Omega Pharma is a distributer of over the counter products, selling thousands of products produced at more than 200 manufacturers and sold in most European countries. The company was founded in Belgium in 1987 and has since then had a high market focus and expanded through acquisitions of brands and products. The company has in recent years started working towards centralization and supplier base management. A project team has been set up to work strategically by choosing key manufacturers and by reducing the supplier base. A first step in this is to look more closely at products with a low turnover and that are not strategically important in order to evaluate if the product is profitable and which products that could be moved to other manufacturers or cancelled from the portfolio. Therefore the purpose of the study is to: Create an evaluation model based on revenue, total cost and manufacturer performance to evaluate a product and if cost reductions can be achieved by ending the production of the product or moving the product to a different manufacturer. A four step approach for analyzing total cost was followed in order to, in a structured way, create the model and identify the relevant elements related to revenue, total cost and manufacturer performance that were to be present in the model. The four steps were: In a first step elements and costs were identified that might be relevant for the model. This was done based on previous research, holding interviews at the company and reviewing documents. The second step was to adapt the elements to the model. In the third step, it was decided how the elements and costs that were to be in the model would be calculated and presented as well as looking into how the model would be built. The fourth step consisted of doing test runs and a sensitivity analysis to test the robustness of the model. The result handed over to the company is in the form of the evaluation model created based on the above stated purpose. Within the model, there are 4 manufacturer performance parameters and 1 for revenue. When it comes to costs, the amount varies depending on the case analyzed. To evaluate product profitability there are 7 cost elements containing 20 identified costs. When evaluating moving a product to another manufacturer there are the same costs, however an additional element for transfer is added containing 5 costs. For the situation ending a production, there are 2 costs. In order to facilitate the use of the model, estimations were done to the costs to the extent possible. From test runs the model was further adapted to the company as it was identified what values connected to a product where possible for the user to find in the system and in what units of measure. The sensitivity analyses showed that none of the estimated values would, if the estimation was not accurate, affect the evaluation of the product. They could however affect the cost element of that cost.

Supplier networks today are seeing a complete redirection in their purpose from a decade ago. Supplier networks focused originally on transaction-oriented exchanges for sending purchase orders electronically. However, based on the current increased need to understand business risks, supplier networks are demonstrating a clear shift in emphasis from establishing “transaction-based focus” relationships towards the evolution of network platforms. The Aberdeen Group (2011) demonstrates that 76 per cent of supplier networks increasingly are being used to identify new suppliers and market opportunities. Moreover, with social-networking features similar to Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook (which are very recent phenomena), supplier networks have become more important in their role of spending management based on the ability to help organisations identify new suppliers while sharing information with other buyer organizations. Therefore, analysing data from supplier networks today has become a necessary strategy for optimizing transaction-focused procurement, in addition to improving supplier relationships. With this in mind, the Social Media Domain Analysis (SoMeDoA) framework has been developed to facilitate the decision-making process for selecting flexible suppliers within the e-procurement-based marketplace and apply it to a real set of data gathered from two social-networking sites (Twitter and LinkedIn). The research contributes a rigorous method that analyses effectively domain concepts and relations between notions from social networks and builds the domain ontology. The effectiveness of the framework, in analysing domain and relations, is evaluated by its application to varying datasets gathered from social networks, including the pharmaceutical domain. This model extrapolates findings from stages in the research and marries elements from various papers and frameworks therein, in order to produce a guideline model for organisations seeking a suitable supplier with whom to work. The results of the evaluation are encouraging, and provide concrete outcomes in an area that is little researched.

Charles University in Prague Faculty of Law Department of Civil Law Private law aspects of consumer protection Diploma Thesis Abstract Roman Matějka Supervisor: prof. JUDr. Jiří Švestka, DrSc. Prague, September 2011 Abstract Private law aspects of consumer protection The aim of this thesis is to analyze the issue of consumer protection in private law. The author focused mainly on the latest changes in the applicable legislation dealing with the consumer protection. The thesis also contains critical evaluation of current legislation and a comparison with the draft of the new Civil Code. The thesis should contribute to the discussion of the ongoing recodification of private law. The thesis is divided into ten chapters. The first chapter deals with the definition of the term consumer protection and consumer protection law. It also includes a brief excursion on the topic of consumer protection in public law. The second chapter consists of a list of acts that regulate consumer protection. First, it brings a list of national sources of consumer protection in the Czech legislation. It also contains an overview of the legislation protecting consumers in Community law, both in the primary, and the secondary legislation. The third chapter discusses the key terms of consumer protection - consumer and supplier. There...

