Les entreprises industrielles évoluent désormais dans un environnement de plus en plus incertain. Ces incertitudes sont liées à la fois à l'amont et à l'aval de la chaîne logistique, mais aussi à la configuration interne de la chaîne et de ses systèmes d'information ou encore à des comportements organisationnels néfastes. Cette thèse a pour objectif de comprendre comment les entreprises industrielles gèrent les incertitudes présentes dans l'environnement de leurs chaînes logistiques. Notre recherche se déroule en deux étapes : une étude préliminaire et principale. L'observation participante menée en étude préliminaire a permis de montrer qu'une entreprise réputée en management de la chaîne logistique a choisi de restructurer ses ressources afin de diminuer la vulnérabilité de sa chaîne logistique. Ainsi, l'étude principale s'articule autour de l'approche basée sur les ressources et du courant des capacités dynamiques. La revue de la littérature montre que l'agilité et la résilience sont deux capacités dynamiques du management de la chaîne logistique. Mobilisant la méthode des cas comme heuristique permettant d'organiser la recherche, six études de cas sont menées au sein d'entreprises industrielles de tailles hétérogènes et de secteurs d'activités variés. Une fois les données collectées et codées sous forme de codage multithématique sur le logiciel NVIVO 8, les résultats s'organisent autour du protocole de cas. Ils retracent les incertitudes rencontrées par les entreprises industrielles et s'attachent à montrer quels outils, pratiques et stratégies sont développés pour diminuer la vulnérabilité. Ces outils, pratiques et stratégies sont des construits des capacités dynamiques et permettent d'identifier si les entreprises font preuves d'agilité et de résilience. Puis, les résultats montrent les difficultés au développement des capacités dynamiques et l'analyse identifie le manque de connaissance en management de la chaîne logistique comme barrière principale. La discussion de la thèse s'oriente autour de la connaissance comme réponse à l'incertitude. La thèse met en avant un décalage entre des connaissances académiques avancées en management de la chaîne logistique et des connaissances plus restreintes en entreprises. La littérature académique s'intéresse principalement aux entreprises matures en management de la chaîne logistique. Cependant, elles ne sont pas représentatives des autres entreprises industrielles. En s'intéressant au lien entre recherche, enseignement et pratique, il est possible d'identifier que le manque de connaissance en management de la chaîne logistique laisse un espace à la création d'effets de mode à la fois dans le monde de la pratique et de la recherche. Finalement, la thèse met en avant les conditions d'émergence de formes d'isomorphisme institutionnel dans les institutions universitaires, engendrant des effets de mode dans les travaux académiques, le tout n'ayant qu'un lien relatif avec la réalité empirique. / Industrial companies evolve from now on in a more and more uncertain environment. These uncertainties are linked to upstream and downstream the supply chain, but are also linked to the internal configuration of the supply chain and its information systems, or even linked to possible fatal organizational behavior. This thesis has for objective to understand how industrial companies manage their supply chains environmental uncertainties. The research takes place in two stages: a preliminary and main study. The participating observation led during the preliminary study showed that a company, famous in supply chain management, chose to restructure its resources in order to decrease the vulnerability of its supply chain. So, the main study is built around the Resource-based view based and around the dynamic capacities. The literature review shows that agility and resilience are two dynamic capacities of supply chain management. Using the case-study method as an heuristics allowing to organize the research, six case studies are conducted within industrial companies of heterogeneous sizes and varied business sectors. Once the data were collected and coded in the form of multithematic coding on the software NVIVO 8, the results get organized according to the case study protocol. They redraw the uncertainties met by industrial companies and attempt to show which tools, practices and strategies are developed to decrease the vulnerability. These tools, practices and strategies are some constructs of the dynamic capacities and allow identifying if companies show agility and resilience capabilities. Then, the results show the difficulties in the development of the dynamic capacities and the analysis identifies the lack of knowledge in supply chain management as the main barrier. The discussion of the thesis turns around knowledge as the answer to uncertainty. The thesis identifies a gap between strong academic knowledge in supply chain management and a more restricted knowledge in companies. The academic literature is mainly presenting the supply chain management held in mature companies. However, they do not represent other industrial companies. Focusing on the link between research, education and practice, it is possible to identify that a lack of knowledge in supply chain management leaves some room for the creation of latest fads in the world of practice and research. Finally, the thesis shows the emergence conditions for several forms of institutional isomorphism in the university institutions, engendering latest fads in the academic works, having only a relative link with the empirical reality.

