This dissertation consists of two parts. The first part isabout“Managing buyer-supplier relationships in autoproduction chains ­ a case study of Volvo and its supplierrelationship management”. The second part is about“Managing buyer-supplier relationships in telecom supplychains ­ a case study of Ericsson and its supplierrelationship models in different business situations”. The scope of this study is restricted to supply chains inautomotive and telecommunication industries, where the successof supply processes is dependent on how well a company managesits supply chain with horizontal or vertical integration tofulfill customer demands. The research is carried out as a number of case studies ofbuyer-supplier relationship management in the auto and telecomsupply chains. The aim was to analyze how a company fulfillscustomer demand in the best way through different supplierrelationships, and how and why alternative relationship typesare used in reality. The study is based on the relationship between two focalcompanies and their suppliers. Case study methodology is used,and data is collected from selected cases through interviewsand observations. Analysis is carried out within and acrosscases. From the case interpretation and analysis, conclusionsare drawn as to which strategic level of buyer-supplierrelationship is appropriate for different situations. As a result and in conclusion, a static supplychain-reaction model is built at the end of the Part I. Thestatic model describes the importance of collaborativebuyer-supplier relationships in the product developmentprocess. Based on this model, it is concluded in Part II thatthe most suitable supplier relationship is different fordifferent products. For the same product, the most appropriatebuyer-supplier relationship varies with the product’s lifecycle timing. Therefore, two dynamic buyer-supplierrelationship models under different business conditions and indifferent product life-cycle periods are created in Part II.The models apply to dynamic processes, not to interactingcompany organizations in general. The study increases the knowledge regarding selection of themost appropriate supplier relationships in different businesssituations. Key words:buyer-supplier relationship, sourcingstrategy, supply chain management / <p>Qc 20130827</p>

El objetivo es desarrollar una herramienta de apoyo a la toma de decisiones para la planificación estratégica de cadenas de suministro (CS). La tarea consiste en determinar el número, ubicación y capacidad de todos los nodos de la CS, su política de expansión, el transporte y la producción entre todos los nodos de la red. El problema se formula como un modelo de programación lineal entera mixta (MILP) que se resuelve utilizando diferentes herramientas. En primer lugar se desarrolló una estrategia de descomposición para acelerar el proceso de resolución En segundo, se utilizó el algoritmo de aproximación para resolver el problema MILP estocástico. Por último, el modelo multi-objetivo incorpora las soluciones de compromiso entre los aspectos económicos y ambientales. Todas las formulaciones se aplicaron al caso real de la industria de caña de azúcar en Argentina. El objetivo de las herramientas es ayudar a los responsables de planificación estratégica de las infraestructuras para la producción de productos químicos. / The aim of this thesis is to provide a decision-support tool for the strategic planning of supply chains (SCs). The task consists of determining the number, location and capacities of all SC facilities, their expansion policy, the transportation links that need to be established, and the production rates and flows of all materials involved in the network. The problem is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model, which is solved using several mathematical programming tools. First, a decomposition strategy was developed to expedite the solving procedure. Second, the approximation algorithm was utilized to solve the stochastic version of the MILP. Finally, the multi-objective model was developed to incorporate the trade-off between economical and ecological issues. All formulations were applied to a real case based on the Argentinean sugarcane industry. The tools presented are intended to help policy-makers in the strategic planning of infrastructures for chemicals production.

Supply chain management is the set of tasks through which businesses acquire, process, and move raw materials and final products from suppliers through factories and distribution points to customers. The mathematical problems encountered in supply chain optimization models are difficult to solve. Free Trade Agreements can simplify the models of inter-company trade between countries. Another way to make these models more tractable is to decompose the complete supply chain into a set of small, manageable units representing businesses or business processes and optimize the system by controlling the interactions between these units. We illustrate such a model and optimize it with genetic-algorithm-controlled Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

