Research indicates buyer-supplier collaborations in new product development (NPD) can have a positive impact on innovation. From a knowledge based view, it is argued that suppliers add a complementary knowledge base that is combined with the buyer’s knowledge. But what does the supplier contribution actually consist of? And more importantly: How is this supplier knowledge integrated into the NPD process? This is not clear in the literature. Different supplier inputs may imply different knowledge integration mechanisms and practices. The purpose of this licentiate thesis is to investigate how supplier knowledge is integrated into the NPD process. The focus is to explore how knowledge intensive manufacturing firms integrate different supplier inputs in collaborative NPD projects by using different knowledge integration mechanisms. To fulfil the aim of thesis a qualitative approach has been applied and by studying NPD processes in three industrial sectors. An extensive literature review and a focus group meeting are followed by two qualitative case studies that are based mainly on interviews with keyrepresentatives in the buyer-supplier collaborations. The first study investigates different supplier contributions by categorizing different supplier inputs. The second study – which is the largest part of the overall study - investigates how supplier knowledge is integrated in NPD collaborations using different integration mechanisms. Here, six NPD collaborations, representing the automotive, the energy, and the telecom sectors, are studied and compared, in order to understand the integration processes and the different knowledge integration mechanisms. The third study investigates the role of trust in capturing supplier knowledge. Here, two NPD collaborations which can be considered to be polar-cases in terms of scope and depth are compared in order to explore and explain the role of trust in the integration processes. Altogether these studies lay a foundation for a model of knowledge integration between the buyer and the supplier in NPD collaborations. The model identifies two main strategies for integrating supplier knowledge – knowledge absorption and joint knowledge accumulation. Knowledge absorption concerns innovation processes where the contribution from suppliers is focused on product- and process improvements, i.e. incremental input. Here, the development is dictated by clear specifications. Supplier contacts take place during a limited period of time and are restricted to certain phases in NPD projects. Thus, the main knowledge integration mechanism used is sequencing. In these situations, the buyer actually tries to capture and absorb the knowledge of the supplier at a specific point in the process. A basic level of trust, based on the reputation the supplier has for competence is sufficient. Joint knowledge accumulation, on the other hand, is how firms manage more radical input from suppliers, such as new technology or new design. In these cases, knowledge integration strategies extend over a longer period of time, throughout several phases of the NPD project. There is a high degree of interaction between the people involved, to find new solutions. The main knowledge integration mechanism is group problem-solving. Knowledge is jointly accumulated by sharing, combining, and creating new knowledge in open processes. In these cases, a profound level of trust is required. When integrating supplier knowledge in innovation, management has to consider the possible and preferred outcome of the collaboration; it might be a commercial deal to provide for a temporary access to knowledge, or it might be a long-term alliance, where joint learning is an aim. In the first case, a traditional NPD process with clear specifications, using sequencing and technological interfaces, will be adequate. In the second case, focus should be on interpersonal problem solving between trustworthy individuals.

In order for companies to stay competitive on their market today, they need to have a rigid innovation strategy including product development. Customers demands more of their suppliers when it comes to product development, which means that the supplier needs to start focusing on collaborative product development with their customers. Collaborative product development is defined as: "An activity where the supplier and customer works jointly together, sharing their resources and expertise, to improve an existing or develop a new product." in this thesis. To successfully participate in the customers' product development, the supplier needs to have a business model as a guideline throughout the project. This business model needs to focus on the area that builds up trust with the customers since that is the single most important factor in order to succeed. This thesis aims to develop such a model and therefore it focuses on three research questions; How do a supplier develop trust in a collaborative product development project? What specific knowledge and expertise is necessary for a supplier to have in order to succeed with a collaborative product development project? What do a customer demand from a collaborative product development project? The thesis focuses on similarities between the interviewed companies on how they carry out their collaborative product development. This empirical data is also analyzed with the help of the theory using a triangulation method. The result from this analysis and the data gathering is a formulation of a business model, which follows a chronological order on how to proceed in a collaborative project. Following these steps and using the model, can build up a trustworthy relationship that will last throughout projects to come.