M. Tech. (Department of Logistics Management, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / The successful implementation of supply chain strategy has received significant attention among literature and practitioners, due to its importance in contributing to company success. The success of the FMCG industry in South Africa has also been attributed to the effectiveness of its supply chain strategies. However, the industry faces numerous challenges such as miscellaneous risks that include the potential loss of key suppliers, innovation, and risk, planning and forecasting, power outages in manufacturing plants and the fact that only a limited amount of safety stock can be held to offset uncertainty. It also faces difficulties in improving supply and demand, which further extends to transforming supplier relationships into effective collaboration. Thus, this study applies supply chain strategy to the FMCG industry in South Africa, and seeks to establish the connection between supply chain strategies, flexibility (SCF) and performance (SCP) in the sector. The methodological procedure in this study was guided by the positivist paradigm which is embedded in quantitative and causal designs. A sample of 228 respondents purposively drawn from the FMCG industry in Gauteng province participated in the survey. The collected data were tested using descriptive and inferential statistics. The specific statistical techniques applied included the analysis of frequency distributions, percentages, mean scores, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and hypotheses tests using partial least squares-based structural equation modelling. The empirical results showed that two supply chain strategies, namely, organisational learning and supplier integration contribute significantly to SCF. In turn, SCF contributes positively to financial and non-financial performance. Supply chain strategies such as innovation, risk management and customer orientation were statistically insignificant in predicting SCP. The study is significant because it identifies that supply chain strategies are important in developing flexible FMCG supply chains in South Africa. It also confirms the importance of SCF in improving the performance of FMCG supply chains. The study may therefore be used as a reference source for information on the improvement of SCP in FMCG supply chains.

This study determined whether local manufacturers of light vehicles in South Africa employ supply chain best practices and strategies. The research design employed was a combination of exploratory and descriptive research design using qualitative and quantitative approaches based on a survey of light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa. A face-to–face, semi-structured interview questionnaire was used, based on purposive sampling. Descriptive statistics using SPSS software were used for the data analysis and interpretation. The findings of the study revealed that across the supply chain, best practices were implemented to a large extent by all manufacturers. Light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa, however face supply chain challenges, which include technological, infrastructural, cost, market/service and production/skills challenges. The most important supply chain performance indicator that contributes to optimisation of performance is quality, followed by final product delivery reliability, and then cost and supplier reliability. All the manufacturers followed a lean strategy for their inbound supply chain and some had a lean supply chain strategy for their outbound supply chain. A number of them also had an agile supply chain strategy in the outbound supply chain which suggests a leagile supply chain strategy. It was also found that in some instances there was a mismatch between strategies and practices in the area of product characteristics, manufacturing characteristics and the decision drivers of supply chain. One of the conclusions of the study was that local manufacturers of light vehicles do not always make decisions and implement practices in line with their chosen supply chain strategies. The study concluded by developing a framework for determining supply chain best practices in line with a chosen strategy that could guide supply chain managers (in locally manufactured light vehicles) in the automotive in South Africa in their decision making. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)

This study determined whether local manufacturers of light vehicles in South Africa employ supply chain best practices and strategies. The research design employed was a combination of exploratory and descriptive research design using qualitative and quantitative approaches based on a survey of light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa. A face-to–face, semi-structured interview questionnaire was used, based on purposive sampling. Descriptive statistics using SPSS software were used for the data analysis and interpretation. The findings of the study revealed that across the supply chain, best practices were implemented to a large extent by all manufacturers. Light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa, however face supply chain challenges, which include technological, infrastructural, cost, market/service and production/skills challenges. The most important supply chain performance indicator that contributes to optimisation of performance is quality, followed by final product delivery reliability, and then cost and supplier reliability. All the manufacturers followed a lean strategy for their inbound supply chain and some had a lean supply chain strategy for their outbound supply chain. A number of them also had an agile supply chain strategy in the outbound supply chain which suggests a leagile supply chain strategy. It was also found that in some instances there was a mismatch between strategies and practices in the area of product characteristics, manufacturing characteristics and the decision drivers of supply chain. One of the conclusions of the study was that local manufacturers of light vehicles do not always make decisions and implement practices in line with their chosen supply chain strategies. The study concluded by developing a framework for determining supply chain best practices in line with a chosen strategy that could guide supply chain managers (in locally manufactured light vehicles) in the automotive in South Africa in their decision making. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)

