This study considers whether or not optimizing process metrics and settings across a supply chain gives significantly different outcomes than consideration at a firm level. While, the importance of supply chain integration has been shown in areas such as inventory management, this study appears to be the first empirical test for optimizing process settings. A Partial Least Squares (PLS) procedure is used to determine the crucial components and indicators that make up each component in a supply chain system. PLS allows supply chain members to have a greater understanding of critical coordination components in a given supply chain. Results and implications give an indication of what performance is possible with supply chain optimization versus local optimization on simulated and manufacturing data. It was found that pursuing an integrated approach over a traditional independent approach provides an improvement of 2% to 49% in predictive power for the supply chain under study.

Abstract   Problem discussion: The significance of the oil industry’s impact on the global economy is obvious. Oil supply chain management has to solve a lot of challenges caused by the nature of the supply chain in the oil industry such as complexity, inflexible characteristics, long lead time, limited transportation forms at the different stages in the supply chain, rigid take or pay procurement and limited primary distribution capacity. Other challenges are caused by unforeseen events such as political or economic changes which have an impact on the price of the oil. This thesis seeks to add value by signifying and indicating optimization as a way to address uncertainties and points out a way to utilize resources efficiently in order to gain further development and cost savings in the long term. Finding options for optimization of the oil supply chain is vital because any cost saving means vast amounts of money for the oil companies therefore optimization is at the centre of attention in the oil supply chain management. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate supply chain management in the oil industry and find options for optimizing the supply chain in the oil industry by reviewing and analyzing previously written literature on the chosen topic for the research.  Method: A single case study was applied in this thesis. The company chosen for the case study is called MOL Hungarian oil and gas PLC and is located in Hungary. To carry out the research, a qualitative research approach was implemented. Primary data was collected through semi structured interviews via telephone and the internet with the company’s staff. In addition to this, secondary data from different sources such as articles and books were used to construct or build the theoretical frame of reference for the thesis.  Delimitation: The scope of the thesis is limited to the supply chain management in the oil industry and its optimization. Further narrowing the scope, this thesis gives more attention to the downstream section of the supply chain in the oil industry. Conclusion: Optimization is recognised as main tool for the oil companies to achieve competitive advantage. Analysing MOL Group gives a factual example how optimization works in an oil company and contributes to manage its supply chain efficiently and handle the many uncertainties surrounding the oil industry. It is demonstrated what factors play key role in optimization and how they interact with each other. MOL Group’s solution for optimization builds around a serious planning process, IT solution, marketing and refinery operation triggering and working in synergy with many other factors which cannot be excluded from the optimization process. Due to the excellence of supply chain optimization, MOL Group has a very strong presence and leading position in the East Central European region generating increasing profit margin year by year in last two decades.

This dissertation analyzes the economic incentives involved in three distinct supply chain and revenue management decision environments. The first study examines the adoption of the percent deviation contract in a supply chain to induce the buyer to share some of the demand risk in an environment in which the buyer would typically place her order when she has full knowledge of the customer demand levels. The subgame-perfect Nash Equilibrium decisions are characterized, and the percent deviation is shown to achieve full supply chain channel coordination in cases where a simpler contract cannot. Pareto-improving examples based on industry demand data are presented and discussed. The second section considers a revenue management problem for sports and entertainment organizations. Given that the organization starts the selling season by offering ticket packages exclusively, the optimal time during the selling season for the organization to begin selling individual-event tickets is derived. Extensions of the base model are developed to include multiple ticket packages and heterogeneous ticket packages. The model is illustrated using empirical data sets obtained from the Georgia Tech Athletic Department and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The third section develops a model of vendor-controlled category management in which vendors are in charge of the stocking and assortment decisions for a given amount of shelf space at a vendor when the retailer retains control over the retail price. The subgame-perfect Nash Equilibrium strategies for two vendors and a single retailer are analyzed, and a revenue-sharing contract is shown to coordinate the channel when the vendors can produce multiple brands in a given product category and shelf space is sufficiently large or small.

