamente na literatura sobre plataformas industriais e multilaterais. Métodos mistos foram utilizados para a pesquisa em três países (Coreia do Sul, Finlândia e Brasil): questionários aplicados a 235 desenvolvedores de jogos digitais, 73 entrevistas com desenvolvedores, publishers e gestores públicos, e 6 entrevistas com representantes de plataformas, além de pesquisa documental sobre a indústria global. A análise confirmou a importância dos efeitos de rede e que a governança por plataformas possui simultaneamente características de governança presentes em tipos já estabelecidos na literatura e também características distintivas, tanto nos aspectos de coordenação como nos aspectos normativos. Confirmou ainda a aderência da convenção de projetos para compreender este tipo de governança. / Global Value Chain (GVC) Governance studies analyzed a great spectrum of industries last 20 years, but GVC research on information goods industries and the impact of the internet on GVC coordination and normalization is limited.Credit Cards, Operational Systems, Digital Games and Mobile Applications are some classic examples of industries that have platform providers, which mediate suppliers and consumers\' interactions. In recent years, the development of digital platforms in traditional industries possible disruptive movements, known as uberization. Relationships platforms are designed to be multilateral and have network effects to attract a greater volume of participants, which changes the nature of coordination in relation to traditional chains based in successive bilateral relationships. From a normative point of view, the platforms are based on the project convention, typical of the \"new spirit of capitalism\", which justification logic not yet incorporated into the GVCs governance framework. This work proposes governance through platform as a new type of governance and combining the approaches of coordination and standardization. The digital games industry was chosen because both have technology platform characteristics and distribution, respectively emphasized in the literature on industrial and multilateral platforms. Mixed methods were used for research in three countries (South Korea, Finland and Brazil): questionnaires given to 235 developers of digital games, 73 interviews with developers, publishers and public managers, and 6 interviews with representatives of platforms and research documentary on the global industry. The analysis confirmed the importance of network effects and that the governance platform has simultaneously governance characteristics present in types already established in the literature and distinctive characteristicsin both the coordination aspects as the normative aspects. It also confirmed the adherence to the project convention to understand this type of governance.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:48:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ana Paula Negreli Persici Vassallo.pdf: 1702236 bytes, checksum: 5375c6a6ec2d7eda4cf71963f6186269 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-26 / Since trade, production and investments have been controlled and organized by multinationals firms and have been increasing beyond the global product, the interest around global value chains (GVCs) analysis have grown in importance. Our aim in this work is first to present, the main influences and the theoretical framework in which global value chain approach, has been forged as we review the main literature and concepts. In order to recognize the global value chains around the world, we pretend to map them in global, regional and local perspectives. And then, we pretend to focus on how much value Brazil is capturing, which will take us to next question: why the value that has been captured is so limited? Literature explains that Brazil´s participation in GVCs is small due to its size, the low foreign content added in its exports and because of the nature of its exports. However the hypothesis present in this work is that the Brazilian economic specialization is the factor that most explains its positioning, in a way that GVCs framework is not capable to fully comprehend it / Desde que o comércio, a produção e os investimentos passaram a ser controlados e organizados pelas empresas multinacionais e, tendo apresentado crescimento maior do que o produto global, o interesse sobre a abordagem das cadeias globais de valor tem ganhado importância. Nosso objetivo, neste trabalho é o de apresentar as principais influências e o arcabouço teórico em que a abordagem das cadeias globais de valor foram forjadas, na medida em que revisamos sua literatura e conceitos. Com o intuito de compreender como as cadeias globais se dispersam pelo mundo, pretendemos mapeá-las nas esferas global, regional e local. E, então, pretendemos focar no quanto de valor o Brasil está capturando, o que irá nos levar para a pergunta seguinte: porque o valor sendo capturado pelo país é tão limitado? A literatura nos explica que a participação do Brasil nas cadeias globais de valor é baixa em razão do seu tamanho, do baixo conteúdo estrangeiro incorporado em suas exportações e por causa da natureza de suas exportações. No entanto, a hipótese levantada em nosso trabalho é que a especialização econômica do país é o fator que mais explica seu posicionamento, de um modo que a abordagem das cadeias globais de valor não é capaz de compreender totalmenter

Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-13T14:10:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MARIA LAURA FERRANTY MAC LENNAN.pdf: 2358354 bytes, checksum: 3564a399dbcaea30be5186a2f99a7df2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-12-20 / This research explores the effects of value chains governance for upgrading in the cluster of ornamental rocks in Espírito Santo, Brazil. The quantitative methodology was used to achieve the proposed objectives and respond to the research problem. More specifically, a survey of 32 companies affiliated to the Centro Rochas was conducted. Those are located in the regions of Cachoeiro do Itapemirim and Serras, at the State of Espírito Santo. Data were analyzed using parametric and nonparametric statistical techniques, given the type of sampling distribution. The results show that firms in the cluster are embedded in market type value chains governance, export performance has no direct relationship with the percentage exported and, finally, the firm s upgrading and their marketing investments impact on their competivity in export sales. / A presente dissertação verifica os efeitos da governança das cadeias de valor no upgrading das empresas do cluster de rochas ornamentais do Espírito Santo, Brasil. A metodologia quantitativa foi utilizada para atingir os objetivos propostos e responder ao problema de pesquisa. Mais especificamente foi conduzida uma survey com 32 empresas filiadas ao Centro Rochas, localizadas nas regiões de Cachoeiro do Itapemirim e Serras, Espírito Santo. Os dados foram analisados com o uso de técnicas estatísticas paramétricas e não paramétricas, dado o tipo de distribuição amostral. Os resultados indicam que as empresas do cluster estão inseridas em cadeias de valor de governança do tipo mercado, o desempenho exportador não apresenta relação direta com os percentuais exportados e finalmente que o upgrading das empresas e seus investimentos em marketing impactam na competitividade de suas vendas para o mercado externo.

Submitted by Odilio Hilario Moreira Júnior (odilio@espm.br) on 2016-11-29T16:01:25Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Maria Laura Ferranty Mac Lennan.pdf: 2358354 bytes, checksum: 3564a399dbcaea30be5186a2f99a7df2 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Odilio Hilario Moreira Júnior (odilio@espm.br) on 2016-11-29T16:01:46Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Maria Laura Ferranty Mac Lennan.pdf: 2358354 bytes, checksum: 3564a399dbcaea30be5186a2f99a7df2 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Odilio Hilario Moreira Júnior (odilio@espm.br) on 2016-11-29T16:09:22Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Maria Laura Ferranty Mac Lennan.pdf: 2358354 bytes, checksum: 3564a399dbcaea30be5186a2f99a7df2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-11-29T19:37:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Maria Laura Ferranty Mac Lennan.pdf: 2358354 bytes, checksum: 3564a399dbcaea30be5186a2f99a7df2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-12-20 / This work verifies the effects of governance of value chains upgrading of enterprises in the cluster of ornamental Espírito Santo, Brazil. The quantitative methodology was used to achieve the proposed objectives and respond to the research question. More specifically we conducted a survey of 32 companies affiliated to the Centre Rocks, located in the regions of Itapemirim and saws, Holy Spirit. Data were analyzed using parametric and non-parametric statistical techniques, given the type of sample distribution. The results indicate that firms in the cluster are embedded in value chains governance market type, the export performance has no direct relationship with the percentage exported and finally the upgrading of enterprises and their marketing investments impacting on the competitiveness of their sales to the foreign market. / A presente dissertação verifica os efeitos da governança das cadeias de valor no upgrading das empresas do cluster de rochas ornamentais do Espírito Santo, Brasil. A metodologia quantitativa foi utilizada para atingir os objetivos propostos e responder ao problema de pesquisa. Mais especificamente foi conduzida uma survey com 32 empresas filiadas ao Centro Rochas, localizadas nas regiões de Cachoeiro do Itapemirim e Serras, Espírito Santo. Os dados foram analisados com o uso de técnicas estatísticas paramétricas e não paramétricas, dado o tipo de distribuição amostral. Os resultados indicam que as empresas do cluster estão inseridas em cadeias de valor de governança do tipo mercado, o desempenho exportador não apresenta relação direta com os percentuais exportados e finalmente que o upgrading das empresas e seus investimentos em marketing impactam na competitividade de suas vendas para o mercado externo.