Today’s dynamic and increasingly competitive market had expanded complexities for global businesses pressuring companies to start leveraging on Big Data solutions in order to sustain the global competitions by becoming more data-driven in managing their supply chains.The main purpose of this study is twofold, 1) to explore the implications of applying analytics designing supply chain networks, 2) to investigate the link between operational and strategic management levels when making strategic decisions using Analytics.Qualitative methods have been applied for this study to gain a greater understanding of the Supply Chain Analytics phenomenon. An inductive approach in form of interviews, was performed in order to gain new empirical data. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with professional individuals who hold managerial roles such as project managers, consultants, and end-users within the fields of Supply Chain Management and Big Data Analytics. The received empirical information was later analyzed using the thematic analysis method.The main findings in this thesis relatively contradicts with previous studies and existing literature in terms of connotations, definitions and applications of the three main types of Analytics. Furthermore, the findings present new approaches and perspectives that advanced analytics apply on both strategic and operational management levels that are shaping supply chain network designs.

Dans le cadre de cette thèse, le chercheur a étudié l'impact de l’incertitude environnementale perçue tant sur le supply chain que les stratégies des entreprises et cela à travers diverses dimensions. Le terrain de l’étude concerne les entreprises Iraniennes productrices de générateur d’électricité. Les impacts de cette incertitude peuvent affecter la performance du supply chain et par voie de conséquence réduire la portée des stratégies de ces entreprises. L’objet de cette recherche est d’identifier les dimensions les plus pertinentes afin d’analyser leurs impacts sur la relation entre le supply chain et la stratégie de ces entreprises. La question de recherche est : Quels sont les principaux impacts des facteurs de l’incertitude environnementale perçue par les entreprises Iraniennes produisant des générateurs d’électricité et comment affectent-ils la relation entre le supply chain et la stratégie de ces entreprises ? Dans un premier temps une revue de la littérature a permis de définir et de caractériser le concept « d’incertitude environnementale perçue ». Et d’expliquer comment la relation entre le supply chain et la stratégie pouvait être affectée par les dimensions qui aractérisent l’incertitude environnementale perçue. Dans un deuxième temps une étude exploratoire menée auprès des managers a permis de compléter cette revue de la littérature et de construire un modèle conceptuel. . Fondé sur ce modèle conceptuel un questionnaire a été conçu et envoyé aux managers appartenant aux sociétés évoluant dans le domaine de la production des générateurs en Iran. Après un traitement quantitatif des données, les résultats montrent que toutes les entreprises connaissent des risques et des incertitud s dont les sources sont les suivantes : La demande; la prévision; la perturbation; les sanctions; les embargos; les droits de douane; les impôts; la politique; les relations diplomatiques; les questions juridiques; la volatilité de Gestion du remplacement ; la fluctuation de taux de change; l’inflation; la ondialisation, et la Macro Économie. Chacune de ces sources impacte les stratégies des sociétés soit à travers un ou plusieurs léments de la stratégie du Supply Chain soit ceux de la stratégie de l’entreprise. Par conséquent les incertitudes environnementales affectent tant les stratégies du Supply Chain que les stratégies des entreprises. Après le traitement des données, un modèle est proposé pour montrer les impacts directs et indirects de l’IEP (l'incertitude environnementale perçue) sur les SCS (Stratégies du Supply Chain) et sur la SE (la stratégie de l’entreprise). Il montre que la relation