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial. / This research analyzes the current studies of supplier relationship management (SRM), based on a literature review to contrast and compare the evolution of SRM in agribusiness-oriented supply chain management (SCM). The result obtained in this research shows the agribusiness and its relationship with its suppliers. It also strives to identify potential models for a strong SRM. An SRM model is proposed to visualize the components that make up the management of suppliers in the agribusiness supply chain (SC).

From the perspective of suppliers, this thesis explores what value suppliers can gain from delivering to big-science organizations (BSOs). Inspired by the framework of supplier-perceived value (SPV) by Walter et al. (2001), a new model is developed specifically for the BSO-supplier relationship focusing on the indirect functions, especially in the innovation dimension and the market dimension. Based on a quantitative survey contains 38 big-science suppliers in Sweden, three main findings are identified via the analysis of multiple regression and independent t-test: 1) suppliers are more likely to acquire value from enhanced process-development and promoted influence in the extended customer networks resulting from relationships with BSOs; 2) suppliers with long-term experience working with BSOs are reported to have a higher supplier-perceived value than those in short-term relationships; 3) the mismatch between the performed activities/resources of BSO- supplier relationship and the relatively poor supplier-perceived value. Suppliers are offered with opportunities but meanwhile are largely constrained to benefit from the dyad relationship with a BSO; thereby, the possibility to integrate, transform, and apply the outcome in other spaces of the network beyond the contract with the BSO in the future becomes a critical source of value for suppliers. The implications of this study challenge some prevailing opinions about the value of BSOs and add to our understandings of the supplier-perceived value in BSO-supplier relationships.

The focus of this thesis is to analyze the management of supplier relationships in a supply chain and develop cost-effective processes for manufacturing of a finished product at a global company in Sweden. The study was initiated when the application of literature was of interest to one of the company's products that is under development. So far, the company's great focus has been on developing the product and getting as close to the finished product as possible. Equal focus has not yet been focused on managing suppliers and on defining the processes that arise after the finished product. The intention has been to facilitate decision-making in supplier management and manufacturing that will arise when the prototype will become a finished product and will be launched on the market. The aim for this study is to analyze the value chain in order to develop and check various production facilities to create opportunities for cost savings. -          RQ1. How does a good manufacturing strategy help in developing cost efficient products? -          RQ2. What are the challenges in developing a value chain containing several external suppliers? The approach applied in the study has been a review of scientific literature that provides a basis for answering the purpose and the questions that have been created. Data collected from the literature have been critically reviewed and adapted based on the purpose of the work and the empirical findings collected from the company. Data collected from the company in the form of interviews and observations have been regularly analyzed. The differences and similarities that exist between the empirical data and the literature have been elucidated by adapting the analysis to a pattern. The analysis provided a basis for the results where the development of two different concepts that can be used as an approach in the future could be created. The concepts were created and analyzed based on the company's prerequisites for applicable solutions. The results from the analysis were then summarized in results and recommendations with the categories: Value Stream Map, Hypothetical Production Line and Recommendations related to the modules of the product. These categories will facilitate decision-making regarding the choice of production in the future. Concepts that will facilitate decision-making for economic factors and process factors have also been developed as a “guideline” for approaches to supplier management and management of financial aspects.