Apresentada atualmente como fundamental para a vantagem competitiva das empresas, a desintegração vertical de processos é uma ação geral que, uma vez adotada, leva a novas formas de relacionamento com fornecedores. Estas novas formas de relacionamento de empresas com fornecedores fazem com que cadeias de suprimento passem a ser estruturadas por meio de vínculos de cooperação contratual, em contraposição à estruturação vertical por meio de vínculos de cooperação hegemônica. Nesta dissertação estabelecem-se primeiramente os conceitos de cadeia de suprimento e de desintegração vertical de processos; analisam-se em seguida as várias formas de relacionamento contratual que uma empresa pode estabelecer com fornecedores e daí deduzem-se critérios de escolha de fornecedores em coerência com o relacionamento que a empresa irá estabelecer com os fornecedores escolhidos. Para submeter a teste esta dedução, realizou-se uma pesquisa em duas empresas do ramo químico, por meio da qual se identificaram os critérios que estas empresas adotam para escolher fornecedores e estabelecer com eles vínculos de relacionamento contratual. Os resultados da pesquisa levam à conclusão de que as empresas pesquisadas estabelecem com seus fornecedores os relacionamentos mais adequados conforme as circunstâncias, mas não ‘o relacionamento ideal’. A dissertação se encerra com proposta de um programa de estudos transdisciplinares sobre a gestão de suprimentos em geral e os relacionamentos cliente-fornecedor em especial. / Put nowadays as basic for the competitive advantage of companies, vertical disintegration of processes is a wide action that, once adopted, gives rise to new forms of relationships with suppliers. These new forms of relationships between firms and their suppliers draw to the structuring of supply chains according to links of contractual co-operation, in contrast to their vertical structuring according to links of hegemonic co-operation. In this dissertation the concepts of supply chain and of vertical disintegration of processes are settled first; following it the various forms of contractual relationship that a firm can set up with its suppliers are scrutinized and then criteria for supplier selection are inferred, consistently with the relationship the firm will set in agreement with the chosen suppliers. In order to submit this inference to a trial, a research was undertaken at two companies that carry business in the chemical branch undertaken, identifying the criteria these companies adopt for supplier selection and for setting up with the chosen ones links of contractual co-operation. The results of the research draw to the conclusion that the researched companies set up with their suppliers the most suitable relationships according to circumstances, but not ‘the ideal relationship’. The dissertation ends with the proposal of a program for transdisciplinary studies concerning supply management broadly and customer-supplier relationships in special.

Today’s fragmented and intensely competitive market place is the obstacle for retailers and suppliers to do business in a traditional way. Even customers have never been more sophisticated. In this perspective, thousands of idea has already been brought though articles, journals and books and thousands of seminars has been hold to define a new way of managing business. Just as an tremendous heat and pressure create diamond, these uncertainties and competitive challenges has produced a new marketing ideas known as category management that offers an wealth of opportunity for those who can adopt with this systematic approach. In this thesis, some definition and structure-oriented phases as well as the challenging area of category management are mentioned. In the next step, a perfect scenario through different stages starting from zero is brought out to show how retailers and suppliers can overcome the power game and collaborate with each other. Finally I have shown that a trust worthy relationship, coupled with in-store implementation of category management, can create a win-win situation for both retailers and suppliers. / Program: Magisterutbildning i Applied Textile Management

