Thesis (MScEng (Industrial Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Any growing system is by definition in a transient phase, and consequently exhibits transient-, non-steady state-, unstable behaviour. Accordingly, this form of instability (systemic growth) is by and large conducive to the prosperity of said system. From a Control Systems perspective, transient behaviour that is not subjected to an adequate damping mechanism, does however lead to unavoidable adverse instability. Within the context of business systems, four distinct, yet interconnected entities (raw material, market demand, internal capability to deliver, and cash funds) serve as the damping mechanism to protect companies as a whole, against variation in any of the aforementioned entities. The level of damping afforded by the aforementioned entities is governed by its ability to decouple variation in one entity from undue variation in other entities. The higher the level of instability, the higher the associated level of damping required. The Thesis focuses on core instigators of negative instability within the context of Fast Growing Manufacturing Companies (FGMCs), and ultimately proposes a solution to prevent the regression from positive instability towards negative instability. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Enige groeiende stelsel is per definisie in ’n oorgangsfase en vertoon gevolglik verbygaande-, niestabiele oorgangsgedrag. Dienooreenkomstig is hiérdie vorm van onstabiliteit (sistemiese groei) in die algemeen bevorderlik vir die welvaart van genoemde stelsel. Vanuit ’n Beheerstelsels oogpunt, lei oorgangsgedrag wat nie onderworpe is aan ’n voldoende dempingsmeganisme nie, egter tot onafwendbare negatiewe onstabiliteit. Binne ’n besigheidstelsel konteks dien vier afsonderlike, tog onderlingverbonde entiteite (roumateriaal, markaanvraag, interne bekwaamheid om te lewer, en kontantfondse) as die dempingsmeganisme om besighede holisties te beskerm teen variasie in enige van die voorgenoemde entiteite. Die dempingsvlak wat deur die voorgenoemde entiteite gegun word, word bepaal deur dié se vermoë om variasie in een entiteit te ontkoppel van variasie in ander entiteite. Hoe hoër die vlak van onstabiliteit, hoe hoër die vereiste vlak van demping. Die Tesis fokus op kern aanstigters van negatiewe onstabiliteit binne die konteks van VinnigGroeiende Vervaardigingsbesighede en stel uiteindelik ’n oplossing voor om die regressie vanaf positiewe onstabiliteit na negatiewe onstabiliteit te verhoed.

The purpose of this study is to describe and analyze how manufacturing companies are affected by the electricity crisis and what measures they have taken to maintain liquidity in their operations. To achieve this, the empirical evidence will be based on interviews with manufacturing companies located in electricity area 4. To answer the questions “In what way have manufacturing companies in electricity area 4 been affected during the current electricity crisis?” and “How have these companies changed their operations and managed their liquidity and costs during the electricity crisis?” the study is based on an abductive research and on a qualitative research method. The results of the study shows that companies with variable electricity contracts in combination with an electricity cost that makes up a larger part of their manufacturing cost have suffered the most from a liquidity point of view. The most common measures taken by the companies were to increase the selling price, reduce their electricity use and become more self-sufficient in electricity.

The purpose of this thesis is to comprehend the concept of warehousing 4.0 and to examine the critical factors influencing its adoption in developing countries. while at the same time exploring how manufacturing companies can address these factors prior to adopting warehousing 4.0. This master’s thesis employs a multiple case study approach, conducting semi-structured interviews and engaging focus group discussions with respondents from three manufacturing companies operating in 2 developing countries (Sri Lanka and Cameroon). The finding reveals critical factors like cost, technological readiness, availability of skilled workers, IT infrastructure, etc. With a higher level of criticality amongst some critical factors when compared to others. The findings also revealed strategies identified to effectively address the critical factors. These strategies include employee training programs, building partnerships, infrastructure upgrades, data security systems, etc. These proposed strategies across the companies exhibit similarities, indicating a shared understanding of critical factors and a similar approach to addressing them. This research contributes to the existing knowledge on warehousing 4.0 adoption and provides practical insights for manufacturing companies in developing countries. By carefully identifying and addressing the specified critical factors, manufacturing companies in developing countries can navigate challenges and leverage the opportunities presented by warehousing 4.0 technologies in their raw material warehouses.