Los modelos de planeamiento y control de la producción han sido implementados con gran éxito en muchas empresas a nivel mundial, tanto en el ámbito manufacturero como el de los servicios. Actualmente, expertos e investigadores en el tema han encontrado manifestaciones que demuestran carencias en el desarrollo e implementación de este tipo de enfoques en grandes medianas empresas. Por esta razón, el presente artículo propone una metodología de mejora continua (PHVA) que incluye los modelos de planeamiento y control de producción con la finalidad de permitir un desarrollo sostenible y exitoso en el tiempo. La metodología está compuesta por 4 fases que son: a) planificar: en donde se proyecta todo lo que sucede y lo que se tiene que resolver, b) hacer: donde se ejecuta el plan de acción mediante herramientas ingenieriles, c) verificación: donde se valida si es factible el proyecto y, por último, d) actuar: donde se utilizan mecanismos de control. La metodología fue validada en una empresa dedicada a la fabricación de hornos industriales en el Perú, donde la ejecución generó la eliminación de ventas rechazadas por entrega fuera de tiempo en su primer trimestre después de aplicarlo y redujo también los problemas con calidad de insumo en 15% y planificación de compras en 9%. / The production planning and control models have been implemented with great success in many companies worldwide, both in manufacturing and services. Currently, experts and researchers in the field have found demonstrations that show shortcomings in the development and implementation of this type of approaches in large medium-sized enterprises. For this reason, this article proposes a methodology for continuous improvement (PDCA) which includes the models of production planning and control in order to allow for a successful and sustainable development at the time. The methodology is composed of 4 phases that are: a) planning: where everything that happens and what has to be resolved is projected, b) do: where the action plan is executed through engineering tools, c) verification: where it is validated if the project is feasible and finally, d) act: where control mechanisms are used. The methodology was validated in a company dedicated to the manufacture of industrial furnaces in Peru, where the execution generated the elimination of sales rejected by delivery out of time in its first quarter after applying it and reduced the problems with input quality in 15 % and purchase planning at 9%. / Trabajo de Suficiencia Profesional

Denna studie syftar till att undersöka CSCM och om etablerade SCM koncept och metoder från tillverkningsindustrin kan användas inom CSCM. För att besvara syftet har frågeställningarna “hur skiljer sig förutsättningarna för SCM och CSCM?”, “är SCM koncept och metoder överförbara från tillverkningsindustrin till byggnadsindustrin?”, “vilka SCM koncept och metoder verkar inte lämpliga för CSCM?” och “vilka koncept och metoder från traditionell SCM framstår som användbara för CSCM?”. Den teoretiska referensramen består av ett urval vedertagna SCM koncept och metoder som har sitt ursprung i tillverkande industri och teori om CSCM. Teorierna har använts för att analysera empirin som är av kvalitativ karaktär för att uttömmande presentera sex respondenters verkliga bild av CSCM och användning av SCM koncept och metoder.    Studien kommer fram till slutsatsen att SCM koncept och metoder från tillverkande industri kan användas inom byggnadsindustrin, men att det krävs modifikationer för att bättre passa byggindustrins unika karaktär. Ett koncept och som inte rakt av lämpar sig för CSCM är JIT eftersom byggarbetsplatser inte är anpassade för att ta emot stora antal leveranser som ofta är konsekvensen av JIT. Men om JIT anpassas till CSCM genom användning av samlastningsterminaler för att minska antalet transporter visar det sig vara en omtyckt metod av respondenterna. Analysen visar även att det sker en omställning inom CSCM där användning av IT blir allt vanligare, men är fortfarande inte helt etablerad. Utifrån analyser verkar det finnas ett behov av mer utvecklade samarbeten inom CSCM där direkt leverantörsutveckling inte var vanligt enligt respondenterna. Detta tycks bero på byggindustrins tidsbegränsade och decentraliserade projektkaraktär som inte låter samarbeten utmynna i något större. Respondenterna upplever en hög supply risk inom sin CSCM och använder bland annat terminaler för att minska denna. Outsourcing av logistik till en tredje part är ett koncept som används inom CSCM för att öka effektivitet genom möjliggörande av fokus på kärnkompetenser. / This study aims to investigate CSCM and whether established SCM concepts and methods from the manufacturing industry can be used in CSCM. To answer the purpose, we asked the research questions "how do the conditions for SCM and CSCM differ?", "are SCM concepts and methods transferable from the manufacturing industry to the construction industry?", "which SCM concepts and methods do not seem suitable for CSCM?" and "which concepts and methods from traditional SCM appear to be useful for CSCM?". The theoretical framework consists of a selection of well-known SCM concepts and methods originating from the manufacturing industry and CSCM theory. The theories have been used to analyze the empirical data, which is qualitative in nature, in order to comprehensively present six interviewees' real picture of CSCM and the use of SCM concepts and methods.   