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Research questions: How should the supply chain within Micropower and Ecotec be coordinated in order to minimize the costs and keep a high customer service level?  1. What kinds of activities take place within the supply chain of Micropower and Ecotec and how are they coordinated? 2. What kinds of wastes can be identified and why do they occur? 3. What should be done in order to minimize these wastes?  Purpose: The overall purpose is to improve the coordination of the supply chain between the two facilities to minimize the airfreight without affecting the customer service level. The first objective is to define what kinds of activities take place within the supply chain and how they are coordinated with each other to identify the wastes. It will then be investigated why they occur. Finally, suggestions and solutions will be formulated to eliminate these wastes. Considering the expansion phase of the case company, the purpose of this thesis also covers general learnings for future supply chain setups with offshore subsidiaries.

在實踐中，越來越多製造企業採用外包物流给专业的第三方物流供应商的方式來降低物流成本。然而，在學術研究領域，大部分現有的物流外包研究主要以描述性和規範性的研究為主，缺乏解釋性或預測性的研究。本文嘗試整合交易成本經濟學、基於資源觀和制度理論，來驗證和解釋物流外包的驅動因素及績效影響。本研究從大陸及香港的200家上市母公司中收取了250家的子公司作為研究樣本，並採用了結構方程模型、層次回歸、路徑分析的統計方法來檢驗相關的理論假設， 研究的結果表明： / 在研究一中，本研究結果發現內部生產資源和能力，例如物流基礎設施、物流資訊系統、內部物流技術，沒有直接影響物流外包。但是，介面性質的資源或能力，例如管理第三方物流供應商的能力和其他職能系統的使用，與物流外包的水準呈正相關。最後，研究還表明內部生產資源和能力通過介面性質的能力，例如管理第三方物流供應商的能力，影響著外包。 / 在研究二中，本研究發現，基於頻率和特質的模仿壓力正向地影響物流外包，基於結果的模仿壓力對物流外包沒有顯著的影響。當製造商對他們內部物流需求不確定，基於頻率的模仿壓力對物流外包的影響將會降低。同時，過高的外部市場不確定性將增加基於結果的模仿壓力對外包物流採用的影響。 / 在研究三，本研究將物流活動分類為基於資產的物流活動和基於非資產的物流活動，然後建立物流外包-運營績效-財務績效的實證模型。實證結果表明基於資產的物流活動外包顯著影響著交付績效和財務績效，但是不影響成本和柔性績效。然而，基於非資產物流活動外包直接顯著影響著成本和柔性績效，但不影響交付績效和財務績效。總而言之，基於資產的物流活動外包直接影響財務績效，但有限影響著運營績效，而基於非資產的物流活動外包通過運營績效來影響財務績效。 / 本文對物流外包和運營管理領域有如下貢獻。首先，本文提出及驗證了資源-能力-外包的理論模型，拓展了傳統資源觀的應用。其次，本研究通過驗證宏觀制度壓力對內部物流運作的影響將制度理論擴展到物流和運營管理領域。最後，本研究通過對基於資產及非資產物流業務外包影響的研究，對運營及財務績效的提升提供了新的啟示。 / An increasing number of manufacturers outsource their inbound and outbound logistics activities to Third-Party-Logistics (3PL) providers to reduce logistics cost. Most previous studies on logistics outsourcing are descriptive and prescriptive in nature, and thus devoid of explanatory or predictive orientation. This dissertation will investigate and explore the antecedents and consequents of logistics outsourcing by integrating transaction cost economics, resource-based view, and institutional theory. Several key hypotheses are tested using structural equation modeling (SEM), hierarchical multiple regression (HMR) and path analysis (PA) based on data collected from 250 subsidiaries of 200 publicly listed manufacturing companies in Mainland China and HK. / In study 1, the results show that internal production resources and capabilities, such as, logistics infrastructure, logistics information systems, internal logistics skill, do not exert a direct influence on logistics outsourcing. Interface resources or capabilities, however, such as 3PL management capabilities and the usage of other functional systems, are positively associated with the degree of logistics outsourcing. At last, the findings also indicate that internal production resources and capabilities influence outsourcing through interface capability, such as 3PL management capability. / In Study 2, this research reveals that frequency-based and trait-based imitative pressures are related with degree of logistics outsourcing, while outcome-based imitative pressures are not. The influence of frequency-based imitative pressure on logistics outsourcing will be decreased when manufacturers are more uncertain about their internal logistics requirements and demand. On the other hand, high external market uncertainty will increase the effect of outcome-based imitative pressure on logistics outsourcing. / In Study 3, the research classifies logistics activities into asset-based logistics activities and non-asset logistics activities and then builds outsourcing-operational performance-financial performance model. Empirical results show that asset-based logistics outsourcing significantly impacts both delivery performance and financial performance, but not cost and flexibility performance. However, non-asset-based logistics outsourcing significantly influences both cost performance and flexibility performance directly, but not delivery and financial performance. In summary, asset-based logistics outsourcing effects financial performance directly, but slightly influences operational performance, while non-asset-based logistics outsourcing influences financial performance mainly through operational performance. / This dissertation makes several contributions to logistics outsourcing & operations management. First, this dissertation proposes and empirically tests a model of resource-capability-outsourcing and thus extends the traditional resource-based view model. Second, this dissertation extends institutional theory into logistics and operations management area by linking macro-institutional pressures to internal logistics operations. Third, this study provides insights on the effects of logistics outsourcing on operational and financial performance by examining the effects of asset-based and non-asset based logistics outsourcing. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Zhuang, Bochao. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-137). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese; appendix 5 in Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.I / ABSTRACT (CHINESE) --- p.III / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.V / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.IX / LIST OF TABLES --- p.X / LIST OF APPENDICES --- p.XI / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Research Motivation --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Research Objectives --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Research Methods and Framework of this Dissertation --- p.3 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Theoretical Background --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1 --- Transaction Cost Economics and Outsourcing --- p.5 / Chapter 2.2 --- Resource-based View and Outsourcing --- p.9 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- RBV and New Streams in RBV --- p.9 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Resources& Capabilities Classification & Empirical Model in RBV --- p.11 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Conceptual Work Linking RBV with Outsourcing --- p.13 / Chapter 2.3 --- Institutional Theory and Outsourcing --- p.14 / Chapter 2.4 --- Multi-Theoretical Frameworks from TCE, RBV and IT --- p.16 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- The Effects of Organizational Resources and Capabilities on Logistics Outsourcing --- p.21 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.21 / Chapter 3.2 --- Theoretical Background and Hypotheses --- p.22 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Infrastructure and Outsourcing --- p.22 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Capabilities and Outsourcing --- p.24 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Infrastructure-Capabilities-Outsourcing --- p.25 / Chapter 3.3 --- Research Methodology --- p.28 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Questionnaire Design and Measures --- p.28 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Sampling and Data Collection --- p.30 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Measurement Quality --- p.33 / Chapter 3.4 --- Hypotheses Tests and Results --- p.35 / Chapter 3.5 --- Discussion --- p.37 / Chapter 3.6 --- Conclusion and Limitations --- p.42 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- The Effects of Imitation and Uncertainty on Logistics Outsourcing --- p.44 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.44 / Chapter 4.2 --- Theoretical Background and Hypotheses --- p.44 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Imitative Pressures and Outsourcing --- p.45 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Uncertainty, Imitative Pressure and Outsourcing --- p.50 / Chapter 4.3 --- Research Methodology --- p.54 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Questionnaire Design and Measures --- p.54 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Sampling and Data Collection --- p.56 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Measurement Quality --- p.56 / Chapter 4.4 --- Hypotheses Tests and Results --- p.59 / Chapter 4.5 --- Discussion --- p.61 / Chapter 4.6 --- Conclusion and Limitations --- p.69 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- The Effect of Logistics Outsourcing on Operational and Financial Performance --- p.71 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.71 / Chapter 5.2 --- Theoretical Background and Hypotheses --- p.72 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Literature Review on Outsourcing-Performance --- p.72 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Outsourcing Types and Operational Performance --- p.74 / Chapter 5.3 --- Research Methodology --- p.79 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Questionnaire Design and Measures --- p.79 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Sampling and Data Collection --- p.81 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Measurement Quality --- p.81 / Chapter 5.4 --- Hypotheses Tests and Results --- p.84 / Chapter 5.5 --- Discussion --- p.85 / Chapter 5.6 --- Conclusion and Limitations --- p.91 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Overall Conclusions and Future Research --- p.93 / APPENDICES --- p.96 / References --- p.117

