Bakgrund: Intresset för processer och framförallt utveckling eller förbättring av processer har på senare år ökat. Detta kan ha sin grund i att många företag har behållit föråldrade rutiner och processteg samtidigt som verksamheten utvecklats, något som resulterat i onödigt komplexa processer som påverkat företags ekonomiska och praktiska prestationer. En annan orsak kan vara att företagsklimatet blivit allt tuffare. En process som under senare år fått ökat intresse inom företagvärlden samt kommer sätta stor prägel på denna uppsats är materialanskaffningsprocessen. Materialanskaffning beskrivs som en process innefattande samtliga de aktiviteter som krävs för att säkerställa att material tillförs en organisation. Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är inledningsvis att kartlägga samt identifiera brister i Holtabs materialanskaffningsprocess. Vidare är syftet att komma med eventuella förslag till hur Holtab kan reducera kvalitetsbristerna i materialanskaffningsprocessen för att på så sätt minska företagets kvalitetsbristkostnader. Metod: Denna uppsats är en fallstudie på Holtab AB. Studiens metod är i huvudsak kvalitativ med kvantitativa inslag. Uppsatsen har vidtagit en deduktiv forskningsansats med ett positivistiskt synsätt. Det empiriska materialet samlades in genom semi-strukturerade och ostrukturerade intervjuer samt en kvalitetscirkel. Vidare har uppsatsens teoretiska referensram baseras på litterära källor samt vetenskapliga artiklar. Slutsatser: Holtabs materialanskaffningsprocess har beskrivits genom en processkartläggning. Vidare har författarna identifierat materialanskaffningsprocessens kvalitetsbristkostnader samt dess orsaker. Avslutningsvis har författarna tillsammans med medarbetare på Holtab AB tagit fram förbättringsförslag till de brister som identifierats. / Background: In the recent years, the interest of processes and especially the development or improvement of processes has increased. This may be because many companies have kept obsolete routines and process steps while the businesses have developed. As a result the processes have become unnecessarily complex and affect the companies’ financial and operational performance. Another reason may be that the business environment has become tougher. A process that in the recent years has received an increased interest in the business world and will put its mark on this essay is the material procurement process. Material procurement is described as a process including all activities necessary to ensure that all the required material is supplied to an organization.  Purpose: The purpose of this essay is initially the map and identifies poor quality in Holtabs material procurement process. Further the purpose is to present suggestions on how Holtab can reduce their poor quality in order to reduce the company’s cost of poor quality. Method: The following essay is a case study on Holtab AB. The study is mainly performed in the form of a qualitative study which is supplemented by some quantitative elements. The study emanated from a deductive standpoint with a positivistic approach. The empirical data were collected by the usage of semi-structured and unstructured interviews as well as a quality circle. Further the theoretical framework was collected by literature and scientific articles.   Conclusions: Holtabs material procurement process have been defined and mapped through process mapping. Furthermore have the authors identified cost of quality deficiencies and the causes behind said deficiencies. Finally the authors have derived and presented suggestions for improving Holtabs material procurement process by reducing the quality deficiencies and therefore the related costs.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the highly competitive international wine markets, effective procurement of raw material could prove the difference between success or failure for a wine company. Therefore the researcher embarked on this study to create a model that will assist procurement decision makers in the South African wine industry in the strategic procurement of raw material. In order to create a model for procurement of raw material in the South African wine industry, qualitative research was conducted that included a study of literature, available material, views from experts as well as a content analysis from sample interviews. Procurement officials need to ensure that marketing forecasts are aligned with contracted procurement volumes. Cost, quality and availability should be tightly managed to minimise losses due to unallocated inventory or lack of raw material with sufficient quality or quantity to serve a marketing need. Suppliers should be prioritised in terms of strategic importance and procurement decision-makers should be crystal clear on which strategy to pursue with each quality segment and supplier in order to obtain the right quantity at the desired quantity and most economical price. Procurement decision makers need to evaluate the procurement and market environment for opportunities and threats that might impact on their ability to procure raw material from their supply base, and put measures in place to take control of possible effects of those uncertainties. This includes differentiating between grape procurement and wine procurement to leverage the advantages from both. Procurement officials must establish an action plan to limit the risk of cost, availability and quality by engaging and investing in trusting, loyal relationships with proficient suppliers with capacity. The procurement function should operate in a professional manner, building a track record of pro-active procurement and focus on loyal supplier relationships. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die hoogs kompeterende internasionale wynmarkte kan effektiewe aankope van rou-materiaal die verskil beteken tussen sukses of mislukking vir 'n wynmaatskappy. Daarom het die navorser begin met hierdie studie om 'n model te skep wat besluitnemers van aankope kan bystaan met die strategiese aankoop van roumateriaal in die Suid-Afrikaanse wynbedryf. Om 'n model te skep vir die aankoop van roumateriaal in die Suid-Afrikaanse wynbedryf is kwalitatiewe navorsing gedoen, wat 'n literatuurstudie insluit, sowel as 'n studie van beskikbare materiaal, sienings van kenners en 'n inhoudsanalise van steekproefonderhoude. Aankoopsbeamptes moet verseker dat bemarkingsvooruitskattings en gekontrakteerde aankoopvolumes ooreenstem. Koste, kwaliteit en beskikbaarheid moet streng bestuur word om verliese te beperk wat kan ontstaan deur ongeallokeerde voorraad of 'n tekort aan roumateriaal met genoegsame kwaliteit of hoeveelheid om 'n bemarkingsbehoefte te bevredig. Verskaffers moet prioritiseer word in terme van strategiese belangrikheid en aankoop-besluitnemers moet kristalhelder dink oor watter strategie om te volg met elke kwaliteitssegment en verskaffer, sodat die regte hoeveelheid en volume teen die mees ekonomiese prys aangekoop word. Aankoopbesluitnemers moet die aankoop- en markomgewing evalueer vir geleenthede en bedreigings wat 'n invloed kan hê op hul vermoë om roumateriaal van hul verskaffingskorps aan te koop, en moet maatreëls in plek stel om beheer te neem oor die moontlike effek van daardie onsekerhede. Maatreëls sluit in die differensiasie tussen druifaankope en wynaankope om die voordele van elk maksimaal te benut. Aankoopsbeamptes moet 'n aksieplan vestig om die risiko van koste, beskikbaarheid en kwaliteit te beperk deur in verbintenisse te belê met lojale vertrouensverhoudings met vaardige verkaffers met kapasiteit. Die aankoopsfunksie moet op 'n professionele manier optree, om 'n beeld van pro-aktiewe aankope te bou en 'n fokus op lojale verskafferverhoudings te vestig.

Processing Production Centre Lund (PPCL) är en affärsenhet inom Tetra Pak-koncernen som tillverkar processutrustning, förpacknings- och fyllningsmaskiner för livsmedel. I denna produktion är materialbrister vanligt förekommande vilket leder till kostsamma expressleveranser och icke värdeskapande arbete. Studiens mål är att identifiera problemkällor samt presentera förbättringsförslag för att minska antalet materialbrister i syfte att öka PPCLs leveransprecision, minska förekomsten av icke värdeskapande arbete samt reducera användandet av expressfrakt. Med hjälp av observationer, intervjuer och litteraturstudier har företagets arbetsprocesser kartlagts. Genom att jämföra de observerade arbetsprocesserna med de föreskrivna har de föreskrivna arbetsprocesserna konstaterats vara alltför generellt beskrivna, och ibland föråldrade, för att vara direkt tillämpbara för de anställda. Med flödesanalysmetoder har icke värdeskapande arbete belysts, problemkällor för delprocesser har påvisats och alternativa arbetsprocesser har föreslagits. Denna studie föreslår processutbildning för företagets anställda och bättre informationsdelning vid processuppdateringar. Detta skulle medföra en större insikt om hur egna handlingar påverkar andra samt leda till mer standardiserade arbetssätt. Vidare rekommenderas att de anställda tas med i arbetet med att ta fram detaljerade arbetsprocesser, bland annat för att utnyttja fördelarna med etablerade workarounds. Denna studie föreslår en ny process att följa vid ändringar i materialbehov, vilken skulle leda till bättre informerade materialval i tidigare skede. Dessutom rekommenderas striktare riktlinjer för när ändringar i materialval ska accepteras av PPCL utan förbehåll. Vidare klarlägger studien problem med de data som finns tillgängliga i Tetra Paks affärssystem. Felaktiga parametrar gällande ledtider på material från leverantörer och outnyttjade hjälpmedel vad gäller material som avbeställs eller ersätts leder ofta till materialbrister i produktionen. Studien lyfter fram standardiserade arbetsmetoder samt jämnare fördelning av arbetsbelastning för dem anställda som möjliga åtgärder till dessa problem. Stora materialgrupper som innefattar material med lång leveranstid leder ofta till materialbrist när behovet specificeras i ett sent skede. Denna studie föreslår artikelstandardisering och ett bättre informationsflöde mellan inköp och den som specificerar materialbehovet. Detta skulle minska uppkomsten av materialbrister. Ett annat problemområde som tas upp i studien är uppdelningen av de två affärsenheterna som är inblandade i orderflödet. Underutvecklade processer, dubbelarbete och få kommunikationskanaler är några av de problem som tas upp. Tvärorganisatoriska förbättringsprojekt förespråkas i studien för att förbättra och effektivisera detta samarbete för att i förlängningen minska antalet materialbrister. Slutligen rekommenderas att de ledtider som utlovas till slutkunderna ses över för att spegla verkliga ledtider på ett mer korrekt sätt. Felaktiga ledtider dömer produktionen till ett arbete under tidspress vilket innebär att det kontinuerliga förbättringsarbetet försakas.