The study concludes that SCM concepts and methods from the manufacturing industry can be used in the construction industry, but that modifications are required to better suit the unique nature of the construction industry. One concept that is not directly suitable for CSCM is JIT, because construction sites are not adapted to receive large numbers of deliveries as JIT often implies. However, adapting JIT to CSCM through the use of co-loading terminals to reduce the number of transports proves to be a popular approach by the interviewees. The analysis also shows that there is a transition in CSCM where the use of IT is becoming more common but is still not fully established. Based on the analysis, there seems to be a need for more developed collaborations in CSCM where direct supplier development was not common according to the interviewees. This seems to be due to the time-limited and decentralized project nature of the construction industry, which does not allow collaborations to lead to anything major. The interviewees perceive a high supply risk in CSCM. Terminals, among other things, are used to reduce the supply risk. Outsourcing of logistics to a third party is a concept used in CSCM to increase efficiency by enabling a focus on core competencies.

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In the digital age, with the accelerating pace of e-commerce, online platforms such as Amazon, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Facebook, Netflix, Uber and others have gained in prominence. Furthermore, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, even businesses which were heretofore primarily brick-and-mortar have had to shift to a strong online presence in order to adapt and survive; which, while beneficial to all stakeholders, has resulted in dire challenges for the producers/service providers, platform owners, as well as consumers. In my first essay, I investigate the challenges faced by mobility as a service (MaaS) platforms such as Uber and Lyft for managing their demand and the pool of available drivers. On one hand, driver compensation issues in MaaS platforms is a highly discussed topic. On the other hand, the MaaS platforms are expanding to encompass several external businesses in search of profitability. In this chapter, I focus primarily on driver compensation issues in MaaS platforms when the platforms engage in external businesses. I find that in the majority of instances, the driver compensation reduces when the platforms get involved in external businesses; however, there are a few cases, where it leads to an increment in driver compensation, thus benefiting them. The second essay is on the impact of online reviews from digital platforms such as Yelp and TripAdvisor on business performance. Using a data set from Yelp, first, I study the interaction of average rating and number of reviews on business performance; second, how competition affects the interaction effect of the average rating and number of reviews on the focal business' performance. I find that the impact of the interaction of average rating and number of reviews on business performance is different at various levels of average ratings, and the inclusion of competition negatively influences the interaction effect of the average rating and number of reviews on the performance of the focal restaurant. In my third essay, I analyze how the interaction of supplier encroachment and consumer showrooming impacts an omnichannel retailer and her upstream manufacturer, who encroaches the downstream retailer's market with an online direct sales channel. I identify different scenarios in a covered market where either the retailer, or the manufacturer, or both will be better off. Taken together, these three essays provide valuable managerial insights for real world business problems, which will empower researchers in academia and industry managers, and help them improve their businesses and maximize their operational performance. / Business Administration/Marketing

