<p>The Small and Medium-size Enterprises are the key bone of the economy of many nations. The usual definition of SME’s, make up 99.8% of the approximately 19 million enterprises of the European Union (ISO, 2002) and Sweden is not an exception. That is why SME’s faces the strategic challenge of achieving sustained profitable growth. To meet this challenge, SME’s must develop capabilities to integrate their systems. Since ICT gives so many advantages to support the Supply Chain, and MRPII software’s have become a very popular tool in the last thirty years; Our purpose is to answer the following research question:</p><p>How can MRP II-type computer systems be used effectively to support the manufacturing and organizational integration?</p><p>The research started with on-site observations and interviews but the development of a model and a survey was needed. After, we linked the research with an already accepted model. The results show how important the human aspect and the accuracy are in the effective usage of an MRP II. It also demonstrates that the MRP II philosophy must be accepted to use the MRP II software profitably. Nevertheless, we modeled the vicious cycle that our case company might deal with, tried to find the root cause and give recommendations to break it.</p> / <p>Små och Mellan- stora företag är många nationers byggstenar. Den vanligaste definitionen av SME´s utgör 99,8% av de uppskattningsvis 19 miljoner företag inom Europeiska Unionen (ISO, 2002) och Sverige är inget undantag. Det är anledningen till att SME´s möter den strategiska utmaningen att uppnå ihållande och vinstgivande tillväxt. För att ta sig an denna utmaningen måste SME´s utveckla förmågor att integrera sina system. Eftersom ICT ger så många fördelar att stödja utbudskedjan, och eftersom MRP II mjukvaror har kommit att bli ett populärt verktyg de senaste trettio åren, kommer vårt syfte bli att svara på följande fråga:</p><p>Hur kan datasystem av typen MRP II användas för att på ett effektivt sätt underlätta integrering av tillverkning och organisation?</p><p>Undersökningen startade med observationer samt intervjuer på plats, men utförandet av en statistisk undersökning och en modell var nödvändig efter det att vi redan hade kopplat ihop arbetet med en redan accepterad modell. Reasultaten visar hur viktig den mänskliga faktorn samt exaktheten är i användandet av en MRP II. Den visar också att MRP II filosofin måste vara accepterad innan man kan använda MRP II mjukvaran på ett fördelaktigt sätt. Likväl har vi illustrerat den onda cirkeln som vårt företag måste försöka ta sig ur, försökt hitta den underliggande orsaken och slutligen att ge rekommendationer för att bryta den.</p>

Globalisation has made logistics more important than ever in developing countries. If one business function raises their costs on a service, the end customer will usually pay the price in the store. When the end customers cannot afford the end price on a product, they will turn to other alternatives. This thesis examines how process management would affect the local population within the Dominican Republic. By beginning to question why some functions exist the effect will be economically visible in a DuPont according to the theories. Supply chain management seeks to manage the whole processes from A to Z in the most efficient way possible. The study was conducted during 8 weeks in the Dominican Republic. Eleven managers were interviewed to see how important SCM is for DR. The conclusions of the study is that Supply Chain Management is very important for DR. Well managed supply chains allow higher quality goods such as medicine and food to be accessed at a lower price by the local population. By targeting the economical position of working capital in a process an organisation can reach an increased ROI without the use economical means (increase the income/delivery service or reduce the costs). / MFS study financed by the Swedish International Development cooperation Agency, SIDA

Introduction: Nowadays beverage companies must focus on maintaining healthy finishedgoods inventory stocks in order to be able to decrease inventory costs, meet customerrequirements and to obtain competitive advantage. However many beverage SMEdon’t have an accurate planning and forecasting to manufacturing inventories. Thereforethey often face the problem of optimization in inventory management due to several differentreasons. As a result, company loses its competitiveness. Thus, there is a need tocoordinate Inventory activities of beverage SMEs to improve inventories’ planning. The purpose of this study is to analyze how inventory management is organized in a small Chinese beverage company. Frame of reference: This research is based on the theoretical framework relates with InventoryManagement (IM) and Retailer-managed inventory (RMI), vendor-managed inventory(VMI) and Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR).Empirical Data were collected through personal interviews and organization documents. Methodology: The research strategy for this paper is a single case study. This strategy allows investigating topic in its real life context. The inductive approach is used for this research based on qualitative data. The major source of data collection was semi-structured interviews and the company's documents. For analyzing data categorization approach was applied. Conclusion: The study found that inventory management theories presented in scientificliteratures are used in practice. To achieve better inventory management for beverageSMEs, the authors summarize four importance parameters based on literatures and findings.The authors also provide some suggestions based on the importance parameters inthe conclusion to optimize the case company’s inventory management.

