Ämnet riskhantering inom försörjningskedjor syftar till att skapa förutsättningar för kontinuitet genom verktyg, processer och samarbeten mellan försörjningskedjans aktörer. Ämnet har seglat upp som högintressant på grund av Covid-19 pandemin och dess omfattande påverkan på försörjningskedjor. I den här studien undersöktes genom semistrukturerade intervjuer hur fem organisationer inom både offentlig och privat sektor har till följd av arbetet med riskhantering i försörjningskedjor före och under pandemin, samt hur de planerar för framtiden. Studiens resultat visar att riskhantering i försörjningskedjor före pandemin inte tillämpats i hög utsträckning, med begränsad lagerhållning och leverantörsberoende. Under pandemin har organisationerna vidtagit flera åtgärder, tydligast syns en ökad lagerhållning och ett ökat antal leverantörer. Även användandet av riskhanteringsverktyg, kommunikation och samarbete har underlättat situationen under pandemin. Resultatet tyder på att samtliga respondenter inte kommer återgå till hur det var innan pandemin, utan kommer behålla stora delar av den riskhantering de utvecklat under pandemin, där ökad lagerhållning och användandet av fler leverantörer än tidigare är det som sticker ut. / Supply Chain Risk Management aims to create prerequisites for continuity through tools, processes and collaboration between different actors in each supply chain. The subject has become increasingly relevant due to significant supply chain disruptions brought on by the Covid-19. In this study, the Supply Chain Risk Management applications of five different actors, from both private and public sectors, have been studied through the use of semi-structured interviews, in regards to before and during Covid-19 and how these actors plan to manage Supply Chain risks in the future. The results from the study show a limited Supply Chain Risk Management application before Covid-19. During the pandemic, the actors have taken multiple courses of action. Most prominent are increased safety stock and the use of multiple suppliers. The use of Supply Chain Risk Management tools, increased communication, and collaboration have also mitigated the effects of the pandemic on supply chains. The results show that in future, the actors in the study will not return to the pre-pandemic status quo and will instead continue to use many parts of the Supply Chain Risk Management tools they have developed during the pandemic, where increased safety stock and multiple suppliers seem to be the most prominent course of action.

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2017-02-10T10:50:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Alexandro dos Reis_.pdf: 4199488 bytes, checksum: 3deac5077892743f840db5dbbf73d810 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-02-10T10:50:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Alexandro dos Reis_.pdf: 4199488 bytes, checksum: 3deac5077892743f840db5dbbf73d810 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-28 / Nenhuma / As cadeias reversas de suprimento fazem parte do nosso cotidiano. O aumento da sua popularidade ocorre, principalmente, pela expansão do comércio online, onde estão estabelecidos os canais reversos de troca; de devolução em garantia; e por cancelamento da compra. No segmento industrial, os canais reversos são muito populares, como por exemplo, o retorno de embalagens de produtos, o retorno de resíduos industriais para reprocessamento ou destinação final, e o retorno de materiais pós-consumo para o reaproveitamento. Na indústria do aço, a cadeia reversa da sucata metálica é responsável pela gestão do fluxo reverso dos materiais metálicos usados desde o consumidor até o seu ponto de origem, a usina siderúrgica. O aço possui a característica de ser 100% reciclável, sem perdas de propriedades do metal; além do seu processo de reciclagem representar vantagens econômicas e ambientais. A pesquisa propõe o resgate conceitual sobre a estruturação de atividades das cadeias reversas e o gerenciamento de riscos nas cadeias de suprimentos. Através da combinação destas abordagens, elaborou-se uma estrutura geral de atividades, bem como a identificação dos riscos dos intermediários da cadeia da sucata metálica. Como resultado, a pesquisa não limita-se a apresentar a estrutura genérica de atividades e as ações de prevenção dos riscos da cadeia da sucata, mas evolui através proposição de uma metodologia de gerenciamento de riscos aplicável a qualquer cadeia reversa de diferentes segmentos industriais. / The reverse supply chains are part of our daily life. The increase in their popularity is mainly the expansion of online commerce, where the reverse exchange channels are established; of warranty return; and purchase canceled. In the industrial sector, reverse channels are very popular, such as the return of product packaging, industrial waste comeback for reprocessing or final disposal, and the return post-consumer materials for reuse. In the steel industry, the reverse chain of scrap metal is responsible for managing the reverse flow of metallic materials used from the consumer to their point of origin, the steel milling. Steel has the characteristic of being 100% recyclable without loss of properties of the metal; apart from its recycling process represent economic and environmental advantages. The research proposed the conceptual review of the activities of structuring reverse chains and supply chain management risk. By combining these approaches, it drew up a general framework of activities, as well as recognition of the risks of the intermediaries of the scrap metal supply chain. As a result, the survey does not limit to presenting the generic structure of activities and mitigation risk actions in scrap supply chain, but evolves through proposing a risk management methodology applicable to any reverse chain of different industries.