O ambiente econômico atual de alta concorrência impulsiona a busca inteligente por soluções que capacitem as empresas a apresentarem reduções de custos e aumento de rentabilidade, além de proporcionar a satisfação do consumidor, fatores fundamentais para a garantia de sobrevivência e crescimento. É sob esse contexto que surge o ECR (Efficient Consumer Response), iniciativa em que fabricantes de produtos de mercearia, varejo, atacado e demais facilitadores trabalham em conjunto para reduzir custos desse canal de marketing e possibilita maior valor ao consumidor. O Gerenciamento por Categorias é uma ferramenta que faz parte do ECR e permite a redução de custos de fornecedores e varejistas propiciando melhor exposição, abastecimento e variedade de produtos; calendário eficiente de promoções; maior giro e menor estoque, aumento na rentabilidade e preços competitivos, ao mesmo tempo em que focaliza práticas de merchandising e marketing eficientes orientadas para o cliente, foco principal desta ferramenta. Esta dissertação procurou conhecer o relacionamento entre fornecedor e varejo com a utilização da ferramenta, identificando as opiniões dos varejistas sobre seus fornecedores e vice-versa, apresentando os principais pontos de divergência e semelhança entre estas opiniões, além de identificar e caracterizar as variáveis do relacionamento entre os parceiros que prejudicam e os que favorecem o processo de Gerenciamento por Categorias. Devido à natureza dos objetivos estabelecidos, foi adotado o método exploratório com base em estudo de caso. Foram analisados uma rede de varejo supermercadista e dois fornecedores de categorias distintas: café e limpeza. Utilizaram-se questionários eletrônicos estruturados e entrevistas para levantamento das informações. Foi possível identificar pontos convergentes e divergentes quanto ao conceito de parceria, mostrando a necessidade de alinhamento em alguns aspectos fundamentais do conceito para melhor atendimento das expectativas dos parceiros. O tempo de parceria e a utilização de um instrumento legal menos formal (maior interação interpessoal) mostraram afetar negativamente o relacionamento. Os principais problemas levantados no estudo são referentes às variáveis: comunicação, investimento específico, comprometimento, confiança e cooperação, contradizendo o que estas empresas afirmam ser importante para uma boa relação de parceria. O relacionamento entre fornecedor e varejo no Gerenciamento por Categorias precisa ser mais bem desenvolvido, estimulando o maior envolvimento dos parceiros, principalmente os varejistas que se mostram com menor empenho no desenvolvimento do relacionamento e da ferramenta. Embora existam divergências entre os parceiros, as empresas participantes deste estudo disseram estar satisfeitas quanto aos resultados obtidos com a implantação do Gerenciamento por Categorias. / The very competitive recent economic environment propels the intelligent search for solutions that enable the companies to present costs reduction and profitability increase, besides meeting the consumer satisfaction, which are the fundamental factors for survival and growing warranty. It is under this context that the Efficient Consumer Response (ECR), an initiative in which manufacturers of products, such as, from grocery stores, from retail, from wholesale, and other facilitators, work together to reduce costs of this marketing channel and enable higher value to the consumer. The Category Management is a tool from the ECR, it allows the costs reduction of suppliers and retailers, providing better exposition, supply, and variety of products; sales promotion efficacy calendar; bigger rotation and lower inventory, profitability increase and competitive prices, by also focusing on efficient merchandising and marketing practices directed to the client that is the main focus of this tool. The present dissertation aimed at reporting the relation between the supplier and retail by using the tool, identifying the retailers opinions about their suppliers and vice-versa, presenting the main divergence and similarity points among these opinions, besides identifying and characterizing the relation variables between the partners that injure and those that favor the Category Management process. Due to the established objectives nature, the exploratory method was taken based on the case study. A supermarket retail chain and two different categories of suppliers coffee and cleaning were analyzed. Structured electronic questionnaires and interviews to survey information were used. It was possible to identify convergent and divergent points as to the partnership definition, showing the need of aligning in some fundamental aspects of the definition to better serve the partners expectations. The partnership time and the use of a less formal legal instrument (better interpersonal interaction) seemed to negatively affect the relation. The main issues that were reported in the study refer to the variables: communication, specific investment, commitment, trust, and cooperation, which are opposed to what these companies state to be important for a good partner relation. The relation between the supplier and retail in the Category Management needs to be more developed, encouraging the greatest involvement of the partners, specially the retailers that have better performance in the relation and tool development. Although there are divergences between the partners, the companies that are participating of this study stated that they are satisfied as to the results obtained with the Category Management implantation.