Ce mémoire de thèse traite de la caractérisation de microfils et nanofils semi-conducteurs dopés individuels par microscopie à émission de photoélectrons X (XPEEM) complétée par des techniques de champ proche : microscopie à sonde Kelvin (KFM) et microscopie capacitive à balayage (SCM). L'objectif est d'évaluer l'apport des méthodes locales de surface " sans contact ", grâce à la mesure du travail de sortie local et de l'énergie de liaison des niveaux de coeur, pour l'étude des phénomènes liés au dopage dans ces objets, comme par exemple l'uniformité longitudinale. Nous mettons d'abord en évidence l'importance de la préparation des échantillons pour la mise en oeuvre des techniques citées: méthodes de transfert des fils, adéquation du substrat, influence des caractérisations pré-analyse. Nous présentons ensuite deux principales études de cas en lien avec une problématique technologique : les microfils de nitrure de gallium dopés Si (diamètre 2 μm) pour applications dans l'éclairage à l'état solide, et les jonctions p-n à nanofils de Si (diamètre 100 nm) pour la nanoélectronique basse puissance. Dans le premier cas, nous avons mis en oeuvre la SCM pour l'identification rapide de l'hétérogénéité axiale du dopage n, puis avons utilisé l'imagerie XPEEM spectroscopique avec excitation synchrotron pour, d'abord, estimer le travail de sortie local et la courbure de bande en surface; puis élucider les modes d'incorporation du silicium en surface qui pointent notamment sur la sensibilité des conditions d'élaboration dans la part du dopage intentionnel (Si en sites Ga) et non intentionnel (Si sur sites lacunaires en azote). Des mesures complémentaires sur sections radiales et longitudinales de fils, par microscopie Auger et spectrométrie ToF-SIMS montrent une incorporation du Si limitée à la surface des microfils. Concernant les jonctions p-n à nanofils de silicium étudiées après retrait partiel de l'oxyde de surface, nous avons mis en relation des résultats obtenus indépendamment par KFM et par XPEEM. Ils mettent en lumière une très faible différence de travail de sortie local entre partie n et partie p, et qui semble en partie expliquée par un ancrage du niveau de Fermi en surface.

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil

A utilização de medicamentos fitoterápicos tem crescido a taxas acima da média em todo o mundo, quando comparada à dos medicamentos tradicionais, constituindo-se em uma grande oportunidade de crescimento e desenvolvimento para a indústria farmacêutica nacional. O Brasil, além de possuir a maior biodiversidade em plantas do mundo, possui um conhecimento popular em relação à propriedade medicinal de muitas ervas e plantas que poderiam balizar o desenvolvimento de novos medicamentos. Na cadeia produtiva farmacêutica, a qualidade da matéria-prima é fundamental e pode ser a diferença entre a produção de um medicamento eficaz ou não. Nesse contexto, a gestão da cadeia de suprimentos se apresenta como parte importante para a estruturação das relações e para a qualidade do desenvolvimento de tais produtos. Assim, este estudo objetiva analisar a estrutura e organização da cadeia de suprimento de insumos para fitoterápicos, procurando compreender as suas inter-relações e suas dificuldades de desenvolvimento. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida em parceria com a Escola de Administração da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) e com o projeto Centro de Estudos Avançados em Biodiversidade e Fitoprodutos (BIO-FITO) da Faculdade de Farmácia da UFRGS. Foram estudados três laboratórios situados no Rio Grande do Sul, que utilizam a planta Maytenus ilicifolia (Schrad.) Planch., conhecida popularmente como “Espinheira-santa”, para a produção de fitoterápicos. Com base nos resultados encontrados, verificou-se que a estrutura da cadeia de suprimentos apresenta dificuldades relacionadas ao fluxo de informações e de produtos e que existem três diferentes formas de estrutura e organização para obtenção de insumos pela empresa focal: compra, verticaliza parcialmente e verticaliza totalmente. A definição dessa estrutura está diretamente relacionada com os recursos disponíveis na empresa e para identificá-la foi criado um modelo teórico. / The use of phytomedicines has grown above average in the world, when compared to the traditional medicines, consisting in a great opportunity of growth and development for the national pharmaceutical industry. Brazil, beyond the fact that possesses the largest biodiversity of plants in the world, possesses also a popular knowledge related to medicinal properties of many herbs and plants, which could lead to the development of new medicines. In the pharmaceutical supply chain, the quality of the raw material is fundamental and could be the difference between the production of an efficient medicine or not. In this context, the supply chain management presents itself as a key element to structure the business relations and to the quality of these products development. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze the structure and organization of the raw material’s supply chain for phytomedicines, trying to comprehend the inter-relations and the difficulties of its development. The research was developed in a partnership of the Management School of Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and the project “Centro de Estudos em Biodiversidade e Fitoprodutos” (BIO-FITO) of Pharmacy School from UFRGS. Three laboratories which use the plant Maytenus ilifolia (Schrad.) Planch. for the production of phytomedicines were studied in Rio Grande do Sul. Based on the results, it was verified that the structure of the supply chain presents difficulties related to the flow of information and products and that exists three different ways of structure and organization to obtain raw materials for the enterprise: purchase, partially integrates and totally integrates. The definition of this structure is directly related to the available resources in the firm and for its identification was created a theoretical model.