M. Tech. (Cost and Management Accounting), Vaal University of Technology / This study was undertaken to assess the extent to which transfer pricing was effectively used by multinational manufacturing companies operating in the Southern Gauteng region of South Africa. The target participants of the study traded their products across international borders and as such made use of transfer pricing in one way or the other to achieve strategic objectives. Scant research has been undertaken to analyse the degree to which transfer pricing can be used to effectively influence managerial performance. On the other hand there is a wealth of knowledge on the relationship between transfer pricing and taxation. In-depth review of literature showed that even though multinationals formulated their transfer pricing policies to target financial and managerial objectives, self-interest and outside influences tended to hinder the equitable realization of both types of objectives. The study therefore set out to establish whether this is true of Multinational corporations (MNCs) in Southern Gauteng and in the process answer questions about the procedure for formulating transfer pricing policies by these MNCs, the relationship, if any, between transfer pricing and profitability and the use of transfer pricing for performance enhancement and assessment. The study made use of a mixed methods research methodology to collect and analyze data from 45 MNCs operating in the target geographical area. Of the 45 companies, 15 cooperated fully with the study. Data was collected via the use of questionnaires and follow-up face-to-face and/or telephonic interviews. Collected data was analysed using statistical methods including the Chi Square Test, standard deviation, frequency tables and the Kruskal-Wallis H test. The results from the questionnaire and interviews show that there is no universally appropriate Transfer Pricing Policies(TPP) which applies equally to all organizations in all circumstances. Firms are affected by different environmental factors while striving for tax-compliance and value creation. The fear of falling on the wrong side of tax laws is a major driving force behind transfer pricing policies of MNCs. As such other objectives that are managerial in nature become secondary and tend to be neglected if/when they conflict with the primary objective.

A importância dos serviços para as empresas de manufatura tem aumentado nas últimas décadas em função das alterações no ambiente em que estão inseridas. Dentre os aspectos relacionados com a oferta de serviços por empresas de manufatura, pode ser citado que os serviços são influenciados pelas definições realizadas durante o processo de desenvolvimento de produtos (PDP). No entanto, a literatura ainda é escassa no sentido de compreender essa relação. Dessa forma, o objetivo do presente trabalho é analisar as características dos serviços relacionados com os produtos e a sua relação com o PDP por meio de um estudo de caso em uma empresa do setor aeroespacial. Os dados foram coletados por meio de uma análise documental e entrevistas semi-estruturadas, em que foi feita a descrição das etapas do PDP, o levantamento e classificação do portfolio de serviços, a análise detalhada dos serviços selecionados e a análise da relação entre estes serviços e o PDP. Os resultados da análise confirmaram que os serviços são impactados pelas decisões de todas as etapas do PDP e para todos os serviços analisados e ainda apresenta quando e como essas relações acontecem. Os resultados obtidos foram comparados com a literatura existente. As relações identificadas influenciam diversos aspectos dos serviços analisados, como: o processo, o escopo, a infraestrutura, os custos e pessoas. / The importance of services to manufacturing companies has grown over the last decades due to several changes in the business environment. Among the aspects related with the offer of services by manufacturing companies is the fact that services are influenced by the decisions taken during the new product development process (NPD). Although, the literature is scarce when it comes to comprehend how this relationship happens. In this way, the objective of this study is to analyze the characteristics of product-related services and the relationship between the NPD process activities and these services through a case study in a manufacturing company of the aerospace industry. The data was collected with the use of a documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews, where the phases of the NPD were described, the service portfolio was identified and classified, the selected services were analyzed and the relationship between the NPD and these services. The results confirmed that all the services that were analyzed are influenced by the decisions of all NPD phases and maps it out. The results were then compared with the existing literature. The identified relationship influence several aspects of the services that were analyzed, such as: the process, the scope, the infrastructure, the costs and people.

