This research addresses the question of whether there are personal characteristics of purchasing managers that lead them to make decisions regarding buyer-seller partnerships, and supplier sourcing in particular, that may be suboptimal, therefore affecting the performance of the firm. This question warrants study due to the current business environment, in which business firms have been entering into both formal and informal buyer-seller partnerships as a means of surviving in a highly competitive environment.

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Logistik har kommit att bli ett av de främsta verktygen för att effektivisera ochkostnadsminimera i ett företag. God lagerhållning och fulla lastbilar som avgår från rätt platsvid rätt tidpunkt har blivit en nödvändighet för att klara konkurrensen på marknaden. Syftetmed denna uppsats är att utreda och analysera vad som händer när ICA byter ut sin befintligaspeditör och därmed övergår från single sourcing till multisourcing. Uppsatsensfrågeställningar besvaras genom en kvalitativ undersökning med djupgående intervjuer ochdatainsamling som forskningsdesign. I fem år använde sig ICA av single sourcing ochpersonalen på ICA:s distributionsenhet i Helsingborg menar att arbetet blev för stort för endasten speditör att hålla under kontroll. Relationen mellan speditören och kunden är en väsentligdel för framgångsrika företag. För att framgång ska vara möjligt är ett klimat med samarbeteoch tillit grundläggande. Förtroendet och samarbetet kommer bli gynnsamt om de olikaparterna har en förståelse för varandra och är involverade i hur hanteringen sköts mellan allaparter, detta skapar en rättvisa som är nödvändig för att leveranskedjan ska fungera. ICA hadeinte behövt ändra strategi från single sourcing till multisourcing, det hade varit tillräckligt attbara ändra rutinerna för planering av leveranser och kapaciteten på transporterna. Förändringeni leveransplanen hade även fungerat om ICA valt att fortsätta använda single sourcing. Om detfinns en kontinuerlig uppföljning förbättras inte bara relationen utan även klimatet församarbete mellan parterna och detta medför en möjlighet för ICA genom förebyggande arbetemed förbättringar. / Logistics has become one of the main tools for streamlining and cost minimizing in a company.Good stock and full trucks departing from the right place at the right time have become anecessity to cope with competition in the market. The purpose of this paper is to investigateand analyze what happens when ICA replaces its existing freight forwarder and thus transitionsfrom single sourcing to multisourcing. The questions of the thesis are answered through aqualitative survey with in-depth interviews and data collection as research design. For fiveyears ICA used single sourcing and the staff at ICA's distribution unit in Helsingborg believedthat the work load became too big for only one freight forwarder to keep under control. Therelationship between the freight forwarder and the customer is an essential part forsuccessfulcompanies. For success to be possible, a climate of cooperation and trust is fundamental.Confidence and cooperation will be beneficial if the different parties have an understanding ofeach other and are involved in how management is handled between all parties, this creates ajustice that is necessary for the supply chain to function. ICA did not have to change its strategyfrom single sourcing to multisourcing, it would have been enough just to change the proceduresfor planning deliveries and the capacity of transport. The change in the delivery schedule wouldalso have worked if ICA had chosen to continue to use single sourcing. If there is continuousfollow-up, not only the relationship but also the climate for cooperation between the partiesimproves and this provides an opportunity for ICA through preventive work withimprovements.

Den här uppsatsen behandlar ett problem som identifierats bland små till medelstora svenska modeföretag: det stora beroendet av outsourcade produktionsagenter och fullprisproducenter. Syftet med uppsatsen är att identifiera de förutsättningar och hinder dessa modeföretag kan stöta på när de försöker integrera dessa utlagda kompetenser till en intern lösning. Genom detta hoppas författarna kunna tillföra nya perspektiv för befattningshavare som är intresserade av att omstrukturera sin nuvarande inköpsmodell.De metoder som använts för att samla in det teoretiska och empiriska underlaget var skrivbordsstudier, såväl som strukturerade och ostrukturerade djupintervjuer med grundaren av ett svenskt jeansföretag, samt en anställd på en stor svensk modekedjas inköpsavdelning.Resultaten understryker den strategiska betydelsen för växande modeföretag att äga sin inköpsfunktion. Genom att äga kompetenserna för mönsterkonstruktion och inköp kan företag minska sitt beroende av externa organisationer och öka flexibiliteten i sin produktutvecklingsprocess. De hinder som identifierats utgörs bland annat av en ökad affärsrisk under övergången till en intern inköpsavdelning till följd av avsiktliga störningar i värdekedjan av producenterna, samt de extra kostnaderna för det ökade administrativa arbetet.This essay focuses on a problem identified among small to mid sized Swedish fashion companies: the large dependence on out sourced production agencies and full price producers. The purpose of the essay is to identify the prerequisites and obstacles these fashion companies might encounter whilst trying to incorporate the out sourced competencies into an in-house solution. By this, the authors hope to add new perspectives to executives interested in restructuring their current buying function.The methods used to gather theoretical and empirical material were desk studies as well as structured and unstructured in-depth interviews with the founder of a Swedish denim fashion company, and an employee at a large Swedish fashion retailer’s buying department.The findings stress the strategic importance of owning the competence of the buying function for growing fashion companies. By owning the competencies of pattern-making and a formalised buying function the companies can weaken their dependence on external organisations and add to their product development process flexibility. Among the obstacles identified are a increased business risk during the transition to an internal buying function caused by deliberate disruption of the supply chain by the producers and the extra costs of the increased administrative work. / Program: Textilekonomutbildningen

This thesis discusses the specific effects of single sourcing methodologies on the role of the technical communicator, his or her job responsibilities, qualifications, collaboration with coworkers, employee and employer expectations, and the effects on career progression. The methodologies discussed included all types of single sourcing methods for technical documentation (such as XML-based), advanced and non-advanced Content Management Systems (CMS), and Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems. Other topics explored are an overview of single sourcing for technical documentation, a comparison of the "craftsman model" to the current trend of single sourcing and structured content, specific effects on technical communicators such as role changes, the effects of incorporating XML into a technical communicator's daily work environment, and the effects of other emerging technologies such as advanced CMS and DAM systems on technical communicators. General findings include that the practice of single sourcing, whether a positive or negative development, has continued and likely will continue to increase in technical communication groups within organizations. Single sourcing, especially for dynamic, customized content is also increasing because of the current marketplace, but works best via the use of a CMS and other systems used by large organizations. Single sourcing is also best implemented after extensive strategic planning and training of employees. Many technical communicators will have to accept new roles and positions, the direction of which is greatly impacted by the extent of their skills. Recommendations are made for additional research on the effects of single sourcing implementation on the technical communicator, and how to adapt to changes. Additional research is also needed on XML, DITA (Darwinian Information Typing Architecture), and DAM systems, all related specifically to technical communication.