Despite reform processes in the employment of Supply Chain Management (SCM) as a strategic tool in the South African public sector, there are predicaments in SCM practices, especially in municipalities. This notwithstanding, research that demystifies the SCM implementation practices in local municipalities within the West Rand District, SA is lacking. This study explores supply chain management practices implemented at the West Rand District municipalities. An exploratory and descriptive study was conducted based on a semi-structured questionnaire. The collected data was analysed descriptively using SPSS, inferentially using Fisher Exact test, as well as by content analysis using Atlas.ti. The findings of the study revealed that overall the West Rand District municipalities have adopted and implemented the SCM practices. However, SCM practices are sometimes not always aligned with government policies. The most implemented SCM practice was demand management, followed by acquisition management. The least implemented practices were logistics, disposal, risk and performance management. No significant differences were observed among the municipalities, except for municipality C (within its own supply chain practitioners). The municipalities face serious SCM challenges in implementing their SCM practices. These challenges stem from: a lack of training for SCM staff, lack of proper capacity, poor planning, and ineffective black economic empowerment in the West Rand District. Based on the results, there is a need of training for SCM staff, capacity building, better planning interventions, and more effective black economic empowerment. It should be reiterated that the lack of proper SCM processes and procedures are the root cause of problems in service delivery in South Africa. The study concludes by recommending that SCM practitioners should regularly update their SCM policies, ensure proper compliance with the elements of SCM, as well as to source competencies, skills, and knowledge from higher education institutions and private accredited service providers. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mark spanning all of life's kingdoms. In humans, DNA methylation has been associated with a wide range of age-related pathologies, including type II diabetes and cancer. More recently, in humans, changes in DNA methylation at specific positions in the genome have been found to be predictive of chronological age. Interestingly, DNA methylation age is also predictive of health status and time-to-death. A better understanding of what these DNA methylation changes represent and whether they might be causative in the ageing process will be important to ascertain. However, at present there is no animal model system with which this process can be studied at a mechanistic level. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly apparent that many disease states that increase in prevalence with age are not caused by all cells within the individual, but are often the result of changes to a subset of cells. This underscores the importance of studying these processes at the single cell level. The recent advances in single cell sequencing approaches now mean that we can study multiple layers of biology within the same single cell, such as the epigenome and the transcriptome (scM&T-Seq). Unfortunately, we are still only able to probe these important aspects of single cell biology in a static sense. This is a major limitation in the study of ageing because ageing and age-related disease processes are inherently dynamic. As such, it is incumbent upon us to develop approaches to assay single cell biology in a dynamic manner. 
In this thesis, I describe an epigenetic age predictor in the mouse. This predictor is tissue-independent and can accurately predict age (with an error of 3.33 weeks) and can record deviations in biological age upon interventions including ovariectomy and high fat diet both of which are known to reduce lifespan. Next, I describe the analysis of a homogeneous population of muscle satellite cells (MuSCs) that I have interrogated at the single cell level, using single cell combined transcriptome and methylome sequencing (scM&T-seq). I found that with age there was increased global transcriptional variability and increased feature-specific methylome variability. These findings explain the loss of functionality of these cells with age. Lastly, I describe two imaging approaches to study DNA methylation dynamically in single cells. Using these methods, I demonstrate that it is possible to accurately determine methylation status across a wide spectrum of global methylation levels and that by using such approaches novel information about dynamic methylation processes can be obtained. These methods represent the first to study DNA methylation dynamically.

