This diploma thesis is concerned with a problem of strategic supplier relationship management in the context of a correct understanding of the strategic procurement function. The main goal of the thesis is to analyze Strategic procurement department and all activities related do its function. Identify the main differences between strategic and operational function within the enterprise purchasing. Below this paper the purchasing strategy and strategic supllier relationship management of the corporate portfolio of suppliers are discussed in detail. To solve assigned topic Czech and foreign literature and internal materials of the analyzed company was used. To achieve the basic objective of the work I used descriptive, literature search, analysis and synthesis. In the application part there are three case studies that discuss specific issues. Based on the data, it is possible to confirm that strategic procurement and developed strategic supplier relationship management brings many advantages and it can be considered as a form of competitive advange.

Att modeindustrin har stor inverkan på miljön har varit känt inom industrin sedan decennier och allmänhetens medvetenhet ökar för varje år. I övergången mellan retorik och praktik, där konsumenter allt mer kräver transparens kring faktiska åtgärder snarare än retoriska eller performativa hållbarhetsinitiativ, uppstår ett behov av studier kring hur företag arbetar eller kan arbeta med hållbarhet i praktiken. Tidigare forskning identifierar inköpsfunktionen som en vital funktion för företag att agera hållbart. Inom modeinköp saknas forskning som återger ett helhetsperspektiv på inköparens arbete med gröna inköp. Tidigare forskning menar att inköparens beslut har en direkt påverkan på miljön, dock saknas forskning som undersöker hur stort utrymme inköpare inom modebranschen har att fatta gröna inköpsbeslut. Föreliggande studie syftar till att undersöka vilket utrymme inköparen har att ta beslut som påverkar miljömässig hållbarhet (i sitt företag) samt kartlägga var i inköpsprocessen inköparens miljömässiga hållbarhetspraktiker utförs. Syftet har genererat tre frågeställningar; (I) Vilken agens har inköpare på svenska modeföretag att ta beslut relaterade till miljömässig hållbarhet? (II) Vilka faktorer påverkar inköpares agens att ta hållbara beslut? (III) I vilken/vilka fas(er) av inköpsprocessen har inköpare möjlighet att vidta miljömässiga hållbarhetsåtgärder? Syftet och forskningsfrågorna undersöktes med utgångspunkt i en undersökningsmodellen baserad på en sammanlänkad version av Min och Galles (1997) ramverk för hållbara inköpsstrategier, med tillägg av leverantörshantering, samt van Weeles (2018) modell för inköpsprocessen. Undersökningsmodellen visar de tre huvudsakliga rollerna och aspekterna som påverkar gröna inköpsstrategier, samt att dessa även påverkar varandra. Vidare möjliggjorde modellen kategorisering av miljömässiga hållbarhetsåtgärder vidtagna av inköpare i inköpsprocessen. Studien har genomförts med en kvalitativ datainsamlingsmetod för att besvara forskningsfrågorna och syftet. Det empiriska materialet samlades in genom sju semistrukturerade intervjuer på svenska modeföretag. Åtta informanter med yrkestiteln inköpare eller som verkade inom inköpsfunktionen intervjuades. Intervjuerna återspeglar de miljömässiga hållbarhetsåtgärder som förekommer inom inköpsprocessen för den specifika inköparen. Resultatet går därmed inte att likställa med företagens hållbarhetsarbete inom hela verksamheten. Resultatet och analysen visade att inköpare på de undersökta företagen hade varierande agens som påverkades främst av företagsstorlek. Kartläggningen av inköpsprocessen visade att samtliga hade agens att vidta miljömässiga hållbarhets åtgärder i orderläggningsfasen och sju av åtta hade agens i specifikationsfasen. En minoritet av inköparna kunde vidta åtgärder vid leverantörsval. / The substantial impact the fashion industry has on the environment has been commonly accepted in the industry for decades and public awareness is increasing every year. As consumers are increasingly demanding transparency on outcome from interventions, rather than performative sustainability initiatives, there is now a need for studies focusing on how businesses can work with sustainability in practice. Previous research identifies the purchasing function as a vital component for companies to act sustainably. In fashion purchasing, there is a shortage of research which reflects a holistic perspective on green purchasing. Previous research argues that the decisions buyers make have a direct impact on the environment. However, there is a lack of research that examines what agency buyers in the fashion industry have in order to make green purchasing decisions. The purpose of this study is to investigate to what degree a buyer or purchaser can make decisions which affect environmental sustainability within their company and where in the purchasing process they take place. The purpose has generated the following research questions; (I) What agency do buyers/purchasers in Swedish fashion companies have to make decisions that affect environmental sustainability? (II) Which factors affect the buyers/purchasers agency to make sustainable decisions? (III) In which phase/phases of the purchasing process is there a possibility for a buyer/purchaser to make sustainable decisions? The purpose and the research questions were studied with support from an analytical framework based on a combination of the Min and Galle (1997) framework for sustainable purchasing strategies, with an addition of supplier management, and van Weele´s (2018) purchasing process model. The analytical framework shows the three main roles and aspects that affect green purchasing strategies, and how they affect each other. Furthermore the analytical framework facilitated the categorization of environmentally sustainable actions taken by the buyer/purchaser in the purchasing process. The study has been conducted using qualitative data to answer the research questions and the purpose. Empirical material was collected from seven semi-constructed interviews with employees at swedish fashion companies, whose job title included ‘purchaser’ or were working within the purchasing function of the company. The interviews reflect the environmentally sustainable measures taken in the purchasing process by the individual. The result can thus not be equated with the companies' overall sustainability work. Analysis of the data showed that purchasers working at the investigated companies had varying agency to make environmentally sustainable decisions, which was mainly explained by the company size. The mapping of the purchasing process showed that all of the purchasers within the investigated companies had agency to make environmentally sustainable decisions within the ordering phase and seven out of eight had agency in the specification phase. A minority of the purchasers could make environmentally sustainable decisions in the supplier selection phase.