<p>U radu se istražuje mogućnost primene metoda i instrumenata kontrolinga u logističkim preduzećima. Utvrđuju se performase kvaliteta logističke usluge, merila i metodologija praćenja. Poseban značajan rezultat je razvijen model za primenu logističkog kontrolinga u industrijskim sistemima. Prikazano je testiranje predloženom modela i na osnovu toga biće izvr&scaron;ena pode&scaron;avanja modela.</p> / <p>This paper examines the possibility of applying mehtods and instruments of controlling in logistics companies. Logistics services quality of performance are being determined, measurements and monitoring mehtodology. Result that is particularly significant is the developed model for implementation of logistics controlling in industrial systems. Testing of the proposed model is displayed and, based on this, the model settings will be performed.</p>

Transportation plays a vital role in the movement of raw materials and finished goods from one place to another. Trucks play a vital role in the movement of materials and are indispensable part of almost every shipment, both domestic and international. On the average, thirty-nine percent of the total logistics cost is spent on transportation. Therefore reducing the transportation cost may significantly reduce the total logistics cost. The total annual logistics cost considered in this research includes ordering cost, material cost, transportation cost and inventory holding cost. The main objective of this research is to develop algorithms for finding the optimal ordering quantity that minimizes total annual logistics cost, when the suppliers offer No quantity discounts All-unit quantity discounts Incremental quantity discounts This research considers truckload transportation where two truck sizes are available. The algorithm developed in this research will identify the optimum ordering quantity and the optimum number of trucks required to ship the ordering quantity. MATLAB programming of the algorithm will analyze the factors that affect that the total annual logistics cost.

Master’s thesis is concerning studies of optimization the storage processes focusing on the storage of the Almeva East Europe company. With the help of the modern methods is trying to achieve the better accuracy and speed in preparing the orders. First part of master’s thesis is focused on description of the company. Second on eis dealing with analysis of internal processes. Third part is dedicated to theorethical studies. Last part is focused on the new proposals and solvings.

Master’s thesis is concerning studies of optimization the storage processes focusing on the storage of the Almeva East Europe company. With the help of the modern methods is trying to achieve the better accuracy and speed in preparing the orders. First part of master’s thesis is focused on description of the company. Second on eis dealing with analysis of internal processes. Third part is dedicated to theorethical studies. Last part is focused on the new proposals and solvings.

Bakgrund: Inköp står för en omfattande del av en verksamhets totala kostnader och har således blivit en avgörande strategi för att vinna konkurrensfördelar. Det har en direkt inverkan på kostnadsminskning, varav val av leverantörer i synnerhet har en påverkan. Trots detta är forskning kring leverantörsbyten och vad det innebär för kostnader mycket begränsad. Ifall ett leverantörsbyte är aktuellt för ett företag är det viktigt att ha en komplett bild över samtliga kostnader som ett sådant byte kommer innebära. Syfte: Studiens syfte är att utveckla en kostnadsmodell över vilka logistikkostnader som ska tas i beaktning vid byte mellan befintliga direktmaterialleverantörer samt införande av ny direktmaterialleverantör med tillhörande beräkningsunderlag. Denna kostnadsmodell ska öka möjligheten för kostnadsanalys vid leverantörsbeslut. Metod: För att uppnå studiens syfte har en fallstudie på Volvo CE i Braås gjorts. Datainsamling har skett genom såväl primär- som sekundärdata i form av ostrukturerade och semistrukturerade intervjuer, företagsdokument samt teorier från vetenskapliga artiklar och litteratur. Snöbollsurval har använts vid studiens urval av respondenter. Slutsats: För att strategiska leverantörsbeslut ska vara lönsamma bör företag analysera kostnader genom att såväl identifiera relaterade kostnader som beräkna dem. Detta är i dagsläget ett problem hos Volvo CE vid byte mellan befintliga leverantörer och införande av ny leverantör. Genom att, i denna studie, ha identifierat samtliga logistikkostnader relaterade till dessa processer har en totalkostnadsmodell framställts. Modellen innefattar både relaterade logistikkostnader och beräkningsunderlag som genom standardisering möjliggör implementering av modellen i andra företag. Nyckelord: Logistikkostnader, Leverantörsbyte, Omställningskostnader, Kostnadsmodell, Implementering / Background: Purchasing stands for an extensive part of a company’s total costs and thus has become a decisive strategy for competitive advantages. It has a direct impact on cost reduction, where supplier selection has an impact in particular. Nevertheless, the research on supplier switching and the costs related to a supplier switch is very limited. In case of a supplier switch it is important to have a complete picture of all the costs such change will entail. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to develop a cost model of which logistics cost are to be taken into account when switching between existing suppliers of direct material or introduce a new supplier of direct material. The cost model includes calculations and aims to increase the opportunity for cost-benefit analysis of supplier decisions. Methodology: In order to achieve the purpose of the study, the authors have done a case study at Volvo CE in Braås. Data collection has been done through both primary and secondary data in the form of unstructured and semistructured interviews, documents from the company and theories from scientific articles and literature. Snowball selection has been used to select the respondents for this study. Conclusion: For strategic supplier decisions to be profitable, companies should analyze costs by both identify related costs and calculate them. This is currently a problem at Volvo CE when switching between existing suppliers or introduce a new supplier. By, in this study, having identified all logistics costs related to these processes, a total cost model has been developed. The model includes both related logistics costs and calculations, which through standardization enable implementation of the model in other companies.   Key words: Logistics costs, Supplier switching, Switching costs, Cost model, Implementation