A utilização de medicamentos fitoterápicos tem crescido a taxas acima da média em todo o mundo, quando comparada à dos medicamentos tradicionais, constituindo-se em uma grande oportunidade de crescimento e desenvolvimento para a indústria farmacêutica nacional. O Brasil, além de possuir a maior biodiversidade em plantas do mundo, possui um conhecimento popular em relação à propriedade medicinal de muitas ervas e plantas que poderiam balizar o desenvolvimento de novos medicamentos. Na cadeia produtiva farmacêutica, a qualidade da matéria-prima é fundamental e pode ser a diferença entre a produção de um medicamento eficaz ou não. Nesse contexto, a gestão da cadeia de suprimentos se apresenta como parte importante para a estruturação das relações e para a qualidade do desenvolvimento de tais produtos. Assim, este estudo objetiva analisar a estrutura e organização da cadeia de suprimento de insumos para fitoterápicos, procurando compreender as suas inter-relações e suas dificuldades de desenvolvimento. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida em parceria com a Escola de Administração da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) e com o projeto Centro de Estudos Avançados em Biodiversidade e Fitoprodutos (BIO-FITO) da Faculdade de Farmácia da UFRGS. Foram estudados três laboratórios situados no Rio Grande do Sul, que utilizam a planta Maytenus ilicifolia (Schrad.) Planch., conhecida popularmente como “Espinheira-santa”, para a produção de fitoterápicos. Com base nos resultados encontrados, verificou-se que a estrutura da cadeia de suprimentos apresenta dificuldades relacionadas ao fluxo de informações e de produtos e que existem três diferentes formas de estrutura e organização para obtenção de insumos pela empresa focal: compra, verticaliza parcialmente e verticaliza totalmente. A definição dessa estrutura está diretamente relacionada com os recursos disponíveis na empresa e para identificá-la foi criado um modelo teórico. / The use of phytomedicines has grown above average in the world, when compared to the traditional medicines, consisting in a great opportunity of growth and development for the national pharmaceutical industry. Brazil, beyond the fact that possesses the largest biodiversity of plants in the world, possesses also a popular knowledge related to medicinal properties of many herbs and plants, which could lead to the development of new medicines. In the pharmaceutical supply chain, the quality of the raw material is fundamental and could be the difference between the production of an efficient medicine or not. In this context, the supply chain management presents itself as a key element to structure the business relations and to the quality of these products development. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze the structure and organization of the raw material’s supply chain for phytomedicines, trying to comprehend the inter-relations and the difficulties of its development. The research was developed in a partnership of the Management School of Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and the project “Centro de Estudos em Biodiversidade e Fitoprodutos” (BIO-FITO) of Pharmacy School from UFRGS. Three laboratories which use the plant Maytenus ilifolia (Schrad.) Planch. for the production of phytomedicines were studied in Rio Grande do Sul. Based on the results, it was verified that the structure of the supply chain presents difficulties related to the flow of information and products and that exists three different ways of structure and organization to obtain raw materials for the enterprise: purchase, partially integrates and totally integrates. The definition of this structure is directly related to the available resources in the firm and for its identification was created a theoretical model.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:51:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 797.pdf: 2013266 bytes, checksum: ae9809b936ba1bd6944fd325215174fd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-11-29 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / Within the current context of competition, we can perceive the emergence of a new paradigm of business management based on the fact that companies no longer compete isolatedly or individually among themselves, but through the various supply chains they belong to. This new paradigm or concept of management refers to Supply Chain Management (SCM). Particularly, logistics has a significant impact on the SCM concept and represents the fundamental process for this concept as it propitiates the operational arrangement of the supply chain. Thus, this dissertation searched to identify the effects of the adoption of the concept of SCM and its initiatives in the logistic function of the distribution channel companies of grocery products, generating, through the Resource Based View (RBV) as classification approach, the identification of logistic capabilities and resources. For in such way, there was an ample discussion about the concept of SCM and its different views and