Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Purchasing organisation'

Leveraging purchasing power through collaborative purchasing arrangements is widely used to deliver efficiency savings in public procurement. The success of such arrangements requires the purchasing behaviours of individual members of the collaborative organisation to change in order to realise the benefits of lower prices. However the actual purchasing behaviours of organisations within a collaborative purchasing arrangement have not been widely researched. The research uses a stationary stochastic model of buyer behaviour, the NBDDirichlet, to describe and predict the purchasing behaviours of buyers of coronary and ureteral stents in a collaborative purchasing organisation in the English National Health Service. The three year analysis period is a period of major change for each category, the result of supplier promotional activity in the ureteral stent case and purchasing management activity in the case of the coronary stents. Deviations between the observed patterns of behaviour and the model predictions point to violations of the basic Dirichlet requirements of stationary markets and lack of partitioning. In both the ureteral and coronary stent cases the research identifies a segment of frequent purchasers whose behaviour differs from the rest of the population. The impact of framework agreements in restricting the purchasing repertoire of buyers is also identified as a deviation from typical purchasing patterns. Both interventions result in changes to established loyalty patterns, whereby the initial high observed levels of loyalty towards particular suppliers are replaced by a greater willingness to purchase from alternative suppliers. The data analysis also provides preliminary evidence for purchase deceleration as buyers defer purchases during a negotiation period in anticipation of improved pricing.

ITAB Shop Concept Nässjö AB is a major actor in the shop interior decoration market. ITAB has during several years, seen their inventory levels increase and has experienced efficiency problems in their purchasing. Part of ITAB's problems is their customers’ very unsteady demand and their inability to give ITAB good information on when and where they will open or refurbish their stores. In ITAB’s efforts to improve their purchasing they have decided to move from a system where they exchange single orders with their suppliers, with a given, fixed delivery time, to a system of sending block orders and exchange forecasts. The block order system means that ITAB places an order for the full amount of an article needed during a set period. The suppliers will then deliver the amount needed by ITAB at several occasions specified by ITAB. Delivery schedules and forecast will give the supplier the information as to how much and when to deliver. However, this change has yet to be implemented. The purpose of this study is thus to analyse what effects such a change might have on ITAB and their suppliers.

The study made is based on a qualitative approach. The information used to analyse the problem was acquired through several semi-structured interviews with different managers within ITAB as well as two people within each of the supplier organisations. Five of ITAB’s suppliers were interviewed. The people interviewed in the supplier organisations all belonged to sales, or order department or production planning or vice president. Mapping was used to illustrate the current order flow, purchasing flow, and production flow within ITAB as well as the order flow in the supplier organisations.

The outcome of the interviews was that several of the suppliers showed a very positive attitude to the implementation of the block order system. The cooperation between them and ITAB seemed, according to both parties, to be working well. A good relationship is a good basis to introduce new routines and deepen the relationship. The suppliers believed that a forecast would give them the possibility to improve their production planning as well as their capacity use. However, each supplier set terms for its implementation. One being that the information sharing between the two companies must improve. ITAB also have to take the responsibility as well as ownership of everything they purchase. If this is the case, most suppliers aired a certain promise to be able to store ITAB’s products before delivering and to be able to implement the block order system. However, there need to be further negotiations between ITAB and the suppliers to discuss and settle the exact terms of contract.

It is the authors’ belief that some prerequisites must be fulfilled before ITAB implements the block order system. The information sharing between the two companies must improve. If the forecast shall give the suppliers some benefits, they need to be as accurate as possible. The communication about orders has to be timelier and fit the suppliers lead times better. Today, the suppliers often receive order information from ITAB too late, which causes difficulties. If the suppliers are to trust the forecasts, they must be as accurate as possible. It is the author’s belief that if this is not so the suppliers will increase their inventory costs as well as continue to have difficulties delivering. It is also the author’s belief that the communication between sales and purchasing in ITAB needs to improve so that the forecast can be updated in a timely fashion as well as correctly. More involvement of suppliers as well as purchasing and production within ITAB’s product development phase could help them prepare for changes, and prevent mishaps.