Which form of exchange governance performs better in a dynamic environment? This remains an unanswered question in the transaction cost analysis (TCA) and relational exchange literatures. Some researchers purport that transactional governance provides superior performance by providing firms the flexibility to change suppliers. Others suggest that relational governance leads to superior performance because of the willingness of both parties to adapt. Reviews of TCA have turned up ambivalent empirical findings with regard to the effects of uncertainty despite a track record of strong empirical support for other predictions. Because most of TCA and relational exchange theories' predictions enjoy strong support, this research builds upon these theories to propose a theoretical modeling framework for a dynamic environment in a supply chain network (SCN) setting. This dissertation extends TCA and relational exchange to a dynamic, network environment. It uses the approach of building a simulation in order to study in detail the relationship between key exchange factors and the selection of transactional and relational exchange governance over time. This research effort extended TCA theory with a complex adaptive model of supply chain network governance evolution that attempts to link environmental, network, production, firm and exchange factors in a continuously evolving loop. The proposed framework expands transaction cost analysis' explanatory power. Results partially support past scholarly proposal that uncertainty functions as an antecedent of asset specificity rather than as an independent construct affecting governance outcome dependent upon which form of uncertainty is being considered. The successful simulation of supply chain networks as complex adaptive systems shift the focus from deterministic, confirmatory models of exchange to an exploratory, positive model. Instead of exchange governance as an outcome, it is the catalyst of the evolutionary process.

Introduction and Relevant Details: This research investigates the impact of inbound logistics' activities on the operational performance of the business within the branches of the South African Post Office (SAPO) in the Eastern Cape Province. The study basically hypothesises a statistically significant positive correlation between inbound logistics' activities and the operational performance of the business with regards to revenue generation and operational costs in particular. A sample of 100 branch offices was randomly selected. A 50-item questionnaire was administered by mail to the branches to collect the data during September 2005, and statistical tests for correlation were conducted on at least five dependent variables; stock procurement costs, effects on revenue, number of stock variation occurrences, order variation occurrences and the stock holding effects. Results of Data Analysis: The results of 88 respondents (88%) showed the existence of the significant positive relationship between the inbound logistics activities and the operational performance of the business at the South African Post Office branches as proposed by the study. The Spearman Rank Correlation tests were above 0.7 for most of the tested variables, showing a strong relationship. The inbound logistics' activities were also found to be positively correlated to revenue generation as well as to the operational expenses of the business. Conclusion and Recommendations: The findings allowed the researcher to conclude also that whatever improvements are made to the inbound logistics will also impact on the operational performance of the business, while failures in the inbound logistics will do so negatively. Business endeavours to maximise revenue and minimise costs are directly affected by the inbound logistics' activities. The branches of the SAPO seemed to be dissatisfied with most of the services rendered by the Supply Distribution Centre (SOC) of the SAPO, and such services have negatively affected the achievement of revenue targets at the branches as well as the operational costs. Holistic approaches to developing positive perceptions in the branches together with improving service activities at the SOC are recommended. Collaborative initiatives between branches and the SOC, reviewing the lead-times and the establishment of proper structures to handle supply chain queries, enhanced by information system technology to provide accurate and up-to-date information to branches and related parties about stock order issues are required . Areas of further research highlighted include the inbound logistics' activities of the SOC and the effectiveness of company policies as a guide to Supply Chain Management (SCM).