Hårdare kundkrav, utveckling av informations- och kommunikationsteknologi, samt ökad miljömedvetenhet driver tillverkande företag att tjänsteorientera verksamheten och strategier. Istället för att enbart leverera fysiska produkter strävar företag att utveckla bredare och konkurrenskraftiga erbjudanden. En strategi för att hantera hårdare omvärldskrav är utveckling av funktionsförsäljning som också är förknippat med begrepp som dematerialisering och service innovation.Funktionsförsäljning bygger på idén att företaget, genom att sälja funktioner, bestående av produkter, tjänster, information och kompetens, kanöka kundvärdet, öka företagets konkurrenskraft och skapa förutsättningar för miljöanpassade cirkulära produktionssystem. Det är en strategi som syftar till att förbättra såväl företagets externa som interna effektivitet. Forskare och praktiker har uppmärksammat den logiska grunden för funktionsförsäljning som affärs- och miljöstrategi. Få har emellertidstuderat vilka hinder som är förknippade med utveckling av denna strategi i produktorienterade företag i praktiken. Denna avhandling behandlar både logiken och de strukturella hinder som är förknippade med utveckling och implementering av funktionsförsäljning i produktorienterade företag.Dessutom uppmärksammas vilka stödjande strukturer som är nödvändiga för att strategin skall kunna realiseras. Avhandlingen vänder sig såväl tillakademiker som praktiker intresserade av affärsutveckling och affärs- och miljöstrategisk förändring och syftar i grunden till att skapa ökadförståelse för förnyelse och utveckling i företag och organisationer. / <p>Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2004</p>

Bakgrund: Många företag går i konkurs varje år vilket är förknippade med kostnader för de enskilda intressenterna och för samhället i stort. För att kunna vidta eventuella åtgärder innan konkursen är ett faktum är det av intresse att veta om någon av de modeller som forskare tagit fram för att förutspå konkurser faktiskt fungerar. Syfte: Syftet med denna undersökning är att ta reda på om det går att applicera någon av ett urval av etablerade konkursmodeller på svenska industri- och tillverkningsföretag. Teori: Studien kommer att testa tre olika forskares modeller och metoder: Altmans, Platts och Platts samt Pompes och Bilderbeeks. Metod: I denna studie kommer enbart en deduktiv forskningsansats att användas och datainsamlingen är kvantitativ då nyckeltal hämtas från de aktuella företagens årsredovisningar. Urvalet baseras på de företag som ansökte om konkurs under år 2011 och de som representerar kontrollgruppen har slumpmässigt valts ut bland de företag inom avgränsningen som inte gått i konkurs det aktuella året. Resultat och slutsats: Altmans och Platts och Platts modeller visar sig inte vara applicerbara på svenska företag. Dock är vissa av Pompes och Bilderbeeks nyckeltal tillämpliga till att använda för konkursprognostisering för svenska företag. / Background: Companies are going bankrupt every year which is associated with costs for individual parties with interests in the company and for society in general. To be able to take any action before bankruptcy is a fact, it is interesting to know if any of the models that scientists developed to predict bankruptcies actually works. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine whether it is possible to apply a selection of the established bankruptcy models on Swedish manufacturing companies. Theory: The study will test three different researchers' models and methods: Altman's, Platt's and Platt's, as well as Pompe's and Bilderbeek's. Methodology: In this study, only a deductive research approach will be used and the data collection is quantitative since the ratios are obtained from the relevant companies' financial statements. The selection is based on the companies that filed for bankruptcy in 2011 and the firms which represent the control group were selected at random among the companies within the delimitation that didn't go bankrupt during the current year. Result and conclusion: Altmans and Platts and Platts models turn out not to be applicable on Swedish companies. Some of Pompes and Bilderbeeks ratios are relevant for use in bankruptcy prediction for Swedish companies though.