Interferences to supply chains, regardless of whether they are regular, unplanned or intentional, are progressively distorting supply chain execution. Given that such disruptions are probably not going to diminish, for the time being, supply chain risk mitigating solutions will assume an undeniably critical part of the management of supply chains. This research acknowledges the existence of an extensive variety of approaches to mitigate risks across supply chains, yet argues that most methodologies may not be reasonable if the culture of an organisation does not support them. Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) has rapidly become of significance to the world economy. Though the supply of electrical energy in Southern Africa affects the economies of nations around the globe, it has received too little consideration from the literary community. The focus of this thesis is to expand the field of SCRM by analysing how different risk assessment and management concepts and practices are comprehended, construed and employed through the region. The majority of developed supply chain management and risk management models are currently entrenched in the US and Europe. Consequently, this research is of high significance since its essential aim was to investigate these concepts and models, in particular, one focused on Africa. This approach enabled the thesis to examine and test components related to SCRM, such as risk categories, risk assessment and risk strategies, in the electrical energy sector in South Africa. The study in this manner offers knowledge that was not otherwise accessible in earlier research. In pursuit of meeting the requirements of the research questions, the supply chain department in the electrical energy supplier was researched. This study adopted the non-probability sampling approach utilising the purposive sampling technique to choose the sampling components from the target population. Data was collected by way of conducting semi-structured interviews and researcher observation, as well as additional documentation in various forms was collected. Interviews were transcribed and evaluated in conjunction with additional data collected during meetings and triangulated using researcher observation. Data interpretation and codification thereof was done using ATLAS.ti 8 by which, twenty-five themes emerged from this study. Supply chain risks comprise value streams; information and affiliations; supply chain activities; and external situations. Among these, information and relationships risks were found to produce selfupgrading risk loops, thereby generating consequent risk impacts after disturbances. To mitigate these risks, the case firm must engage in local and international supply chain implemented strategies, such as building a stable supply chain network, leveraging supply chain information, leveraging outsourcing contracts and developing supply-chain risk collaboration partnerships, although the level of implementation depends on the business context. Among the ten identified themes, building a stable supply chain and developing supply chain collaboration strategies can be useful in strengthening both robustness and resilience in supply chain risk management. Customer orientation had positive impacts on all themes, but disruption orientation and quality orientation influenced only certain types of strategies. The study makes ten recommendations, which can be implemented by the case firm; the results of the interviews are evidence that all the tools are available. The thesis concludes with a summary of overall findings and areas for further research are also highlighted.

This study focuses on one of the emerging issues in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), “conflict minerals”. The discussion of the “conflict minerals” issue is that the trade of “conflict minerals”, originating from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), helps to finance conflicts characterized by extreme violence including killing and rape, therefore, the downstream companies which indirectly buy these minerals should take actions (Global Witness, 2010).This study first seeks to provide an overview of the Swedish companies’ progress on the conflict minerals issue through desktop research, and later tries to find out the driving forces, the measures and the existing challenges related to the conflict minerals issue through case studies. In the case studies, interviews were carried out with Sony Ericsson and Atlas Copco. The results of the study show that most companies studied in the six industries have not addressed the conflict minerals issue while companies in the electronic industry has made the most progress on conflict minerals in Sweden. In the case studies, the results present that external pressure is one of the major driving forces for both companies, and Sony Ericsson have taken several measures which seem to be aligned with supply chain risk management approach and OECD DD Guidance. In addition, both companies have tried to integrate conflict mineral management into existing supply chain management. The challenges are different depending on the progress of the companies.The study contributes to providing a better understanding of the current situation surrounding the conflict minerals issue in Sweden and to elaborating examples of the measures and the existing challenges.