Suppliers provide new technology to firms and are important in firms‟ NPD. It is not sufficient for firms to select the most appropriate technology; they must also select the most appropriate supplier for their NPD. The purpose of this licentiate thesis is to map and identify criteria used in the process of selecting a suitable supplier, and explore the role of Purchasing in NPD collaborative projects. This thesis is based on case study research where two NPD projects have been studied. The case sampling consisted of searching for projects that were believed to be rich in information about the process of supplier selection. Both studied were conducted at ABB, which is a large high-tech system integration firm. ABB was a good firm to study because as a company, it is used to implementing new technology from suppliers. The data collection consisted of interviews, factory visits, internal and external documents. The data gathered was analysed by conducting content analysis and then using categorization to structure it. In addition, within-case analysis as well as cross-case analysis were performed. The research process was inductive and its purpose was formed throughout the on-going studies. This study has identified and categorised criteria for selecting a supplier that is suitable to become involved in NPD projects. Both criteria from existing literature and from the NPD projects studied are mapped into a process model of supplier selection in which they are classified into three categories: product and production factors, firm characteristics and relational criteria. The main findings from this study are criteria that firms use in their assessment and selection of suppliers. These supplier assessment criteria can be divided into basic, product and firm criteria. One difficult element to consider is the uncertainty of an NPD project. The thesis argues that uncertainty can be divided into technological and strategic uncertainty. Additional criteria to consider in supplier selection are divided into technological, business and relational-specific criteria. This study has investigated the role of Purchasing in NPD and argues that Purchasing can be a trouble-shooter. This role can solve problems that emerge in collaborative NPD projects that involve suppliers. The types of problems that a trouble-shooter can solve are concerned with lack of commitment and interest from the supplier or conflicts when the supplier has changed its strategy. To solve these problems, Purchasing does not need to be present during the whole NPD project, but can have the role of a trouble-shooter and become involved in the project when the problems have emerged. By not being a part of the NPD team, Purchasing can evaluate the situation objectively without affecting the personal relationships that exist among the individuals in the NPD.

Le cadre général de la thèse porte sur une démarche d’amélioration des suivis de projets dans les entreprises industrielles. Notre questionnement de recherche s’intéresse à la réponse que peut apporter une direction des Achats au cours de la phase de développement des produits nouveaux (DPN). La problématique s’inscrit dans l’obligation des entreprises à intégrer leurs fournisseurs dans les phases amont des DPN pour assurer leur pérennité. Nous avons orienté notre recherche suivant six axes principaux : le contexte et les enjeux des DPN, l’organisation en phase DPN, les ressources humaines (rôles et compétences d’un acheteur projets), la relation Achats/fournisseurs (problématiques de mise en oeuvre d’une démarche ESI (Early Supplier Involvement)) avec un focus particulier sur l’innovation et l’achat responsable, le processus des Achats pour suivre les DPN et l’axe prospectif (amélioration continue). L’ensemble de ces axes sont développés au cours des quatre parties du mémoire. La première partie aborde les problématiques contemporaines de l’industrie en termes de qualité, de capacité de production, de remise en cause permanente des organisations et, d’attentes des clients. Les impacts pour une direction des Achats sont alors étudiés. La deuxième partie présente la recherche bibliographique de l’état de l’art relatif à chacun des axes analysés. La troisième partie décrit la méthode de recherche retenue (DELPHI), la création d’un questionnaire d’entretien et la méthode d’analyse des données (le codage). Enfin la quatrième partie est exclusivement consacrée à l’analyse des entretiens réalisés auprès de 14 experts. Nous proposons alors 13 préconisations pour améliorer la performance d’une direction des Achats lors de la phase de développement des produits nouveaux. La mise en oeuvre de ces préconisations est détaillée au travers d’un guide pratique. La finalité de ce guide pratique est d’échanger sur les « best practice » des grands groupes, d’accompagner les PME dans ce changement et d’éclairer les fournisseurs sur la manière d’intégrer les cycles de développement de leurs clients. Au final, notre démarche cherche à contribuer à l’élargissement du cadre du métier des Achats bien au delà du stéréotype de la négociation commerciale pour permettre ainsi, l’amélioration de la compétitivité des entreprises. / The global subject of the thesis is in line with the continuous improvement method withinindustrial company. Our target is to analyse what would be the answer coming from thepurchasing organization to interface with New Project Development (NPD). Basically, toinsure their future industrial company must integrate their supplier base in NPD phases.Our study is based around six main axes : the context and the target of NPD, NPD globalorganization, human resources (project buyer tasks and competences), the relationshipbetween purchasing and suppliers inside Early Supplier Involvement (ESI) processesincluding a special focus on innovation and responsible approach, purchasing process tomanage NPD and finally future evolution (continuous improvement). Those axes are includedin four parts. The first part describes current issues in industrial industry in terms of quality,production capacity, permanent structure evolution, customer expectation and their impacton the purchasing organization. The second part shows the bibliographical research aboutthe state of the art and makes a deeper analysis of the first part topics. The third partpresents the research method chosen (DELPHI), how the questionnaire has been createdand the data collection and analysis processes (date code). Finally, the fourth part is fullydedicated to the 14 expert interview analysis. We introduce 13 recommendations to improvethe purchasing performance within the NPD. In order to implement those recommendationswe suggest to follow rules describe in a special guide. This guide is made to present a biggroup « best practice », also to give some guideline to the tier 2 suppliers in order to changetheir own organization and to better understand how their customers work in NPD. At theend, our thesis intends to enlarge the purchasing view within industry above the basic visionon company productivity support.