definitions. In this context, the needed logistic capabilities and resources to adopt SCM concepts and initiatives were identified in the bibliographical revision of this research. This dissertation, through this ample discussion, will contribute to the more development of SCM theory and of unification of the logistic theory. There were various logistic capabilities, like the adoption of logistics function as a strategic activity, the adoption of concept of integrated logistics, the adoption of Lean and Agile Paradigm or Re-supplying. Additionally, there were various logistic resources, like IT (Information Technology) and its tools, the software related to logistics and Logistics Information System, crossdocking. To complement the theory discussion about SCM and logistic capabilities and resources, this research realized three case studies, whose object was to evaluate the adoption and the degree of development of these logistic elements, through the contrast between encountered theory and practice, and identify the main benefits to each company, the expected results but not reached and the main logistic problems faced for each company. With the results from these three cases, there was good adoption in the practice of logistic capabilities and resources, the literature emphasized, independently the degree of development in each company. However, it was evident the discrepancy among the researched companies as for the adoption and use of the logistic change points existent in the literature, and their development degree, that allowed suggest a hierarchy of companies in terms of the implantation of logistic capabilities and resources. Specifically, this dissertation holds a qualitative research approach, as investigative method the multiple case studies, as the instrument of data collection the interview which was carried out by semi-structured questionnaire. / Dentro do atual contexto competitivo, começa a emergir um novo paradigma de gestão empresarial baseado no fato de as empresas não mais competirem apenas entre si de forma isolada ou individual, mas sim através das diversas cadeias de suprimentos nas quais estão inseridas. Esse novo paradigma ou conceito de gestão refere-se à Gestão da Cadeia de Suprimentos (Supply Chain Management, SCM). Destaca-se que a função logística possui impacto significativo sobre o conceito de SCM e representa o processo fundamental para este conceito, na medida em que ela propicia o arranjo operacional da cadeia de suprimentos. Sendo assim, esta dissertação buscou a identificação das implicações da adoção do SCM e de suas iniciativas sobre a função logística de empresas do canal de distribuição de produtos de mercearia básica, gerando, através da Visão Baseada em Recursos (VBR) como abordagem de classificação, o levantamento de capacitações e recursos logísticos. Para isso, houve a necessidade de realização de uma ampla discussão sobre o conceito de SCM e de suas diferentes visões e definições. Ainda nesse contexto, realizou-se o levantamento, a partir da revisão bibliográfica, de capacitações e recursos logísticos necessários à adoção desse conceito. Acredita-se que esta dissertação, através desta ampla discussão, contribuirá para o maior desenvolvimento da teoria sobre o SCM e da unificação da teoria logística. Foram identificadas, no presente trabalho, diversas capacitações logísticas, dentre as quais citam-se a adoção da função logística como atividade estratégica, a adoção do conceito de Integração da logística, a adoção do Paradigma ou Ressuprimento Ágil e Enxuto, dentre outras. Adicionalmente, foram identificados vários recursos logísticos, dentre os quais mencionam-se a TI (Tecnologia da Informação) e suas ferramentas, os softwares relacionados à logística e de Sistema de Informação (SI) logística, o cross-docking, dentre outros. Como forma de complementar a discussão teórica sobre o SCM e as capacitações e recursos logísticos, esta pesquisa realizou três estudos de casos, cujo objetivo foi de avaliar a adoção e o grau de desenvolvimento desses elementos logísticos, por meio do contraponto entre teoria e prática, bem como levantar os principais benefícios trazidos para a logística de cada empresa, os resultados esperados mas não alcançados e os principais problemas logísticos enfrentados por cada empresa. A partir dos resultados destes três casos, verificou-se uma boa adoção, na prática, das capacitações e recursos logísticos destacados na literatura, independentemente do grau de desenvolvimento em cada empresa. No entanto, ficou evidente a defasagem entre as empresas pesquisadas quanto à adoção e utilização dos pontos de mudança na logística existentes na literatura, e seu grau de desenvolvimento, o que permitiu sugerir uma hierarquia de empresas em termos da implantação de capacitações e recursos logísticos. Especificamente, esta dissertação tem como abordagem de pesquisa a qualitativa, como método de procedimento de pesquisa o estudo multicasos e como mecanismo ou instrumento de coleta de dados a entrevista realizada por meio de um questionário semiestruturado.