This diploma thesis deals with optimization of process metallurgical material purchase and cutting with use of the problem solving of optimal material dividing, which is one of the linear programming problems. The aim of this problem solving is to minimize waste and to minimize the purchase costs for base material. The solution of this problem has the practical application at the company KULICKOVE SROUBY KURIM,a.s. This work is based on Deming Cycle (“Plan-Do-Check-Act”), as the basic method of solution efficiency and operations, processes and systems improvement.

Supply chain management has attracted much attention in the last decade. There has been a noticeable shift from a traditional individual organisation-based management to an integrated management across the supply chain network since the end of the last century. The shift contributes to better decision making in the supply chain context, as it is necessary for a company to cooperate with other supply chain members by utilising relevant information such as inventory, demand and resource capacity. In other words, information sharing and coordinated management are essential mechanisms to improve supply chain performance. Supply chains may differ significantly in terms of industry sectors, geographic locations, and firm sizes. This study was based on case studies from small and medium sized manufacturing supply chains in People Republic of China. The study was motivated by the following facts. Firstly, small and medium enterprises have made a big contribution to China’s economic growth. Several studies revealed that most of the Chinese manufacturing enterprises became aware of the importance of supply chain management, but compared to western firms, the supply chain management level of Chinese firms had been lagging behind. Research on supply chain management and performance optimisation in Chinese small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) was very scarce. Secondly, there had been plenty of studies in the literature that focused on two or three level supply chains whilst considering a number of uncertain factors (e.g. customer demand) or a single supply chain performance indicator (e.g. cost). However, the research on multiple stage supply chain systems with multiple uncertainties and multiple objectives based on real industrial cases had been spared and deserved more attention. One reason was due to the lack of reliable industrial data that required an enormous effort to collect the primary data and there was a serious concern about data confidentiality from the industry aspect. This study employed two SME manufacturing companies as case studies. The first one was in the Aluminium industry and another was in the Chemical industry. The aim was to better understand the characteristics of the supply chains in Chinese SMEs through performing in-depth case studies, and built models and tools to evaluate different strategies for improving their supply chain performance. The main contributions of this study included the following aspects. Firstly, this study generalised a supply chain model including a domestic supply chain part and an international supply chain part based on deep case studies with the emphasis on identifying key characteristics in the case supply chains, such as uncertainties, constraints and cost elements in association with flows and activities in the domestic supply chain and the international supply chain. Secondly, two important SCM issues, i.e. the integrated raw material procurement and finished goods production planning, and the international sales planning, were identified. Thirdly, mathematical models were formulated to represent the supply chain model taking into account multiple uncertainties. Fourthly, several operational strategies utilising the concepts of just-in-time, safety-stock/capacity, Kanban, and vendor managed inventory, were evaluated and compared with the case company's original strategy in various scenarios through simulation methods, which enabled quantification of the impact of information sharing on supply chain performance. Fifthly, a single objective genetic algorithm was developed to optimise the integrated raw material ordering and finished goods production decisions under (s, S) policy (a dynamic inventory control policy), which enabled the impact of coordinated management on supply chain performance to be quantified. Finally, a multiple objectives genetic algorithm considering both total supply chain cost and customer service level was developed to optimise the integrated raw material ordering and finished goods production with the international sales plan decisions under (s, S) policy in various scenarios. This also enabled the quantification of the impact of coordinated management on supply chain performances.