entre lastratégie du Supply Chain et la stratégie de l’entreprise est impactée par des incertitudes environnementales perçues (IEP). Lorsque l’IEP est élevée, l'ajustement entre ces stratégies devient très difficile puisqu'il n'y a plus que 68 % d’impact sur le CBS (company business strategy). Le modèle montre, par contre, que lorsque l’IEP est faible, l’IPEU (Impact de l'incertitude environnementale perçue) sur à la fois la SCS et la SE sont similaires et la moyenne correspond avec exactitude à 0,001. / In this Ph.D. dissertation, the researcher has studied the impact of perceived environmental uncertainties from various dimensions on the supply chain and business strategies of Iranian manufacturing companies in the power generation section. The impacts of PEU can generate lots of problems in their supply chain performance and the company’s business strategies. Therefore, it is significant to recognize the dimensions of PEU and related impacts. This research is conducted to recognize of the dimensions of perceived environmental uncertainty (PEU) and investigate their impacts on the fit between the supply chain strategy and the company’s business strategy of Iranian power generation equipments manufacturing firms. The main question of the research is “What are the main impacts of Perceived Environmental Uncertainty’s (PEU) dimensions for Iranian power generation equipments manufacturing firms and how they affect the Fitbetween Supply Chain Strategy (SCS) and Company’s Business Strategy (CBS)?". In this research, in the first step literature review is implemented broadly to define the related dimensions of PEU and in order to find the appropriate model to explain how the strategic fit could be influenced by the PEU’s dimensions through an exploratory survey via semi-structure and in-depth interviews among related managers in the case to design the appropriate theoretical model. In the next step, an exploratory survey is done by submitting a questionnaire as a survey tool among the case and its subsidiaries and implementing the quantitative statistical research based on the answer sheets by analyzing thecollected data to derive the conclusions. Applicable questionnaire to be used in the main part of survey by distributing the questionnaires among the multi cases in the same field and applied the quantitative research based on the answer sheets to find the results. The data arecollected and analyzed to derive the conclusions.This research implies that all businesses are surrounded with lots of risks and uncertainties. The environmental uncertainties could be caused by several sources which they are studied among the defined population in manufacturing companies in power generation felid in Iran. The environmental uncertainties could be perceived through several aspects such as Demand; Forecasting; Disruption; Sanctions; Embargo; Tariffs; Taxes; Political issues; Diplomatic relation; Legal Issues; Management Volatility (Replacement); Exchange-rate Fluctuating; Inflation; Globalization; Macro Economy and so on. Each of these indexes is impacting the company’s strategies via affecting one or more elements in the supply chain strategy or company’s business strategy elements. Therefore, the environmental uncertainties are affecting both supply chain strategies and the company’s business strategies. This research proposed a model to show how PEU impacts the SCS and CBS, directly and indirectly impacting their infrastructures. Then, it is explored that the supply chain strategic fit -fit means matching the supply chain strategies with the company’s business strategy- how is influenced by perceived environmental uncertainties (IPEU). Furthermore, when the PEU is high, the fit between these strategies is approximately lost, because there is 68% more impact on the CBS. Whereas the model shows when PEU is low, the IPEU are matching on the both SCS and CBS and their average become fit together with accuracy of 0.001. Besides, through this dissertation, there are proposed equations illustrating the relation between the indexes.