Inköp har en direkt påverkan på ett företags lönsamhet, vilket gör att fokus på att reducera inköpskostnader kan leda till stora positiva effekter. Inköp i ett företag är i regel organiserad i en hierarkisk struktur som bör anpassas utifrån de utmaningar ett företag ställs inför. En av faktorerna som påverkar inköpsorganisationens struktur är vilken centraliseringsgrad som används. Tenhults Pressgjuteri AB hade år 2011 en omsättning på 90 miljoner SEK och 75st anställda. Företaget har nyligen expanderat kraftigt vilket har lett till strukturella problem i inköpsorganisationen. Dessa problem syns bland annat i ansvarsfördelningen av inköp är otydlig. Företagets ledning har upplevt att inköpsorganisationen har blivit svårare att överblicka och styra vilket har lett till att de överväger att centralisera inköpsorganisationen. Examensarbetets syfte är att utreda inköpsorganisationen på Tenhults Pressgjuteri bland annat genom att applicera teorier framtagna för stora företag. För att uppfylla syftet har följande tre frågeställningar formulerats: Vilka styrkor och svagheter finns i inköpsorganisationen? Vilka förbättringsmöjligheter finns i inköpsorganisationen? Vilken grad av centralisering i inköpsorganisationen är lämplig? Inköpsorganisationen på företaget är fördelat bland olika avdelningar. Totalt har 13 anställda intervjuats under examensarbetet. Att ansvarsfördelningen är otydlig har sin grund i företagets förändring sedan det grundades. Att centralisera inköpsorganisationen är ett beslut från ledningen och är inte en nödvändighet enligt de anställda. Företaget brister i många steg i inköpsprocessen. De största bristerna återfinns vid utvärdering av leverantörsprestationer och genomförda inköp. Val av leverantör baseras ofta på pris. Företaget har hög teknisk kompetens bland de anställda. Företaget behöver skapa en struktur över inköpsorganisationen. De behöver utveckla strategi och taktik vid inköp och börja utvärdera genomförda inköp och leverantörernas prestationer. De bör använda de inköpsverktyg som finns tillgängliga och använda rätt kompetens vid rätt köp. Slutligen så rekommenderas företaget att fortsätta utveckla de områden som har bedömts som bra för att undvika att dessa blir förbisedda. Med hänsyn till Tenhults Pressgjuteris mål att växa 15 % varje år och de förutsättningar som företaget har bedöms den blandade centraliseringsgraden vara mest lämplig. Vissa av företagets inköp flyttas till en central inköpsavdelning medan tekniskt svåra artiklar köps in av lämpliga anställda. Detta alternativ ger god möjlighet för företaget att arbeta strategiskt med inköp och anses vara genomförbart.
Purchasing has a direct impact on a company’s profitability, which means that focusing on reducing purchasing costs can lead to large positive effects. The purchasing function in a company is usually organized in a hierarchical structure which depends on the challenges the company faces. One factor that affects the organization structure is what degree of centralization that is being used. Tenhults Pressgjuteri AB had the year 2011 sales of 90 million SEK and currently employs 75 people. The company has recently expanded significantly which has led to structural problems in the purchasing organization. Company directors have experienced that the purchasing organization is becoming more difficult to monitor and control and are considering a centralized purchasing organization. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the purchasing organization at Tenhults Pressgjuteri which also includes applying theories developed for large companies. To fulfill this purpose, the following three questions have been formulated: What strengths and weaknesses are there in the purchasing organization? What opportunities for improvement are there in the purchasing organization? What degree of centralization for the purchasing organization is appropriate? The purchasing organization is spread among several departments. A total of 13 employees have been interviewed during this thesis. Responsibilities within the purchasing process are unclear due to changes in the company since it was founded. The decision to centralize the purchasing organization is made by management and not a necessity from the view of the employees. Many steps in the purchasing process are not performed properly. The main inadequacies are found where evaluation of both supplier performance and the purchase is made. Supplier selection is often based on price. The company has a high technical expertise among the employees. The company needs to create a structure in the purchasing organization. They need to develop strategies and tactics for purchasing and start evaluating purchases and supplier’s performance. The company should make use of the purchasing tools that are available and use the right competence for the right purchase. Finally, we recommend the company to continue to develop the areas of the purchasing that have been estimated to be acceptable to avoid that they are overlooked. Considering Tenhults Pressgjuteris goal to grow 15 % each year and the conditions that the company has, the mixed degree of centralization is estimated to be most appropriate. Some of the company’s purchases are moved to a central purchasing department while technically difficult items still remains at appropriate staff. This option provides a good opportunity for the company to work strategically with purchase and is considered viable.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the suppliers’ view of their relation to Stora Enso. The study focuses on the relation between the central purchasing unit of Stora Enso and the suppliers but also gives indications of how the overall interface between Stora Enso and the suppliers works. The purpose is explored through a number of research objectives, which are presented below.