Risker och oförutsägbara händelser är ett högst aktuellt ämne i dagens värld. Beslutsfattare och företag världen över behöver reagera och agera på olika kriser inom ekonomi, miljö, energi och transport eftersom riskerna i sin tur skapar utmaningar och störningar på internationella försörjningskedjor. Klädindustrin, vilket är en av världens mest globaliserade sektorer, är utsatt för risker då försörjningskedjan är uppbyggd på snabba leveranser med långa transportsträckor, vilket är ett resultat av globalt spridda aktörer. Globaliseringen har resulterat i framväxten av internationella försörjningskedjor, vilket antas som en affärsstrategi av företag för att uppnå affärsmässiga fördelar, likväl av företag inom klädindustrin. Inom klädindustrin utkontrakteras vanligen produktionen till geografiskt avlägsna lågkostnadsländer, vilket har gör internationella försörjningskedjor mer komplexa. Detta medför i sin tur osäkerhet i försörjningskedjans processer och en sårbarhet för risker och oförutsägbara händelser. När företag verkar på den internationella marknaden är inte riskhantering av det enskilda företaget tillräckligt då internationella försörjningskedjor är mer riskfyllda än inhemska försörjningskedjor, eftersom dessa kopplar samman ett brett nätverk av aktörer, vilket kräver mer omfattande riskhantering. Tidigare forskning inom riskhanteringsstrategier har främst genomförts på storskaliga varumärkesägande klädföretag medan det finns en betydligt mindre andel forskning avseende hur små och medelstora varumärkesägande klädföretag påverkas av risker och hur små och medelstora varumärkesägande klädföretag arbetar med riskhantering relaterat till företagets samverkan på den internationella försörjningskedjan. Vetenskapligt framställda riskhanteringsstrategier tenderar att vara modeller som inkluderar en rad olika steg som ska utföras linjärt, vilket är argument för att de tenderar att vara teoretiska snarare än praktiska. I linje med detta tenderar vetenskapligt framställda riskhanteringsmetoder att vara beroende av omfattande resurser, vilket gör dessa modeller mindre kompatibla för ett företag av små eller medelstor storlek. Med hänsyn till små och medelstora varumärkesägande klädföretags sårbarhet för oförutsägbara händelser och externa risker, samt för att täcka ovanstående forskningsgap, är syftet med denna studie att undersöka hur små och medelstora varumärkesägande klädföretag med internationella försörjningskedjor påverkas av risker samt hur dessa företag arbetar för att lindra riskernas påverkan på dess verksamhet. Vi kommer att jämföra relationen mellan empiriska datan med vad tidigare teorier illustrerar som viktiga aspekter för risk och riskhantering. I denna studie har vi genomfört semistrukturerade intervjuer med representanter från sex små och medelstora varumärkesägande klädföretag. Det empiriska materialet transkriberas, kodas samt kategoriseras genom en tematisk analys. Studiens resultat visar att små och medelstora varumärkesägande klädföretag identifierar liknande typer av risker och påverkas i liknande omfattning av risker. Externa risker innefattar oförutsägbara händelser som uppkommer utanför företaget och försörjningskedjans kontoll, medan interna risker uppkommer till följd av försörjningskedjans struktur och hantering, vilket avser inneboende element i företaget och dess försörjningskedja. Vi fann vidare att de risker som identifieras av respondenterna redan inträffat och därmed fått ett utfall, samt haft en direkt inverkan på företaget och dess försörjningskedja. Resultatet visar även att ytterligare en intern risk för små och medelstora varumärkesägande klädföretag finns, begränsade ekonomiska resurser, vilket inte betraktats av tidigare forskning. Resultatet visar dessutom att företagens riskhantering är baserat på hur risken uppstår, där det finns en skillnad mellan kortsiktig riskhantering, vilket främst innefattar kostnadskontroll, och långsiktig riskhantering, vilket innefattar ett proaktivt och förebyggande arbete mot risker.

The ongoing semiconductor shortage impacts organizations throughout the supply chain operationally and financially. Limited material for a sudden increase in demand during the Covid-19 pandemic led to a heightened supplier power and result in the prioritization of customers. Companies like the test-bench producer for the automobile industry Loccioni face thereby the challenges of being a relatively small and thereby almost invisible company in the automotive supply chain. The purpose of this master thesis is to research what pre- and post-disruptive strategies mitigate the negative impact of supply disruptions for organizations with small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) character in the context of the semiconductor shortage. Additionally, it aims to understand the supplier-buyer power shift during such events and how supply chain trends like lean management contribute to the vulnerability of organizations to such risks. To answer the research question, a qualitative case study was conducted with the high-tech manufacturer Loccioni. Data was collected through a period of ethnography and un-/semi-structured interviews and assessed through thematic analysis. The developed conceptual framework provides a wholesome guidelinefor SMEs or SME alike companies on how to incorporate reactive risk management by considering the whole disruption cycle (pre- and postdisruptive) to mitigate impacts caused by the semiconductor shortage or similar crisis. The findings of this case study show that it is important to lower dependencies on single suppliers and strive for a flexible working culture to encourage turning challenges into opportunities and being decisive during disruptive events. Following a lean approach with a just-in-time strategy is considered a high risk when not having an evolved supply risk monitoring and analyzing system implemented. Therefore, proactive risk-mitigating approaches, such as safety buffers, building few but close relationships and engaging in cooperative activities, are encouraged. Also, even though the resources of SMEs are limited, is alertness towards supply chain risks considered crucial requiring activities like supplier audits and a well supporting IT infrastructure. During disruption, crucial quick and flexible reactions are enabled by agile project management and entrepreneurial efforts fostered by the company culture. Keeping a balance between being too flexible and structured is mandatory to act efficiently. It is important to create a database and safety stock of the critical material and adjust procurement strategies by multi-sourcing and increased escalation efforts. Internally and externally combined efforts can be key to optimizing operations, sourcing the shortage materials and finding alternative technologies to substitute. Strategic collaborations with supply chain partners, exploitationof customer relationships and continuous communication are crucial for smaller enterprises to maintain customer satisfaction. However, there is no single solution for every organization, but rather suggestions which need to be adjusted and evaluated against a company’s business strategy and competitive advantage.