Many sectors and industries are being pushed by policymakers and consumers towards an industrial transformation to become more sustainable. This in order to reduce the negative impact on the environment caused by the emissions of toxic substances and greenhouse gases, as well to promote more efficient use of resources. The transport sector and specifically the automotive industry is seen as one of the main actors within the climate debate due to their high environmental impact in terms of emissions. Therefore, authorities and customers are pushing automotive manufacturers to shift towards electric mobility. However, a rapid shift is not simple. The supply of raw materials needed to sustain the production of batteries does not meet the demand. In turn, causing shortages of some materials and heavily increasing their prices. This thesis addresses the supplier selection problem within a Swedish lithium-ion battery manufacturer with clients mainly in the automotive industry. The study has analyzed a set of relevant criteria to evaluate a supplier within the high-tech industry within a specific context. Furthermore, the study has determined whether differences exist between the importance of the criteria depending on the strategic profile of the material. The strategic profile depends on the profit impact and the supply risk of the material. In order to assess the importance weights of the criteria, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was used and interviews were conducted with purchasing experts in the industry. This study provides a new approach to the existing literature of supplier selection, by studying this process in an industry in which it has never been done and also by assessing the supplier selection by categorizing the materials by their strategic profile, an approach that has not been studied in literature until the moment. Results show that the importance of some of the supplier selection criteria vary widely between the strategic profile of the materials, while the importance of other criteria remain the same. In addition, the study has also determined that the importance of the criteria vary also within the supplier selection process, having different importance levels at different steps. Finally, the results show that some criteria of a certain criticality represent a go-no go gate in the selection process. The conclusions are that the supplier selection process within the battery industry cannot be regarded as a homogenous process and that supplier selection criteria vary with the strategic importance of the material. Thus, suppliers must be assessed with different criteria importance weights when using a tool such as the AHP to perform supplier selection. Additionally, the critical criteria for each material must be determined prior to use the tool. / Politiker och konsumenter ställer allt högre krav på industrin att genomföra åtgärder för att bli mer hållbara, exempelvis genom att minska utsläpp av giftiga ämnen och växthusgaser samt ett mer effektivt resursanvändande. Transportsektorn och bilindustrin är särskilt utpekade inom miljödebatten på grund av deras höga miljöpåverkan och stora mängder av utsläpp. Biltillverkarna drivs därför mot en industriell omvandling där förnybara bränslen ska ersätta fossila bränslen. Övergången till eldrivna fordon är en långsam och komplicerad process där flödeskedjan för effektiv tillverkning av bilbatterier fortfarande är under utveckling. Tillgången på vissa råmaterial som behövs för produktionen av batterier räcker inte för att mätta efterfrågan vilket drar upp prisnivån. Samtidigt etablerar sig många nya leverantörer av råmaterial vars varierande kvalitet och pålitlighet skapar ytterligare utmaningar hos batteritillverkarna. Studien behandlar urvalsprocessen vid inköp av material hos en svensk litium-jonbatteritillverkare med kunder främst inom bilindustrin. Urvalskriterier för att utvärdera leverantörer inom högteknologisk industri analyserats. Därtill har det utretts om skillnader existerar mellan kriteriernas betydelse beroende på råvarornas strategiska profil. Den strategiska profilen beräknas genom dess påverkan på produktens slutkostnad tillsammans med risken för avbrott i försörjningskedjan. Metoden Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) används för att bedöma dessa kriteriers betydelse. Därtill har intervjuer genomförts med branch-experter för att ge fördjupad insikt i kriteriernas betydelse. Studien ger två huvudsakliga bidrag till den akademiska litteraturen. Först och främst utvärderas urvalskriterierna, som identifierats i litteraturstudien, inom en industrisektor där de inte prövats tidigare. Urvalskriterierna för leverantörsval appliceras dessutom specifikt för råmaterial av olika strategisk profil för att studera i vilken utsträckning de skiljer sig åt. Även denna ansats är tidigare oprövad inom den akademiska litteraturen. Resultaten visar att vikten av vissa kriterier varierar i hög utsträckning mellan material av olika strategisk profil, medan andra kriterier är näst intill opåverkade. Studien har dessutom fastställt att betydelsen av vissa kriterier varierar mellan olika steg i urvalsprocessen. Somliga kriterier representerar en kritisk punkt i urvalsprocessen och utesluter de leverantörer som inte kan leverera upp till en miniminivå. Studiens slutsas är att urvalsprocessen vid val av leverantör inom batteribranschen inte kan ses som en homogen process då urvalskriterierna varierar med materialets strategiska betydelse. Råmaterialens strategiska profil måste alltså tas i beaktning vid användning av ett urvalsverktyg som AHP. De kritiska kriterier som leverantören måste leva upp till måste dessutom fastställas innan verktyget kan tas i bruk.