An important prerequisite for successful supply chain integration is the ability to convert data into information combined with structured storing and sharing processes. The purpose of this master thesis is to investigate potential relation between supplier data quality and performance of purchasing of transport services. The output of the thesis generates evidence about the imperative to emphasize on the supplier data quality throughout the supplier selection process. A supplier data quality assessment framework consisting of 4 dimensions - ease of manipulation, accessibility, accuracy and completeness, is developed as the core product of this research project. The weights of these dimensions were assigned specifically for the case company - Cramo, to determine the quality score for a selected sample of carriers. A coefficient k1 representing the ratio of transport expenditure over sales was introduced to facilitate the identification of relation between supplier data quality and transport expenditure. Business units served by transport companies with higher quality data displayed a lower k1, consequently, paying less for the transport services in comparison to their revenue than business units served by carriers with lower data quality score. The framework developed is adaptable - dimensions and metrics can be added or excluded according to situational factors and case peculiarities. The application of the supplier data quality assessment framework allows for a more objective and streamlined supplier selection. It stresses on the overall costs experienced during the period of cooperation. The finding regarding the importance of supplier data quality in purchasing of transport services can be nonetheless generalized for other cases when companies strive for achieving better informed strategic decisions. / En viktig förutsättning för framgångsrik integration av leverantörskedjor ligger i förmågan att omvandla data till information, kombinerat med en strukturerad lagrings- och delningsprocess. Syftet med denna masteruppsats är att undersöka potentiell relation mellan leverantörers datakvalitet och hur effektivt inköpet av transporttjänsterna är. Utfallet av uppsatsen understryker vikten av att beakta leverantörers datakvalitet i alla delar av en upphandling. Som produkt av denna uppsats har en utvärderingsmall för leverantörers datakvalitet utvecklats. Den består av fyra dimensioner – Hanterbarhet, tillgänglighet, noggrannhet samt fullständighet. De olika dimensionerna är viktade specifikt för det studerade företaget – Cramo, för att fastslå kvalitetsindex för ett urval av deras transportörer. En koefficient - k1- infördes för att representera förhållandet mellan transportkostnad och försäljning. Detta för att underlätta identifieringen av potentiell relation mellan datakvalitet och transportkostnad. Depåer vars transportörer kunde uppvisa en högre datakvalitet hade ett lägre koefficientvärde (k1). Alltså fanns ett samband mellan hög datakvalitet och lägre transportkostnad i förhållande till försäljning. Den utvecklade bedömningsmallen är anpassningsbar – dimensioner och mått kan enkelt adderas eller elimineras utifrån rådande omständigheter i varje fall. Bedömningsmallen ger möjlighet till en mer objektiv och harmoniserad leverantörsbedömning. Mallen understryker även vikten av att beakta den totala kostnaden under avtalstiden. Kunskapen från denna uppsats kring vikten av datakvalitet gällande just transportinköp kan även generaliseras till andra fall där företag strävar mot bättre informerade strategiska beslut.