O aprovisionamento ou obtenção das rochas e minerais aptos para lascamento ou polimento constitui um dos temas mais abordados pela arqueologia de caçadores-coletores ao redor do mundo. O aprovisionamento lítico é um fenômeno cultural cujo estudo não está limitado à determinação da proveniência de tais materiais, integrando aspectos geomorfológicos e geológicos como disponibilidade, abundância e localização de afloramentos e clastos, com aspectos humanos da seleção como qualidade para as tarefas requeridas, cor, forma de remoção ou escavação e gestão tecnológica. A presente dissertação aborda o problema do aprovisionamento lítico em Dourado, região de cuestas basálticas no centro do estado de São Paulo, onde se insere o sítio Bastos, que apresenta datas entre ca. 7,650 e 12,640 anos cal a.P. e artefatos líticos manufaturados em arenito silicificado. Tendo como base uma relação conceitual entre tecnologia e suas consequências na paisagem lítica e uma perspectiva geoarqueológica sobre os recursos líticos, é proposto um protocolo de pesquisa que integra: a) prospecção de fontes potenciais e utilizadas de matéria-prima lítica num setor central e sul respeito do sítio; b) análise macroscópica mediante classificação paradigmática das amostras coletadas; c) análise petrográfico microscópico; d) e análise tecnológica dos artefatos recuperados em fontes, ocorrências e sítios. Os resultados indicam: 1) uma paisagem lítica caracterizada por extrações em afloramentos e clastos de arenito silicificado de muito boa a excelente qualidade para lascamento num raio mínimo de aprovisionamento diário de 3 km desde o sítio Bastos; 2) uma tendência a uma maior representação de poucas variedades específicas de arenito silicificado nos níveis antigos (ca. 12,500 cal a.P.) do sítio respeito dos mais tardios (<9000 cal a.P.), o que teria relação com a disponibilidade imediata; 3) uma tecnologia fora das fontes diferenciada entre o reverso das cuestas (setor central) e o frente da mesma (setor sul), com destaque no primeiro caso, do segundo registro de produção de lâminas (lascas alongadas especializadas) no Brasil. Concluiu-se com a ênfase na necessidade de se ampliar as escalas e métodos de análise da presente 5 pesquisa e de se realizar propostas semelhantes em outras partes do país, para um estudo comparativo sistemático do aprovisionamento lítico em diferentes períodos e lugares. / The procurement of rocks and minerals suitable for knapping and grinding constitutes one of the main topics of hunter-gratherer archaeology all around the world. As a cultural phenomenom, from the perspective of its study, lithic procurement is not restricted to sourcing materials, but integrates geomorfological and geological aspects such as availability, abundance and location of outcrops and clasts, with human aspects of lithic selection, such as quality, color, extraction or excavation mode and technological processing. The present Master thesis focuses on the problem of lithic procurement in the Dourado region, in the basaltic cuestas landscape of central São Paulo state, where the Bastos site is located, which exhibits dates between ca. 7,650 and 12,640 cal years BP and lithic artifacts manufactured in silicified sandstone. Using a conceptual approach that relies on the relationship between technology and its consequences in the lithic landscape with a geoarchaeological perspective on lithic resources, the research protocol integrates: a) potential and utilized raw material sources survey in a central and southern sector from the site; b) a paradigmatic macroscopic classification of the samples; c) a petrographic microscopic analysis; d) and technological analysis of artifacts recovered in sources, isolated spots and sites. Results indicate: 1) a lithic landscape characterized by extractions on very good-to-excellent knapping quality silicified sandstone outcrops and clasts in a 3-km minimum foraging radius around the Bastos site; 2) a trend towards a higher representation of few specific silicified sandstone varieties in the older levels (ca. 12,500 cal a.P.) as compared to the later ones (<9000 cal a.P.), which would be the effect of an inmediate availability; 3) an out-of-the-sources technology differentiated between the backside of the cuestas (central sector) and the front (southern sector), with the remarkable finding in the former,of the second record of blade production (specialized long flakes) in Brazil. An emphasis on the need of widening the scale and methods of this research is concluded, together with the need of making similar approaches in other parts of the country that will allow a systematic comparative study of lithic procurement in different periods and places.