Since January 1st 2008, companies have the opportunity to become certified by the new common customs system Authorized Economic Operator (AEO). This opportunity is presented so that authorities together with operators are trusted to ensure that it is the correct cargo that gets transported. Attends Healthcare AB (Attends) has decided to implement this certification. To qualify there are a number of criteria that needs to be met. The aim of this thesis is to verify if Attends can meet the required criteria. This is to create a useful basis for the audit by the Customs Board.   The data collection and gap analysis carried out results in that a number of critical and less critical gaps are identified. An example of the gaps which were identified is a documented routine that deals with export declarations in the current situation. The gaps were mainly identified in the security and customs areas. After consultation with staff at Attends and the Customs Board, the decision was made that a number of routines and additions should be created to deal with the most critical gaps before the audit. With the less critical gaps, it was determined that action should take place only after the audit if the need occur. By dealing with the less critical gaps later, it should be less time consuming. This is because when the Customs Board has obtained some knowledge of the company’s routines, they will be able to give more detailed information to Attends about what needs to be fixed.   A systematic approach was performed in which all processes and documents deemed relevant to the certification were provided. Categorization was used to create a better understanding of the area that belongs to the documentation. This approach resulted in a register with the purpose to simplify identification of the documents.   After completed collection of data and analysis the conclusion shows that Attends Healthcare AB has a large number of routines and other related documents from the company's ISO-certifications and their operations system, Total Process Management that can be reused. This previous work will simplify the implementation of an AEO certification substantially. / Sedan 1 januari 2008 har företag möjlighet att bli certifierade av det nya gemensamma tullsystemet Godkänd Ekonomisk Aktör. Detta för att tillsammans med myndigheter och aktörer säkerställa att det är rätt gods som finns med i transporterna. Attends Healthcare AB har beslutat att införa denna certifiering men för att bli godkänd finns det ett antal kriterier som måste uppfyllas. Målsättningen med detta examensarbete är att verifiera att företaget har den dokumentation som krävs för att uppfylla kraven som ställs av Tullverket. Detta för att skapa en bra grund vid revision av Tullverket.   Datainsamlingen och gapanalysen som genomförts resulterade i att ett antal kritiska samt mindre kritiska gap kunde identifieras. Ett exempel på gap som identifierats är de rutiner som behandlar exportdeklarationer och i dagsläget inte finns dokumenterade. Huvudsakligen upptäcktes gapen inom säkerhets- och tullområdena. Efter samråd med personal på Attends och Tullverket bestämdes att ett antal rutiner och kompletteringar ska skapas för att åtgärda de mest kritiska gapen innan revision. För de mindre kritiska gapen så bestämdes att åtgärder först kommer ske efter revision ifall behovet då uppstår. Genom att åtgärda i efterhand bör kompletteringar bli mindre tidskrävande. Detta för att Tullverket har bättre insyn och kan därför ge ingående kritik till Attends om vad som behöver åtgärdas.   En systematisering genomfördes där samtliga rutiner och dokument som ansågs relevanta för certifieringen angavs. Uppdelningen i olika kategorier är till för att ha övervakad kontroll på vilket område dokumentationen tillhör. Detta resulterade i ett register för att enkelt identifiera dokumenten.   Efter slutförd datainsamling och analys kan slutsatsen dras att Attends Healthcare AB har ett stort antal rutiner och andra relaterade dokument som kan återanvändas ifrån företagets ISO-certifieringar och deras verksamhetssystem, Total Process Management. Detta tidigare arbete kommer förenkla genomförandet av en Godkänd Ekonomisk Aktör certifiering avsevärt.

In the contemporary business world, manufacturing concern companies are becoming moreefficient in production process. Outsourcing is a process in which companies or producers getthe service or produced product or portion of the finished product from other company.Logistics is a functional system which is important for the improvment of efficiency, both inthe flow of goods and information and to meet low-cost, reliable delivery, and fast objectiveswithin a company and throughout a network of companies. The outsourcing of logisticsactivities to Logistics Services Providers or Third Party Logistics (3PL) companies hasbecome a common practice in current business world. Logistics outsourcing is the use ofexternal companies to perform logistics functions that have traditionally been performedwithin an organisation and the functions performed by the third party can encompass theentire logistics process or selected activities within that process. This thesis or research hasbeen conducted on a manufacturing sector‟s company which is located and working inPakistan. This company is working with the name of Pakson International. Company has outsourced three logistics activities which are freight forwarding, transportation andwarehouse management. In this thesis, there is focus on the comparison of the logisticsoutsourcing process inside the Pakson International and in literature.

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Logistik kan bidra till kostnadsbesparingar bland företag vid användning av resurser, utöver det så kan en framgångsrik logistik ge företag fördelar när det handlar om att skapa värde åt kund. Vid marknadsföring så kan logistik även ha en stor inverkan på hur bra slutresultatet blir (Fuller et al., 1993). Hur bra kvalitén är på logistiktjänsterna är därför en viktig faktor inom marknadsföring för att skapa kundtillfredsställelse. För att effektivt kunna använda logistik som ett hjälpmedel för att få ett konkurrensmässigt övertag så krävs det ett samspel mellan företagets marknadsavdelning och de som arbetar med logistiska frågor (Mentzer et al., 2004).   Syftet med denna undersökning är att utveckla och testa en modell för analys och förbättring av försörjningskedjor med hänsyn till ett supply chain- och marknadsperspektiv. Modellen har skapats med stöd av litteraturstudier och empiri i form av dokument och intervjuer från företaget, även möten med handledare. Målsättningen är att modellen ska vara generellt utformad, vilket gör att andra företag ska kunna använda sig av den. Den teori som vi har använt oss av och som återfinns i den teoretiska referensramen är främst insamlad via böcker och vetenskapliga artiklar.   GLT-Laserstans är ett företag som befinner sig i Sandviken, de kan beskrivas som en legoverksamhet inom plåtindustrin som arbetar mot kundorder. Utöver legoverksamheten har de även en egen produktserie av tejphållare som de tillverkar. Dessa tejphållare anses som väldigt attraktiva på marknaden och de förekommer i många olika typer av varianter. Företaget vill ha hjälp med att undersöka vad de har för sorts kunder, vilka eventuella konkurrenter som finns och hur stark produkternas position är på marknaden.   Resultatet av denna undersökning blev till slut en handlingsplan i punktform som företaget kan använda sig av vid det kommande förbättringsarbetet. Denna handlingsplan består av förbättringsförslag som är framtagna med hjälp av modellen och företaget kan sedan välja vilka punkter som man väljer att arbeta vidare med. Modellen applicerades med goda resultat vid denna studie.   En slutsats som kan dras är att både logistik och marknadsföring syftar till att skapa värde för kund. Det som skiljer de två begreppen åt är de metoder som används för att skapa detta värde. Utan ett samspel mellan logistik och marknadsföring kan det vara svårt för organisationer att skapa hållbara förändringar.