Ce travail contribue à la recherche scientifique à travers différents aspects. Tout d’abord, le couple produit/filière, traditionnellement pensé de façon causaliste, a été envisagé à travers le prisme du paradigme de la complexité. Cette contribution théorique souligne la nécessité de co-concevoir le couple produit/filière afin d’atténuer les efforts associés au lancement d’un produit innovant sur le marché et de s’assurer de son succès. Cependant, une étude empirique a souligné que peu d’entreprises tenaient compte de la filière lors de la conception de leur produit innovant. Dans ce contexte, une ingénierie de conception de filière a été élaborée en se basant sur les données de conception du produit afin de concevoir, spécifier, valider et mettre en œuvre la filière d’un nouveau produit. Cette ingénierie se décompose en trois étapes majeures : une étape de co-conception, une étape de positionnement et une étape d’évaluation. L’étape de co-conception vise à collecter et à traiter les données de conception du produit fournies par l’équipe projet. Un modèle instancié de la filière a été développé afin de collecter les données nécessaires à la conception de la filière qui sont ensuite traités pour faciliter la modélisation. L’étape de positionnement vise à souligner le rôle de l’entreprise innovante au sein des différents scénarios de filière obtenus. Basée sur le processus Harmony for System Engineering et son outil Rational Rhapsody®, cette étape détaille la filière d’un point de vue exigences, acteurs, processus et comportement (chacun représenté par différents diagrammes) afin d’élaborer différents scenarios. Enfin, la dernière étape vise à évaluer ces scénarios de filière afin d’établir une stratégie cohérente. En effet, de nombreux chercheurs ont montré qu’une filière agile était plus apte à supporter un produit innovant lors de son lancement afin de s’adapter plus rapidement aux changements (organisationnels, tactiques, marketing, environnementaux…). Par conséquent, une trame basée sur des phénomènes observables a été développée afin de faciliter la mise en œuvre de stratégie d’agilité, ce qui permet d’évaluer la typologie de la filière actuelle et de décider des actions à mettre en place pour obtenir une filière plus agile. Cette ingénierie a été testée auprès d’entreprises manufacturières / This thesis contributes to scientific research through different aspects. First of all, the product/supply chain couple, traditionally thought of in a causalistic way, was considered through the prism of the complexity paradigm. This theoretical contribution underlines the need to co-design the product/supply chain couple in order to mitigate the efforts associated with launching an innovative product on the market and to ensure its success. However, an empirical study has pointed out that few companies consider the supply chain when designing their innovative product. In this context, supply chain design engineering was developed based on product design data in order to design, specify, validate and implement the supply chain of a new product. This engineering is divided into three major stages: a co-design stage, a positioning stage and an evaluation stage. The co-design stage aims to collect and process the product design data provided by the project team. An instantiated supply chain model was developed to collect the data needed to design the supply chain which is then processed to facilitate modeling. The positioning stage aims to highlight the role of the innovative company within the various supply chain scenarios obtained. Based on the Harmony for System Engineering process and its Rational Rhapsody® tool, this step details the supply chain from a point of view of requirements, stakeholders, processes and behavior (each represented by different diagrams) in order to elaborate different scenarios. Finally, the last step aims to evaluate these supply chain scenarios in order to establish a coherent strategy. Indeed, many researchers have shown that an agile supply chain is better able to support an innovative product when it is launched in order to adapt more quickly to changes (organizational, tactical, marketing, environmental…). Consequently, a framework based on observable phenomena has been developed to facilitate the implementation of an agility strategy, which makes it possible to evaluate the typology of the current supply chain and decide which actions to implement to obtain a more agile supply chain. This engineering has been tested with manufacturing companies

A importância dos serviços para as empresas de manufatura tem aumentado nas últimas décadas em função das alterações no ambiente em que estão inseridas. Dentre os aspectos relacionados com a oferta de serviços por empresas de manufatura, pode ser citado que os serviços são influenciados pelas definições realizadas durante o processo de desenvolvimento de produtos (PDP). No entanto, a literatura ainda é escassa no sentido de compreender essa relação. Dessa forma, o objetivo do presente trabalho é analisar as características dos serviços relacionados com os produtos e a sua relação com o PDP por meio de um estudo de caso em uma empresa do setor aeroespacial. Os dados foram coletados por meio de uma análise documental e entrevistas semi-estruturadas, em que foi feita a descrição das etapas do PDP, o levantamento e classificação do portfolio de serviços, a análise detalhada dos serviços selecionados e a análise da relação entre estes serviços e o PDP. Os resultados da análise confirmaram que os serviços são impactados pelas decisões de todas as etapas do PDP e para todos os serviços analisados e ainda apresenta quando e como essas relações acontecem. Os resultados obtidos foram comparados com a literatura existente. As relações identificadas influenciam diversos aspectos dos serviços analisados, como: o processo, o escopo, a infraestrutura, os custos e pessoas. / The importance of services to manufacturing companies has grown over the last decades due to several changes in the business environment. Among the aspects related with the offer of services by manufacturing companies is the fact that services are influenced by the decisions taken during the new product development process (NPD). Although, the literature is scarce when it comes to comprehend how this relationship happens. In this way, the objective of this study is to analyze the characteristics of product-related services and the relationship between the NPD process activities and these services through a case study in a manufacturing company of the aerospace industry. The data was collected with the use of a documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews, where the phases of the NPD were described, the service portfolio was identified and classified, the selected services were analyzed and the relationship between the NPD and these services. The results confirmed that all the services that were analyzed are influenced by the decisions of all NPD phases and maps it out. The results were then compared with the existing literature. The identified relationship influence several aspects of the services that were analyzed, such as: the process, the scope, the infrastructure, the costs and people.