La découverte du site Nepress (BiEr-21) en 2004 et les saisons de fouilles subséquentes ont permis de découvrir de nombreux vestiges archéologiques. Ce mémoire a donc pour objectif de déterminer l’identité culturelle des occupants qui ont fréquenté le site, en prenant en considération les activités rituelles et la stratégie d’approvisionnement en matière lithique. Pour y parvenir, une analyse morpho-métrique de l’assemblage lithique a été effectuée. La distribution intra-site des artéfacts a également été prise en considération lors de l’analyse. Une séquence chronologique du Nord-Est américain remontant au Sylvicole inférieur est présentée dans ce mémoire. Une période d’occupation semble dominer sur le site Nepress, soit le Sylvicole inférieur. Cette manifestation est caractérisée par la présence d’artéfacts diagnostiques de la culture Meadowood. Ces objets sont un grattoir triangulaire bifacial Meadowood, ainsi qu’une imitation de pointe de type box-base. / The discovery of the Nepress site (BiEr-21) in 2004 and the subsequent excavations have revealed many archaeological remains. This thesis has seeks to determine the cultural identity of the site’s occupants, taking into account their ritual activities and their lithic procurement strategy. To achieve this, a morpho-metric analysis of the lithic assemblage was undertaken. The intra-site artifact distribution was also taken into account. A chronological sequence for Northeastern North America going back to the Early Woodland is presented. The Early Woodland appears to dominate the occupation of the Nepress site. This is characterised by the presence of diagnostic artifacts of the Meadowood culture. These objects are a triangular bifacial Meadowood scraper, as well as an imitation of a projectile point.

La découverte du site Nepress (BiEr-21) en 2004 et les saisons de fouilles subséquentes ont permis de découvrir de nombreux vestiges archéologiques. Ce mémoire a donc pour objectif de déterminer l’identité culturelle des occupants qui ont fréquenté le site, en prenant en considération les activités rituelles et la stratégie d’approvisionnement en matière lithique. Pour y parvenir, une analyse morpho-métrique de l’assemblage lithique a été effectuée. La distribution intra-site des artéfacts a également été prise en considération lors de l’analyse. Une séquence chronologique du Nord-Est américain remontant au Sylvicole inférieur est présentée dans ce mémoire. Une période d’occupation semble dominer sur le site Nepress, soit le Sylvicole inférieur. Cette manifestation est caractérisée par la présence d’artéfacts diagnostiques de la culture Meadowood. Ces objets sont un grattoir triangulaire bifacial Meadowood, ainsi qu’une imitation de pointe de type box-base. / The discovery of the Nepress site (BiEr-21) in 2004 and the subsequent excavations have revealed many archaeological remains. This thesis has seeks to determine the cultural identity of the site’s occupants, taking into account their ritual activities and their lithic procurement strategy. To achieve this, a morpho-metric analysis of the lithic assemblage was undertaken. The intra-site artifact distribution was also taken into account. A chronological sequence for Northeastern North America going back to the Early Woodland is presented. The Early Woodland appears to dominate the occupation of the Nepress site. This is characterised by the presence of diagnostic artifacts of the Meadowood culture. These objects are a triangular bifacial Meadowood scraper, as well as an imitation of a projectile point.