This thesis is proposal of the business plan to expand business of the internet trade with underwear and for profit. The thesis is based on knowledge learned during studies, provided information, analysis of the current industry.

The diploma thesis focuses on the process of analysis of the current state of logistics of the purchasing process at Tourbus, a.s. Its main target is set to identificate the areas in the purchasing processes of the company, which can be rationalized and streamlined. The goal of this thesis is the improvement of the current state of logistics, in order for the company to be able to maintain its competitiveness in the market.

This study examines the effect of electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM) on consumers’ purchasing decision process, more specifically: How does consumer attitudes and purchasing intent toward companies and their products affected by negative eWOM on social media. The study is based on three-component model of attitudes which identifies attitude as the awareness, assessment and readiness to act. The purpose of this study was to examine how negative eWOM on social media affects the consumer’s purchasing decision process. The purpose was to improve understanding of eWOM’s role and influence on the consumer’s attitudes and purchasing intent towards the companies and their products.   The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 individuals aged 18-20. Results indicate that negative customer reviews on social media have a negative influence on consumers attitudes and purchasing intent. The results also show that the effect varies between different product types. The effect may be stronger for expensive and important purchases than for cheap and routine purchases.

The construction industry in Sweden today are facing a major challenge in building society and following the pace of population growth. Rising material prices are today a fact, and at the same time there is a lack of capacity at the Swedish suppliers as they are bound up in supplier agreements for the coming years. The largest construction companies in Sweden have been working strategically with international suppliers for a long time to increase their margins and to secure their material needs. BTH Bygg AB is today a company that builds, renovates and maintains real estate in Stockholm. The company has expanded in recent years and is committed to strong growth by 2020. Work on international purchasing has previously been limited to BTH Bygg, but this type of purchase is today seen as a necessity to continued growth and to be competitive in that part of Sweden where most is built. The purpose of this study is to analyze BTH Bygg's existing purchasing process to further develop and propose improvements with international procurement as a starting point. The study has been conducted with the help of interviews to get a complete picture of the issues of international purchasing. BTH Bygg AB has a strong organization with a lot of experience related to the subject area, and focus has been on compiling these in order to come up with suggestions and ideas on how to handle international purchases. Recommendations are focused on areas related to supplier assessment, communication, logistics and product selection. / Byggindustrin i Sverige står idag inför en stor utmaning i att bygga samhället och följa med i den takt som populationsökningen kräver. Stigande materialpriser är idag ett faktum och samtidigt finns det många gånger en avsaknad av kapacitet hos de svenska leverantörerna då de är uppbundna i leverantörsavtal för kommande år. De största byggbolagen i Sverige arbetar sen lång tid tillbaka strategiskt med internationella leverantörer för att öka sina marginaler och för att säkra sitt materialbehov. BTH Bygg AB är idag ett företag som bygger, renoverar och underhåller fastigheter i Stor-Stockholm. Företaget har expanderat de senaste åren och de satsar på en stark tillväxt fram till år 2020. Arbetet med internationella inköp har tidigare varit begränsat på BTH Bygg, men denna typ av inköp ses idag som en nödvändighet för att fortsätta växa och vara konkurrenskraftiga i den del av Sverige det byggs mest. Syftet med denna studie är att analysera BTH Byggs existerande inköpsprocess för att vidareutveckla och föreslå förbättringar med internationella upphandlingar som utgångspunkt. Studien har utförts med hjälp av intervjuer för att få en samlad bild kring de frågor som finns vid internationella inköp. BTH Bygg AB besitter en stark organisation med mycket erfarenheter kopplade till ämnesområdet och fokus har legat på att sammanställa dessa för att komma med förslag och idéer kring hur de internationella inköpen ska hanteras. Rekommendationerna fokuseras till områden kopplade till leverantörsbedömning, kommunikation, logistik samt val av produkt.