The growing need to source manufacturing activities to original equipment manufacturers has presented a strategic challenge for firms in evaluating and selecting supplier partners for their products. Supplier performance evaluation is a well-researched area within supply chain management. Though several authors have contributed with models for supplier selection, there still exist uncertainties regarding how high-tech start-up firms should capitalize on these models. By conducting a case study at AB Realisator Management Consulting currently developing a new firefighting robot concept called FUMO™, the authors were able to develop a model for supplier selection and test it on a real case scenario. Results indicate that high-tech start-up firms in general should apply the following step-by-step process for selecting suppliers: Align supply chain strategy with product characteristics regarding supply and demand uncertainty, select supplier performance metrics from the comprehensive bank of metrics presented in this thesis related to the supply chain strategy, evaluate suppliers based on the selected performance metrics using the decision making framework Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). By following the suggested process step by step, incorporating performance metrics to the AHP structure, high-tech start-up firms will be able to find strategically suitable suppliers to manufacture their products. / Det växande behovet av att lägga ut tillverkningsverksamhet till externa leverantörer har bidragit med en strategisk utmaning för företag, gällande att utvärdera och välja leverantörer för sina produkter. Leverantörsutvärdering är ett väl utforskat område inom supply chain management. Även om flera författare har bidragit med modeller för leverantörsutvärdering, finns det fortfarande oklarheter om hur högteknologiska nystartsföretag bör dra nytta av dessa modeller. Genom att utföra en fallstudie på AB Realisator Management Consulting som för närvarande utvecklar ett nytt robotkoncept för brandförsvaret, har författarna kunnat utveckla en modell för val av leverantörer, samt testat den på ett verkligt scenario. Resultat visar att högteknologiska nystartsföretag i allmänhet bör tillämpa följande steg-för-steg-process för val av leverantörer: Matcha supply chain-strategi med produktattribut baserat på osäkerhet i tillgång och efterfrågan, välja mätvärden relaterade till vald supply chain-strategi från den omfattande mätvärdesbanken som presenteras i denna avhandling, utvärdera leverantörer utifrån valda mätvärden genom att applicera beslutsverktyget Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Genom att följa den föreslagna processen steg för steg kommer högteknologiska nystartsföretag kunna välja strategiskt lämpliga leverantörer för att tillverka sina produkter.

Inefficient supply chains result in unsold inventory and unfilled customer orders, posing a significant risk to company profitability and consumer satisfaction. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies supply chain managers in the manufacturing industry used to match the level of unsold inventory in the supply chain with customer demand consistently. Porter's value chain provided the conceptual framework for the study. A sample of 5 experienced supply chain managers from a global manufacturing company headquartered in the midwestern United States participated in semistructured interviews. Each participant provided company supply chain documentation for triangulation. Data analysis followed Yin's 5 stages of data analysis and yielded 4 themes: define policies and processes, develop collaborative partnerships, leverage technology, and consider the end-to-end supply chain. The themes are the foundation of successful supply chain management strategies that have improved matching of unsold inventory in the supply chain to customer demand. Study findings benefit both supply chain leaders and consumers by providing the potential to improve consistency in meeting customer demand with less inventory in the supply chain, resulting in customer satisfaction, business growth, and stable employment. The findings may contribute to positive social change by helping supply chain leaders create thriving businesses with satisfied employees and customers who are willing to spend their time and money contributing to community growth, economic stability, and enhanced social conditions.

Analysis of the supply chain is necessary to improve performance. For this reason, supply chain management (SCM) has received a lot of attention recently and supply chain design (SCD) is a concept that forms an integral part of the adoption and implementation of SCM. Effective SCD contributes towards better supply chain integration (SCI) which, in turn, contributes towards improved supply chain performance. The focus of this study is on the analysis of SCD practices. Designing the supply chain structure is a complex and demanding undertaking that needs to be aligned with the needs of the supply chain’s end customers, because their needs ultimately have to be satisfied. This study proposes a conceptual framework that has been developed from literature to assist organisations in the analysis of their SCD practices, with the aim of improving supply chain performance. The conceptual framework was exploratively tested by means of empirical research to determine whether it can be used as an assessment tool to assess the SCD practices of organisations. The study concluded that the conceptual framework that was developed in this study can be used as an assessment tool with which organisations can analyse their SCD practices. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)

Analysis of the supply chain is necessary to improve performance. For this reason, supply chain management (SCM) has received a lot of attention recently and supply chain design (SCD) is a concept that forms an integral part of the adoption and implementation of SCM. Effective SCD contributes towards better supply chain integration (SCI) which, in turn, contributes towards improved supply chain performance. The focus of this study is on the analysis of SCD practices. Designing the supply chain structure is a complex and demanding undertaking that needs to be aligned with the needs of the supply chain’s end customers, because their needs ultimately have to be satisfied. This study proposes a conceptual framework that has been developed from literature to assist organisations in the analysis of their SCD practices, with the aim of improving supply chain performance. The conceptual framework was exploratively tested by means of empirical research to determine whether it can be used as an assessment tool to assess the SCD practices of organisations. The study concluded that the conceptual framework that was developed in this study can be used as an assessment tool with which organisations can analyse their SCD practices. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)