Supply chain management involves inter-organizational interactions and integration as a whole, sharing operational resources and information among supply chain members, and an objective to optimize the supply chain performance. Among the management processes exists uncertainty that disrupts operational performance. The uncertainty occurs when supply chain members have insufficient information for decision making. The lack of information transparency leads to a rise in each member¡¦s cost and inventory level, inefficiency in capacity utilization, reduction of business values, etc. For these reasons, this study holds that information sharing can effectively deal with uncertainty and improve the performance of the whole supply chain. This research mainly studies information sharing in a supply chain and proposes a theoretical framework of information sharing. It investigates by a case study the uncertainty that the focal company faces in demand, supply, and manufacturing process, explores the company¡¦s current status of information sharing, and researches the factors that may influence information sharing. The results show that PCB (Printed Circuit Board), a highly customized product with a short life cycle and a simple combination of raw materials, has a supply chain of divergent differentiation. PCB has a higher demand uncertainty, but that uncertainty can be effectively reduced by information sharing and process coordination with demand side customers. Besides, the order fulfillment process may be improved as a result. Based on inter-organizational coordination, information sharing through vendor managed inventory mechanism will facilitate supply chain collaboration, and ease the significant influence of bullwhip effect on upstream PCB manufacturers. In this way, PCB manufacturers can share risks and profits with customers. Furthermore, the extent of trust and risk may influence the process of information sharing. A greater extent of trust helps members to share information with each other. Nevertheless, it is considered risky to share sensitive information, which is regarded as a bargaining power.

The objective of the study was to develop a management framework for internal logistics in the Department of Education in Gauteng. For the purpose of this study internal logistics was defined as the complete process of obtaining goods and services from the compiling and processing of requisitions to the payment of invoices and the record keeping of all transactions to achieve organisational objectives. Internal logistics entails purchase planning, specification development, supplier research, contract administration and quotations, ordering and inventory control. The management of internal logistics can enhance productivity and performance within the value chain, improving service delivery, the outcome of the audited financial statement and ultimately the optimal spending of the allocated budget per financial year. For three consecutive financial years (2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2009) GDE received a qualified audited financial statement. For financial years 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 GDE succeeded to receive an unqualified audited financial statement. To maintain this achievement and ultimately receive a clean audit financial statement, it is necessary to evaluate all the business processes, specifically within supply chain management, contributing to the audit findings. Supply Chain Management (SCM) is in some way the completion of the circle of financial management. It is important for GDE to develop a uniform internal logistics framework that would enable them to also gain the maximum from its annual allocated budget. It is also critical that the internal logistics are attended to as soon as possible to have a positive input towards the audited financial statement. A literature study was done on the concepts of the value chain, supply chain management and the management of knowledge. A questionnaire was designed, based on the findings in the literature, and used to measure the efficiency of the internal logistics in the District offices. The state of the internal logistics at the District offices was assessed through survey questionnaires to extract the data. It became evident that certain gaps and problems exist in relation to internal logistics at the District offices and that knowledge management is related to these gaps and problems. Internal logistics has a link with the elements of supply chain management as investigated in the literature study. The elements of supply chain management can to be broken down into clear activities for the management of internal logistics. The key area of concern is that the internal logistics within SCM are not acknowledged and therefore not properly managed in the District offices. The result of this is that the allocated budget is not optimally utilised and also receives qualifications from the audited financial statement. A practical framework to manage internal logistics is proposed for the Department of Education to assist with the problems, and to bridge the gaps found after analysing the questionnaires. The findings of the empirical study were used as the basis of the framework. Finally, conclusions and recommendations are drawn and rendered in order to improve the logistics management of the Department of Education in Gauteng. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

This study considers whether or not optimizing process metrics and settings across a supply chain gives significantly different outcomes than consideration at a firm level. While, the importance of supply chain integration has been shown in areas such as inventory management, this study appears to be the first empirical test for optimizing process settings. A Partial Least Squares (PLS) procedure is used to determine the crucial components and indicators that make up each component in a supply chain system. PLS allows supply chain members to have a greater understanding of critical coordination components in a given supply chain. Results and implications give an indication of what performance is possible with supply chain optimization versus local optimization on simulated and manufacturing data. It was found that pursuing an integrated approach over a traditional independent approach provides an improvement of 2% to 49% in predictive power for the supply chain under study.