In a world with finite resources, there is a global push for sustainable development and circular economy models. One way the process industry may promote circularity is by investigating the feasibility of re-collecting their, or similar, end-of-life products from the market. This thesis investigates this strategy in the context of collaborating with a supplier of the end-of-life products. Thus, the following main research question derived; How could a process industry organisation, through supply chain integration with an external supplier, pursue a closed-loop value chain instead of an open-loop? The focus is on assessing operational aspects of the supply chain that needs restructuring for integrating a joint flow between an organisation and its supplier. These operational aspects and their effects on costs are accounted for in this thesis. To answer the research question, an exploratory case study with primary data collection of interviews at two organisations are carried out, and literature reviewed on the matter, which yielded insights on the matter for a practitioner’s view. The thesis concludes that the capabilities and capacities of the external supplier set critical frames for the supply chain integration. Where the capacity in terms of quality, timing and quantity of the supplier, dictates what volume the supplier could deliver to the case company, which indirectly decides what scale the project could reach. The conclusions highlight five key conditioning procedures of the end-of-life product that needs to be secured in order for the case company to be able to accept them into their current processes; sorting, traceability, cleaning, collecting and storing. These requirements for conditioning processes set a comprehensive impact on the cost image of the restructuring, but is regarded as necessary to meet the requirements expressed by the case company. The results show that stricter tolerance levels calls for higher operational costs, and hence it is recommended to elaborate on the possibilities of easing technical requirements. The more accepting a process industry organisation could be for tolerance levels on end-of-life products, the less pressure is set on the supplier for engaging resources in conditioning activities, thus this aspect has a direct correlation to the cost image. / I en värld med ändliga resurser finns en global drivkraft att sträva efter hållbar utveckling och cirkuläritet i affärsmodellen. Ett sätt processindustrier kan främja cirkuläritet är genom att undersöka möjligheten att samla upp sina, eller andras, uttjänta produkter för att ta tillvara på dess värde. Denna uppsats behandlar strategin i kontexten där en processindustri samarbetar med en utvald extern leverantör för att uppnå detta reverserade flöde. Ur detta fokus formulerades följande huvud-forskningsfråga; Hur kan en organisation inom processindustrin, genom att integrera leverantörskedja med en extern leverantör, eftersträva en stängd- istället för en öppen cirkulär värdekedja? Vidare är uppsatsens fokus att fastställa vilka aspekter i försörjningskedjan som kan komma att behövas rekonstrueras för att integrera dessa två kedjor, samt vad detta bidrar för ekonomisk påverkan på integrationen av försörjningskedjan. För att svara på forskningsfrågan skedde en explorativ fallstudie med primär datainsamling i form av intervjuer hos två organisationer, och en granskning av litteraturen tillhörande aktuellt området. Detta genererade värdefulla insikter sett från ett praktiskt perspektiv. Uppsatsen landar i slutsatserna att färdigheterna och kapaciteten hos den externa leverantören är avgörande för hur försörjningskedjorna ska kunna integreras. Kapaciteten är mätt i termer av kvalité, tajming och kvantitet hos leverantören, tre aspekter som dikterar den potentiella volym som kan levereras till fall-företaget och därmed den potentiella skalan av projektet. Uppsatsen belyser vidare fem nyckelprocesser som krävs för att säkerställa skicket av den uttjänta produkten, för att fall-företaget ska kunna acceptera produkten som ingångsmaterial i sina processer. Dessa är sortering, spårbarhet, rengöring, uppsamling och förvaring. De påverkar kostnadsbilden av projektet och visar till exempel att ju striktare toleransnivåer fall-företaget har på den uttjänta produkten, desto högre krav ställs på operativa processer hos leverantören för att leverera inom de efterfrågade toleransramarna. Detta utmynnar i slutsatsen att ju mer fall-företaget kan lätta på sina tekniska toleranser, desto mer flexibilitet kan leverantören ha vid den interna konditioneringen av den uttjänta produkten, ett samband som har en direkt korrelation till kostnadsbilden av projektet.