During the last decade, research related to Supply Chain Management has got a great deal of attention. The focus has especially circulated around supply chain integration and centralisation due to the increasingly competitive global market. The aim of this thesis has been to investigate how the supply chain performance in international manufacturing companies could be improved. By having a qualitative approach, this thesis contributes to earlier conducted research by providing a holistic view on supply chain management. This is by the authors considered crucial to manage the complexity of supply chain management and supply chain change. The specific context examined in this thesis concerns the spare parts distribution of large international manufacturing companies. The methods used during the case study consisted of a thorough literature review, external interviews and workshops with experts within supply chain management and supply chain change, and several interviews with employees at different levels and functions at the focal company, Toyota Material Handling Europe. Two of the interviewed external experts were managers at the supply chain function at Volvo Construction Equipment and Ericsson. To answer the main research question, three sub-queries have been examined. The first one concerns what main areas of difficulty that can be identified in the current supply chain of the focal company and in international manufacturing companies in general. The second sub-query concerns which supply chain policies that could be used to solve identified areas of difficulty. Finally, the third sub-query concerns which prerequisites that could be identified to successfully manage change within supply chains. The results imply that Information and Inventory Management are the main supply chain related areas in need of improvements at the focal company, as well as in international manufacturing companies in general. Thereby supply chain performance could be improved if performance within these areas is enhanced. To solve these two identified areas of difficulty, four theoretical supply chain policies related to supply chain integration have been examined due to complexity, need of investments during an implementation, as well as each policy’s possibility to solve the identified areas of difficulty. The supply chain policy Vendor-Managed Inventory was considered the most appropriate policy for the focal company to implement. As a consequence, an evaluation of the focal company’s readiness to implement a Vendor-Managed Inventory policy was also conducted by using a supply chain readiness framework developed by Niranjan, Wagner and Nguyen (2012). Based on the literature review, including the theoretical evaluation of the appropriateness of implementing Vendor-Managed Inventory, together with the findings from the external expert interviews, the focal company is recommended to implement a Vendor-Managed Inventory strategy. However, the focal company is also recommended to see such an implementation as an opportunity to later investigate the possibility to also include large suppliers in the collaboration. This would increase the level of integration among supply chain members further and thereby secure the company has the possibility to receive the advantages associated with sharing information (including Points-of-Sales data) with all supply chain members.   From a theoretical perspective the conclusion is that Vendor-Managed Inventory, with its focus on supply chain integration through collaboration and information sharing among supply chain members, is considered appropriate to implement when companies want to improve performance in one or all of these areas. Furthermore, the usage of a consignment stock agreement might be an appropriate complement to Vendor-Managed Inventory due to the international context. However, the authors suggest that international manufacturing companies should strive towards including large suppliers in the supply chain collaboration to increase performance further. Thereby they should move towards capabilities promoted in the supply chain policy Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment, which advocate a higher level of integration than Vendor-Managed Inventory. Another main finding pinpoints the importance of a well-formulated and communicated vision in the beginning of a transformation, to manage supply chain change successfully. As a consequence, the authors of this thesis expanded the supply chain framework developed by Chopra and Meindl (2010) to also include vision. In addition, legal has been added as an important supply chain driver since it affects supply chain possibilities and decisions. The added parts are considered critical for the framework to be applicable in an international and rapidly changing business environment. Furthermore, the authors suggest the extended framework should be used to support companies evaluate the current and a desired future supply chain in accordance with examined change management literature. / Supply Chain Management har under det senaste decenniet fått mycket uppmärksamhet. På