Areas essential for the functioning of the central purchasing unit:

- The overall organisation of Stora Enso’s purchasing activities,

- Stora Enso’s cross-functional purchasing teams,

- The internal coordination and communication,

- The relational bonds between Stora Enso and the suppliers

Important goals and visions for the central purchasing unit:

- Minimising the Total Business Cost,

- Being an attractive partner to the suppliers

Currently discussed issues within the central purchasing organisation:

- The potential for closer cooperation between Stora Enso and the suppliers,

- The professionalism of Stora Enso’s purchasers

Stora Enso is well organised for purchasing but the centrally coordinated cross-functional teams are not working as well as they could. The internal coordination has improved lately but the central purchasing unit’s mission to optimise for Stora Enso as a whole often creates tension within the organisation, as a result of the mills being profit centres. The internal communication is not efficient, and the suppliers are strengthening their bonds with the mills by taking over the responsibility for certain information flows. The central purchasing unit and the cross-functional teams have the responsibility but not the authority to carry out their task of identifying and reducing the Total Business Cost. Stora Enso is an attractive customer for their suppliers, mainly because of the big volumes they represent. The current negotiation strategies are not advantageous for the introduction of collaborative supplier relations but other factors in the relation between the suppliers and Stora Enso speak strongly in favour for such a strategic change. When it comes to professionalism and business moral the suppliers give the central purchasing unit a very positive evaluation.

The purpose of this thesis is to propose a standardization model for the purchase process of legal professional services leveraging e-Procurement and to validate the benefits brought by the implementation of both, an e-Procurement tool and a new procurement process. The hypotheses of this thesis are applicable to the procurement of legal professional services of large companies with a central legal department in charge of managing the relations with different legal firms (legal services suppliers). The information presented was gathered in a large global manufacturing company with strong presence in Europe. The procurement of legal professional services throughout the entire organization was analyzed and validated by central legal department based in the headquarters. An innovative model for the procurement of the legal services has been proposed based on different findings in the current literature. Also, a model developed by Ronchi et al. was leveraged to quantitatively measure the benefits brought by the implementation of e-Procurement. The model was implemented in the organization with the help of central purchasing and legal departments. The results showed it is possible to standardize the operative procurement of legal professional services for end-users to perceive the same process as the one used for direct purchases of office supplies. In order to accomplish this, some roles and an important transformation within the organization must be carried out. A general model to implement a comprehensive procurement process leveraging e-Procurement is presented in this study. The conclusions are that the specialized procurement literature focuses very little on service procurement standardization and even less in legal professional services or process standardization through e-Procurement, and thus this study and the model introduced might work as a starting point for professional practitioners or academic researchers alike. Further research topics are suggested at the end of this study to continue research on this topic.

This paper will answer which factors are important for the business relation between a small Swedish import company and a Chinese contractor. The problem is based partly in theories that points to cultural and organizational differences between Sweden and China, and partly in current examples from Swedish companies. The relevant data has been collected by interviews with three small Swedish companies that are currently using Chinese contractors.