This thesis aims to investigate the phenomenon popularly referred to as the pink tax, otherwise known as gender-based price discrimination in the Swedish hygiene product market. The subject is thoroughly researched in markets like the United States and the United Kingdom, where evidence has been found that a pink tax does exist. Thus, women tend to pay more for initially the same product than men, where seemingly, the only difference between the two is packaging and/or fragrance. The sample collection consists of five different product categories: razor blades, razors, shaving cream, deodorant, and soap. The samples have all been collected manually from 16 different locations, distributed at a 38 km radius between the area Skövde to Mariestad in Västra Götaland, Sweden.  Inspired by previous research, this study starts examining the market using a t-test. To further the investigation, two types of regression models are used. The findings support the possibility of a pink tax existing in the Swedish market. Where the largest and most stable regression showed a 4,1% difference in prices for female versus male products. Hence, women tend to pay 4,1% more for hygiene products and the research can conclude that prices are not statistically equal. From this result, we recommend the Swedish customer protection agency- Diskrimineringsombudmannen, to further work on the laws against price discrimination by clarification of guidelines and construction of a stricter legal environment to prevent gender-based price discrimination in the future.

This dissertation is a collection of articles on the design of procurement auctions. Chapter 1 provides a primer to the subsequent three essays. Rather than addressing all the issues involved, it illustrates some basic concepts about auctions, both institutionally and theoretically. It also highlights some problems that arise when auction theory is applied to procurement auctions. / Ph. D.

Hospitals have increasingly come under close public scrutiny in the last several years because of the constantly escalating price of health care in the United States. It has been estimated that approximately 30 per cent of a typical hospital's operational budget is devoted to purchasing consumables plus the cost of materials support. The purpose of this study is to examine and compare materials management practices of selected individual hospitals in Texas Health Services Area 5 in order to determine the extent and manner in which they utilize the materials management concept. In addition, the investigation focuses on determining if there are any relationships between the variables of type of ownership, size and the extent to which the study hospitals utilize the materials management concept.

The fast-increasing issue of antibiotic unavailability or relatively their shortages in the healthcare system has been the point of concern for many countries. With these shortages come unnecessary costs and the need to utilize less optimal treatment thus increasing the risk of antimicrobial resistance and jeopardizing a patient’s health. This thesis is a collaboration with PLATINEA (Platform for Innovation of Existing Antibiotics), aiming to optimize the usage of antibiotics and to increase the availability of important antibiotics in Sweden. To understand the causes that affect antibiotic unavailability, a good view into the antibiotic and pharmaceutical supply chain is important, especially the purchasing systems of it. The complexities in the purchasing system can lead to interruptions in the antibiotics supply chain thus increasing the risk of antibiotic shortages. These shortages in turn increases the risk of antimicrobial resistance, therefore, the purchasing system requires the need to be analysed extensively. This study aims to explore different purchasing systems and conduct cost-benefit analysis of centralized purchasing system in efforts to help reduce shortages of antibiotics in Sweden. This study is based on the existing literature on centralized and decentralized purchasing and also the pharmaceutical supply chain. Qualitative interviews (semi-structured), multiple reports and articles steered the authors in exploring the purchasing systems and mapping the costs and benefits of centralized purchasing. Throughout the research, emphasis was kept on reducing antibiotic shortages. The findings of this study outline the various costs and benefits of a centralized purchasing system and resulted in the implementation recommendation of it over an existing decentralized purchasing system in Sweden.