grund av en ökande internationell handel har forskningen framförallt behandlat Integration och Centralisering inom distributionskedjor. Syftet med denna studie har varit att undersöka hur man kan förbättra prestandan av distributionskedjan hos internationella tillverkningsföretag. Genom ett kvalitativt angreppssätt bidrar denna studie med ett holistiskt synsätt av Supply Chain Management, vilket av författarna är ansett kritiskt för att kunna hantera komplexiteten relaterad till Supply Chain Management och förändringsarbete inom detta område. Studiens forskningsfråga har kunnat besvaras genom att undersöka tre delfrågor. Den första behandlar att identifiera huvudproblemområden i distributionskedjan hos fokusföretaget samt internationella tillverkningsföretag generellt. Den andra delfrågan behandlar vilka teoretiska supply chain policies som skulle kunna användas för att lösa de identifierade problemområdena, medan den tredje och sista delfrågan handlar om att identifiera förutsättningar för att kunna hantera förändringsarbete av, och inom, distributionskedjor på ett lyckat sätt. Samtliga delfrågor och huvudfrågan har kunnat besvaras genom genomförandet av en litteraturstudie, intervjuer och workshops med externa områdesexperter inom Supply Chain Management och Supply Chain Change, samt interna intervjuer med anställda på olika avdelningar och nivåer inom fokusföretaget, Toyota Material Handling Europe. Två av de intervjuade experterna utgjordes av chefer på logistikavdelningen på två stora internationella tillverkningsföretag. Företagen i fråga utgjordes av Volvo Construction Equipment respektive Ericsson. Resultaten visar att Informations- och Lagerhantering anses vara de huvudområden inom Supply Chain Management, vilka är i störst behov av förbättringar och förändringar på fokusföretaget samt i stora internationella tillverkningsföretag generellt. Därmed kan prestandan av distributionskedjan förbättras om företag fokuserar på dessa två områden. För att förbättra Informations- och Lagerhanteringen har fyra teoretiska supply chain policies utvärderats, vilka alla mer eller mindre fokuserar på att öka integrationen mellan medlemmar inom distributionskedjan. Genom att utvärdera dessa supply chain policies med avseende på komplexitet, implementationskostnader samt möjlighet att lösa de identifierade huvudproblemområdena, har författarna kunnat dra slutsatsen att policyn Vendor-Managed Inventory bör vara mest passande att implementera på fokusföretaget. I och med detta resultat utvärderades fokusföretagets lämplighet att implementera Vendor-Managed Inventory utifrån en teoretisk modell utvecklad av Niranjan, Wagner och Nguyen (2012). Resultatet av denna utvärdering stödde det tidigare antagandet att Vendor-Managed Inventory är lämpligt för fokusföretaget att implementera. Författarna rekommenderar dock att en VMI-implementation ska ses som ett första steg varefter förtaget även skall utvärdera möjligheten att inkludera sina större leverantörer och därmed öka integrationen av distributionskedjan ytterligare. Detta för att verkligen uppnå de fördelar informationsdelning kan medföra om information delas med samtliga medlemmar i kedjan. Författarna har med hjälp av dessa resultat kunnat dra den teoretiska och generella slutsatsen att Vendor-Managed Inventory, med dess fokus på att öka integrationen i distributionskedjan genom ökat samarbete och ökad informationsdelning mellan distributionskedjans medlemmar, anses lämplig att implementera då företag vill eller behöver förbättras inom dessa områden. Vidare kan avtalsmodellen Consignment Stock komplettera Vendor-Managed Inventory i en internationell kontext genom användandet av en legal ägare av lager, oavsett lagerposition. Författarna rekommenderar även att stora internationella tillverkningsföretag bör sträva mot att inkludera sina större leverantörer och därmed öka integrationen av, och samarbetet inom, distributionskedjan. Detta skulle medföra att prestandan av distributionskedjan förbättras ytterligare. Därmed bör de utvecklas mot supply chain policyn Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment, vilken förespråkar en högre nivå av samarbete än Vendor-Managed Inventory. Vidare visar studien vikten av en välformulerad och kommunicerad Vision i början av större förändringsprojekt. Detta för att öka chanserna till lyckade och välmotiverade förändringar. I och med identifieringen av visionens vitala del i förändringsprojekt, vidareutvecklade författarna modellen; Supply Chain Decison-Making Framework, utvecklad av Chopra &amp; Meindl (2010), till att även inkludera Vision. Dessutom adderades Legala aspekter, då de påverkar både beslutsfattande och möjligheter inom en internationell kontext. Både Vision och Legala aspekter anses av författarna vara kritiska delar för att modellen skall vara applicerbar i en internationell och föränderlig miljö. I linje med forskning inom förändringshantering som identifierats i litteraturen, anses Chopra &amp; Meindl’s vidareutvecklade modell nu vara lämplig att användas som en hjälp för företag att utvärdera sin nuvarande och önskade framtida distributionsstruktur.