The objective of the study was to develop a management framework for internal logistics in the Department of Education in Gauteng. For the purpose of this study internal logistics was defined as the complete process of obtaining goods and services from the compiling and processing of requisitions to the payment of invoices and the record keeping of all transactions to achieve organisational objectives. Internal logistics entails purchase planning, specification development, supplier research, contract administration and quotations, ordering and inventory control. The management of internal logistics can enhance productivity and performance within the value chain, improving service delivery, the outcome of the audited financial statement and ultimately the optimal spending of the allocated budget per financial year. For three consecutive financial years (2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2009) GDE received a qualified audited financial statement. For financial years 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 GDE succeeded to receive an unqualified audited financial statement. To maintain this achievement and ultimately receive a clean audit financial statement, it is necessary to evaluate all the business processes, specifically within supply chain management, contributing to the audit findings. Supply Chain Management (SCM) is in some way the completion of the circle of financial management. It is important for GDE to develop a uniform internal logistics framework that would enable them to also gain the maximum from its annual allocated budget. It is also critical that the internal logistics are attended to as soon as possible to have a positive input towards the audited financial statement. A literature study was done on the concepts of the value chain, supply chain management and the management of knowledge. A questionnaire was designed, based on the findings in the literature, and used to measure the efficiency of the internal logistics in the District offices. The state of the internal logistics at the District offices was assessed through survey questionnaires to extract the data. It became evident that certain gaps and problems exist in relation to internal logistics at the District offices and that knowledge management is related to these gaps and problems. Internal logistics has a link with the elements of supply chain management as investigated in the literature study. The elements of supply chain management can to be broken down into clear activities for the management of internal logistics. The key area of concern is that the internal logistics within SCM are not acknowledged and therefore not properly managed in the District offices. The result of this is that the allocated budget is not optimally utilised and also receives qualifications from the audited financial statement. A practical framework to manage internal logistics is proposed for the Department of Education to assist with the problems, and to bridge the gaps found after analysing the questionnaires. The findings of the empirical study were used as the basis of the framework. Finally, conclusions and recommendations are drawn and rendered in order to improve the logistics management of the Department of Education in Gauteng. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Because the business environment has changed (e.g., volatility in demand, curtailment of product life cycle, changing of information technology, and so forth), corporate supply chains become more network-connected and involve more business partners. Whether the company has the capability to operate well in such supply chain network becomes a significant issue. To fulfill this need, this research aims to develop a framework for measuring the supply chain capability. The literature review and company interviews allow us to propose four capabilities and relative measurements. A field survey is then conducted in the Taiwan PC industry to assess the measurements. To ensure the measurements are valid, we apply two-step measurement assessments: the factor analysis and initial reliability are first conducted and then followed by item-total correlation, optimal reliability coefficients, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. The resulting model is an 18-item and three-dimension construct. The three dimensions are: (1) reducing transaction related risk, (2) promoting good relationship, and (3) managing environment change. The confirmatory factor analysis then suggests us to arrange the three dimensions in two groups. The first group includes the first dimension, indicating the firm capability, and the second group includes the other two, expressing the inter-firm capability. We further explore the relationships between the supply chain capabilities and IOS adoption, as well as supply chain roles. It is interestingly to note that different IOS requires different capability and so does different supply chain roles. Therefore, the contribution of this research can be two-folded: first, the managers can use this reference framework to diagnose the supply chain capability of their own firms, finding their strength and weakness. Second, managers can use the framework to evaluate the capability of their partners and better gauge the characteristics of the supply chain collaboration. This research can also contribute to the IT literature as the researchers can build upon this model to further examine of the factors that are discovered.

This research aims to examine how, and to what extent, the advanced network technology such as custom-built large-scale network, or internet-based technology contribute to the correlations between supply chain drivers and performance measures. The uniqueness of the research is to use network technology as a leverage factor, instead of merely one of the supply chain drivers, to analyse how it would impact on the correlations between supply chain drivers and performance measures. Through literature review, we identified the key drivers in supply chain and the key performance indicators as independent and dependent variables respectively for data analysis in the research. We consider the utilisation of network technology as a selection variable in the analysis. We also proposed a set of research questions and hypotheses resulting from the literature review. The subsequent data analyses attempted to find answers for these questions and test the validity of the hypotheses. This was achieved by a field survey for 1035 major Australian firms through a structured questionnaire. The response rate of the survey was 20.8%. All these data were analysed with statistical models such as reliability test, multi-collinearity test, MANOVA procedures, factor analysis, and multiple regression modelling to validate whether the survey was robust and how the leverage factor (network technology) would impact on the correlations between supply chain drivers and performance measures. Each research question and hypothesis was reviewed, validated, and concluded based on the results from data analysis. The key findings from the data analysis support the perception that the network technologies with their external customers and suppliers dramatically affect the correlations between supply chain drivers and performance measures. Statistically it actually determines whether the supply chain will success or fail when comparing firms using the technologies with firms not using them. In general, the impact on the correlations is directional and positive. A set of validated theoretical models was also proposed to depict the dynamics between supply chain variables under the influence of network technology. Implications of the findings are also provided in the thesis.

Zugl.: Dortmund, Universiẗat, Diss.