Supply chain management is the set of tasks through which businesses acquire, process, and move raw materials and final products from suppliers through factories and distribution points to customers. The mathematical problems encountered in supply chain optimization models are difficult to solve. Free Trade Agreements can simplify the models of inter-company trade between countries. Another way to make these models more tractable is to decompose the complete supply chain into a set of small, manageable units representing businesses or business processes and optimize the system by controlling the interactions between these units. We illustrate such a model and optimize it with genetic-algorithm-controlled Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

Nowadays firms must develop inventory policies that enable them to cope with the changing marketplace. Determining proper inventory locations can help decrease costs related to inventory holding and transportation. Moreover, this allows firms to respond in a timely manner to customers’ requirements. As a result profit margins can be enhanced as well as the competitiveness of a firm. However, the decision of where to locate inventory in a supply chain is difficult since many companies are managed independently. The present research is developed as a case study where product classification, customer and supplier segmentation schemes are reviewed in order to determine appropriate inventory locations along the supply chain. The thesis is written upon literature and empirical research, where most of the data was collected through personal interviews and observations at the supply chain management offices of a distributor for sealing material parts in Europe. Our conclusion shows that product classification has an important impact on inventory location decisions. Also, we conclude that products should be classified based on both physical characteristics and demand factors, as well as according to customers’ requirements. Another factor to be considered when deciding on inventory location is supply risks, due to issues related to raw material availability and capacity. Nonetheless, the selection of classification variables is challenging as it is hard to determine which factors are more relevant than others as this varies depending on each firms’ needs. In addition, we find that supply chain strategies are not realistic due to the constant changes in the business environment and the inability of a firm to manage whole supply chains. Furthermore, a high level of communication among supply chain partners is fundamental, especially when a centralized inventory policy and a postponement strategy are in place.

Corporate Social Responsibility increases in importance, especially in the context of Supply-Chain Management. This is anchored in the rising competitiveness between entire supply-chains, as a competitive shift from individual companies to supply-chains as entities is taking place. Hence, the entire supply-chain becomes more critical in the creation of a competitive advantage. Corporate Social Responsibility has the potential to create legitimacy in the eyes of stakeholders and thus, also may contribute to the creation of this competitive advantage for entire supply-chains. Therefore, changing societal demands and stakeholder pressure stimulate the necessity for supply-chains to integrate Corporate Social Responsibility and thus, the three dimensions of the Triple-Bottom-Line (People, Planet, Profit) approach (as opposed to the traditional economic paradigm) into their operations.   With regards to this necessity it becomes worthwhile to explore how individual actors within supply-chains perceive pressure and whether the shift from inter-firm competition to inter-supply-chain competition is accompanied by a similar shift in stakeholder pressure (based on the Triple-Bottom-Line) from individual companies to entire supply-chains. A set of four interrelated theories, namely ‘business as open systems’, ‘social contract theory’, ‘stakeholder theory’ and ‘legitimacy theory’, is used to approach this topic. Then, the perceived pressure is investigated by means of a series of qualitative interviews with representatives of seven companies within the clothing industry, located at different positions of supply-chains. These positions include Suppliers of Raw Material, Manufacturer, Logistics and Retailers. Findings show that primary stakeholders, especially employees and customers, are perceived to be the most influential sources of CSR-related pressure. This pressure includes a wide range of demands, covering all three dimensions of the Triple-Bottom-Line. The assumption that supply-chains as entities perceive stakeholder pressure is not yet supported by these findings. What can be identified is a noticeable ‘trickle-up’ effect, meaning that pressure flows upstream from retailers to suppliers of raw materials. The shift in stakeholder pressure onto chains as entities is not identified due to the sample available to the authors. Further research should investigate this shift by means of examining single supply-chains instead of various companies from different chains.