Ericsson has recently experienced difficulties to meet the customer demand, which has led to lost market shares. This is mainly due to the long and unpredictable lead times within their supply chains. Therefore, Ericsson seeks to increase their ability to meet the customer demand by reducing the customer order lead time. A shorter lead time would imply a greater responsiveness and improved service level towards the customers. A directive from the company was to base the study on the supply chain for the customer Algeria Telecom Mobile. The purpose of the study is to give recommendations for improvements that reduce the total lead time in a supply chain perspective in order to improve the customer service level.  To be able to fulfill the purpose, four objectives were distinguished and supported with existing frameworks for analyzing supply chains. The first step was to create a current state map, which was achieved by conducting 24 interviews with people working within the supply chain. The second step was to identify potentials for lead time reduction. This was done by categorizing the supply chain parts and the problems that were gathered during the current state mapping into meaningful groups, and thereafter prioritize the categories with the greatest potential. The third step was to generate alternative solutions by conducting a second literature review based on the potentials that was identified during the prior step. The general solutions were later modified in order to fit the current supply chain. It resulted in eight Ericsson specific solutions. The fourth step was to evaluate these solutions in combination, which led to a recommended combination of solutions that provided the greatest lead time reduction. Also the requirements for implementing these solutions were presented in this step.  The recommendation for Ericsson is to rearrange their current supply chain for the studied customer and use two different supply chains; the Regional supply chain and the Alternative supply chain. The two arrangements will both be based on the implementation of a supply hub, which implies a movement of the customer order decoupling point closer to the customer. The Regional supply chain will cover the main flow and be used when the customer orders products from a product portfolio that has been agreed within the region. The Alternative supply chain will act as a complement and cover the flow of products outside the regional product portfolio.   The estimated customer order lead time for the Regional supply chain is 17 days, which is a reduction of 80 % in the normal case for the studied supply chain. The lead time for the Alternative supply chain is more difficult to estimate precisely, but it will be reduced in comparison with the current situation. Moreover, the service level towards the customer will be increased for both the Regional and the Alternative supply chain. To summarize the recommendations that are forwarded to Ericsson, they are listed below:  <li data-listid="34" data-aria-posinset="15" data-aria-level="1">Implement a regional supply hub  <li data-listid="34" data-aria-posinset="15" data-aria-level="1">Agree on a regional product portfolio  <li data-listid="34" data-aria-posinset="15" data-aria-level="1">Implement time slots for inbound flows  <li data-listid="34" data-aria-posinset="15" data-aria-level="1">Use BPO as a payment method instead of Letter of Credit  <li data-listid="34" data-aria-posinset="15" data-aria-level="1">Use a CIP, DAP or DAT Incoterm  <li data-listid="34" data-aria-posinset="15" data-aria-level="1">Implement a product configurator and let the customer place orders on commercial descriptions or a solution id.  <li data-listid="34" data-aria-posinset="15" data-aria-level="1">Integrate processes and activities throughout the supply chain and establish a greater information exchange.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Technology: Public Management, Durban University of Technology, 2017. / The world over, countries are burdened with existing and emerging diseases and while that affected all nations, sub-Saharan Africa carried the heaviest portion. This filtered to Zimbabwe where a myriad of health challenges are faced. Unavailability of medicines coupled with poor inventory management of these medicines has been prevalent. Insufficient financial resources and increasing cost of healthcare costs is one of the pressing matters. It is also important to note that these challenges are occurring at a time when government is realising the crucial role of procurement in addressing health challenges. Due to the extent, depth, breadth and nature of the health challenges and their criticality in establishing sustainable and affordable health system in Zimbabwe, a case study approach has been adopted where data from questionnaires, interviews, documents and observations were corroborated and triangulated in an effort to bring to the surface deep-seated procurement matters and how they are related to the challenges provided. Thus, in terms of the research findings, it was first revealed that the procurement legislative frameworks and processes are fragmented and not in one place resulting in multiple accountabilities. It was further shown that the framework is inappropriate in a healthcare set-up where issues of speed and flexibility in addressing requirements are paramount. It was also shown that procurement planning being a critical aspect is regrettably and detrimentally missing in procurements. In addition, the selection criteria as set out in the regulations and practiced by individual state health facilities indicated over-reliance on price and that being the case, key aspects such as quality and supply-lead time are missed and yet are very necessary in terms of evaluation among other factors. In the findings, the peripheral role of procurement staff with clinicians being also at the epicentre of purchasing decisions was presented. Perhaps related to that was the inadequacy of procurement skills and competences from the procurement personnel. Last on the findings, financing and the frequency of disbursement was unmatched with hospital requirements and thus resulting in unavailability of adequate medicines and equipment. / D