During the period 1996 to 2003 the number of GP services per capita in Australia fell by 14 percent and the proportion of services bulk billed (ie provided at no cost to the patient) fell by 12 percentage points. The Government responded to these trends by outlaying hundreds of millions of dollars to increase Government medical insurance rebates, to increase the number of GPs in Australia, and to provide incentives for GPs to bulk bill. ¶ There has been no comprehensive modelling of the GP market to assist in understanding the reasons for either the declining trends or whether the Government responses were successful. This thesis aims to fill that gap. ¶ Previous Australian modelling of the GP market has been cross sectional and mostly demand focused. This thesis uses panel data to minimise the biases caused by unobserved heterogeneity and border crossing, and to estimate explicit supply and demand equations to enable the relationship between supply and demand to be explored. ¶ This approach estimates the impact on GP market outcomes of both policy decisions regarding rebates and GP numbers, and of external changes such as the trends in social attitudes and age. The likely future paths of the market without further policy change can be considered, and the measures needed to meet given policy targets determined. ¶ In addressing these questions it is also shown that supplier induced demand does apply in Australian general practice but is not material, that previous cross sectional analysis was biased due to border crossing by patients, that GPs who charge patients with concession cards less than other patients are behaving economically rationally, and that when the Government increases the Medicare rebate payment, 85% of the increase goes to the GP and 15% to the patient. The analysis also shows that GP density has no significant effect on mortality in Australia, and was unable to detect any effect of the business cycle on mortality. ¶ The demand curve for Australian general practice services is shown to be fundamentally determined by the real value of the MBS rebate in the short term, where the real value adjusted for growth in average weekly earnings. ¶ The supply curve is determined by aggregate numbers of GPs and by the number of services they each provide. The average number of services provided per GP is determined by GP age and gender, but more importantly by a trend effect thought to be due to attitudinal changes which must be explored further, and must be incorporated into any prediction of GP market outcomes. ¶ The thesis provides the first empirically based overview of the behaviour of the GP market at end of the twentieth century, and shows how Government policy levers and other trends interact to generate the market outcomes. If the Government has targets for service levels or charging patterns in general practice, these models can facilitate determination of the policy options appropriate to achieve those targets.

Bakgrund: Flera stora produktionsföretag har börjat använda sig av utvecklingsprogram för sina leverantörerna för att sprida beprövade tanke- och arbetssätt och därigenom erhålla förbättrade prestationer av leverantörerna. Denna utveckling har i flera fall visat sig ge positiva förändringar på leverantörernas prestationer men det har varit svårt för kundföretagen att få kännedom om vad som verkligen har hänt i leverantörernas verksamheter. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att utreda vilka effekter som eftersträvas och erhålls när stora produktionsföretag, genom utvecklingsprogram, bedriver leverantörsutveckling. Genomförande: Data och information har insamlats genom personliga intervjuer hos personer från ett stort produktionsföretag samt ett tvärsnitt av tre leverantörsföretags personal. Resultat: Studien visar på att bakomliggande motiv till leverantörsutveckling är stabilitet i flödet, långsiktiga leverantörsrelationer, optimala processer och upprätthållandet av kontinuerliga förändring. Alla dessa motiv ligger som grund för ett övergripande motiv som är ökad konkurrenskraft i förädlingskedjan. Studien visar även på att beståndsdelar i utvecklingsprogram kan vara utbildning, gemensam problemlösning och certifiering av leverantörens verksamhet. Studien indikerar på initialt motstånd till leverantörsutvecklingen från leverantören. Resultatet av studien visar emellertid att leverantörsutveckling kan resultera i ett antal positiva effekter hos leverantörerna. Studien visar på positiva effekter på arbetsmiljö, personalens prestationer och samarbete, produktiviteten samt relationen till kundföretagen. Studien indikerar även att leverantörsutveckling kan få vissa effekter på leverantörerna i led två.