Effective supply chain risk management has become crucial for companies as supply chains have become more complex and integrated due to decades of globalization. The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the fragility of global supply chains and the necessity of manufacturing companies to have a robust supply chain in order to be resilient towards supply chain disruptions. The recent sourcing difficulties of critical components have been exacerbated due to many organizations utilizing tactical sourcing strategies which have relied on ''just in time'' principle in an effort to source as cost-efficiently as possible. However, this has created supply chains which lack the ability to manage idiosyncratic risks effectively. Supply chains which are based on the ''just in case'' principle have instead more redundancy and flexibility in the supply chain that allows them to better mitigate supply chain risk. Though the reduction in risk and strengthening of supply chain means a drop in operational efficiency. Therein lies the problem for companies when it comes to creating a supply chain; how to manage the trade-off between robustness and effectiveness. Businesses have therefore been forced to reconsider risk management strategies and practices in relation to sourcing and balancing of supply chain capabilities in order to manage disruptions in the supply chain and fluctuations in the business cycle. A case study has been conducted in order to analyze how the difference in approach towards supply chain risk management on tactical and operational level affects deployment of risk mitigation strategies in relation to supply management. The research has been conducted through a literature review and a series of semi-structured interviews at a case company involved with manufacturing. The findings from this study indicate a contrast in selection of risk mitigation strategies between those operating at tactical and operational level. Differences in approach between these groups in regard to decision-making therefore affects deployment of risk mitigation strategies. This may result in ineffective risk management as mitigation strategies might ultimately become negated and prove ineffective on an aggregated level due to conflict with decisions made on the tactical and operational level. In an effort to minimize differences which exit in approach towards risk mitigation in the organizational structure, a tool has been developed which allows for the comparison of various mitigation strategies and their impact on performance. Thereby helping guide businesses on which mitigation strategies to pursue in a way that there is minimal contradiction through focusing on addressing risks that have positive dependence rather than a negative one. Whilst also aiming to narrow the gap between in how differing decision levels perceive risk and risk management. / Effektive riskhantering av försörjningskedjor har blivit allt viktigare för företag då försörjningskedjor har ökat i komplexitet och blivit alltmer integrerade genom årtionden av globalisering. Utbrottet av Covid-19 har demonstrerat hur pass känsliga globala försörjningskedjor är samt behovet av tillverkningsföretag att utveckla robusta försörjningskedjor som kan motstå störningar. Svårigheter med inköp av kritiska komponenter har förvärrats av att många företag använt sig av taktiska inköpsstrategier vilka förlitar sig på ''precis i tid'' principen, som strävar att hantera inköp så pass kostnadseffektivt som möjligt. Dock har det skapat försörjningskedjor som saknar förmågan att hantera idiosynkratiska risker effektivt. Försörjningskedjor som istället använder sig av ''utifall att'' principen har större redundans och flexibilitet som gör att dessa försörjningskedjor kan mitigera risker mer effektivt. Dock leder den ökade riskreducerings förmågan till att den operationella effektiviteten reduceras. Däri ligger svårigheten för företag att skapa försörjningskedjor, hur hanterar man önskan om att ha operationell effektiva och robusta försörjningskedjor. Företag måste därför utvärdera sina riskhanterings- och inköpsstrategier i förhållande till hantering av försörjningskedjor samt balansering av försörjningskedjans förmågor så att störningar i försörjningskedjor och variationer i affärscykeln kan hanteras. En fallstudie har genomförts för att analysera hur skillnaden i tillvägagångssätt i förhållande till riskhantering av försörjningskedjor mellan den taktisk och operationella nivån i en organisation påverkar användandet av riskreducerande strategier i relation till säkerställande av material. Forskningen har genomförts genom en litteraturstudie samt en serie av semistrukturerade intervjuer hos ett tillverkningsföretag som deltagit i fallstudien. Resultaten i denna rapport indikerar att det råder en kontrast i val av riskreducerande strategier mellan de i den taktisk och operationella nivån i en organisation. Skillnader i tillvägagångssätt mellan dessa grupper i förhållande till beslutsfattande påverkar valet av riskreducerande strategier. Detta kan leda till ineffektiv riskhantering då det finns en chans att valda riskreducerande strategier kan motverkar varandra och därigenom bli verkningslösa på en aggregerad nivå på grund av besluts som fattats på den taktiska och operationella nivån står i kontrast till varandra. I ett försök att minska skillnader som existerat i den organisatoriska strukturen i förhållande till riskreducerande strategier så har ett verktyg utvecklats som möjliggör en jämförelse av flera riskreducerande strategier samt deras påverkan på förmågan. Därmed kan det hjälpa företag att välja riskreducerande strategier så att de inte motarbetar varandra genom att fokusera på risker som är positivt korrelerade istället för negativt korrelerade. Medans också minska gapet mellan hur olika beslutsfattande nivåer förhåller sig till risk och riskhantering.

Genom en rad globala kriser har de senaste åren tydliggjort hur en ökad global osäkerhet,inramad genom VUCA-teorin (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity), harpåverkat företags riskhanteringsstrategier för lagerhantering och lokaliseringsbeslut. Studienundersöker Just in Time, Just in Case, reshoring- och regionaliseringsstrategier som svar påglobala kriser likt COVID-19, Suezkanalsblockaden samt Ryssland-Ukraina-konflikten.Händelserna har tydliggjort de globala leveranskedjornas sårbarhet, vilket medfört enomvärdering av supply chain management med ett ökat fokus på robusthet mot externaförändringar. Riskminimerande strategier likt omlokalisering av leverantörer och ökadlagerhållning kan dock medföra ökade kostnader. Studien ämnar därmed att undersöka omkriserna i närtid har haft en påverkan på företags strategier gällande risktagande samt vilkatrender som kan urskiljas mellan geografiska beslut och lagerhållningsstrategier. Studien harundersökt forskningsområdet genom kvalitativ forskning där datainsamling genomförtsgenom bland annat intervjuer med personer med insyn och ansvar inom sex globala företagsleveranskedjor. Resultatet visar på ett förhållande mellan stora säkerhetslager, Just in case,samt möjlighet att förlägga leverantörer med lång geografisk distans, offshoring. Motsatvishar även ett förhållande funnits mellan riskhanteringsstrategin med närliggande leverantörer,reshoring/regionalisering och möjlighet att tillämpa små lagernivåer, Just in time. Studien hardärmed bidragit med insikter om hur företags riskhanteringsstrategier förändrats till följd avomvärldsosäkerhet, samt hur de geografiska och lagerhållningsmässiga strategiernaprioriteras av globala företag.

No description available.

The globalization of business has contributed to an increased risk within companies' supply chains. To manage these changes and risks within the supply chain, Supply Chain Risk Management has been important for businesses in order to be able to better detect, predict, avoid or reduce effects with a negative impact within the supply chain.The Covid-19 pandemic has caused disruptions and risks to companies' supply chains on a global level, which has put robustness and resilience to the test. For this reason, it is necessary to investigate how companies handle risks and disruptions as a result of Covid-19 in the supply chain.The aim of this study was to identify and prioritize disruptions that have been caused as a result of global disruptions such as the Covid-19 pandemic with the aim of being able to contribute with risk reduction measures for these types of disruptions. This was carried out through a case study at a manufacturing company in the forest industry, where the risks were identified through a review of documents, theory and proposals from the head of department at Supply Chain Management Logistics. Semistructured interviews with a total of ten informants were conducted in order to obtain information on how several of these risks have caused disruptions and consequences.In order to be able to prioritize the risks, risk assessments have been carried out by the same informants from the case company where the risks were valued and classified in risk matrices. The study showed that risks related to disrupted production, staff shortages, political disruptions, natural disasters, uncertain business scenarios, fully booked ferries, driver shortages, delivery disruptions, cargo shortages and risks linked to contractors at the production unit have caused consequences within the global supply chain.The two aggregated risk matrices showed that the risks related to staff shortages, natural disasters, disrupted production and risks linked to contractors in the production unit were the most serious and should therefore be prioritised and require risk mitigation measures.