The result is that the differences between the countries and organizations exist, but that they do not interfere with the inter-company relations. The conclusion is that our result contradicts

the established theories in the field, and that a more comprehensive investigation is warranted.

Denna uppsats skall svara på vilka faktorer som är viktiga för en handelsrelation mellan ett litet svenskt importföretag och en kinesisk leverantör. Problemet grundar sig dels i teorier som visar på kulturella och organisatoriska skillnader mellan Sverige och Kina och dels aktuella exempel från svenska företag. För att få fram relevant data har vi intervjuat tre svenska småföretag som använder sig av leverantörer i Kina.

Resultatet är att skillnaderna mellan länderna och organisationerna finns, men att det inte stör relationen företagen emellan. Slutsatsen blir därför att vårt resultat motsäger dom etablerade teorierna i ämnet, och att en mer omfattande undersökning är befogad.

Conceptual development in the purchasing of professional business services has been limited to date. A critical examination of purchasing in this specific context is necessary given the distinctive nature and characteristics of professional business services. In view of this map, this research explores the purchasing of professional business services, looking specifically at the purchasing of occupational health services. The occupational health services context is an ideal case context of study given the similar nature and service characteristics of these services when compared with other professional business services. In light of the current state of theory development, a post positivist approach to research emphasising the discovery and or the corroboration of theories in the path to theory development formed the basis of this research. In this regard, conceptual material was drawn from the related fields of services marketing and industrial goods purchasing. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative tools, these concepts were applied in the context of purchasing occupational health services in a sample of 360 organisations that consisted of FTSE 350 companies and selected public sector organisations. Subsequently, through theoretical sampling, a range of buying situations particularly possible transactional ones in in-depth study of seven buyer and service provider dyads was undertaken. It was concluded that the relational models of purchasing were applicable to all cases studied in this specific context. However, in exploring the dynamics of relational purchasing, the relationships underpinning the process were found to be heterogeneous. An understanding of the dynamics of these relationships formed the foundation for a classification of ideal type relationships. This proposed typology represents the first step in developing a conceptual model for understanding inter-organisational interaction and relationships. Comparison of conceptual development at this level sets the stage for empirical testing through future research.

This thesis investigates the role of purchasing managers (and departments) in supplier relationships( SRs) and assesses the impact of their role on SRs' performance. Driven by the importance of outsourcing in organisations, there is an intense interest in academia in the study of SRs and an increased awareness that purchasing has an important role to play in their management. In the literature however there appears to be an incoherent view of the actual role of purchasing in SRs, which is limited to anecdotal accounts that take the vague assumption that purchasing managers and departments, by virtue of their position in organisations, manage the SRs. The aim of this thesis is to push theory forward by exploring this role in a systematic way and to investigate whether and how it varies across SRs that involve the exchange of products/services with certain structural characteristics.I n that way it generates insights about how the purchasing function can be leveraged to better manage SRs. A multiple case study research design is employed in order to achieve a deeper and greater understanding of the processes that define the actual role of purchasing. Empirical research is conducted in two large service organisations in the UK (a financial organisation and an airport operator), examining seven diverse SRs that involve the exchange of products and services with different levels of asset specificity and criticality. An integrated framework of various activities that purchasing managers are involved in for the management of SRs is developed initially. The way that purchasing managers conduct these activities in the different SRs is then examined to generate insights about the actual role of purchasing in the individual SRs that is defined in terms of four variables (level of contribution to the development of trust in the SR, level of power in the SRs, level of involvement in the SR and level of contribution to the development of commitment in the SR). With the use of a gap analysis model to assess the performance of the individual SRs, the impact of the role of purchasing on SRs performance is finally extrapolated. The results provide support for the following primary conclusion. The widely held assumption that purchasing managers are in effect supply chain managers is tempered by the findings of this research, which observed a far more limited role for purchasing managers (and a negative impact) in the management of SRs relating to products/services which have high levels of criticality and asset specificity. Their negative impact in such SRs was also observed to have implications for the dyadic relationship of the purchasing department with the internal (customer) departments, which under certain conditions can create problems of coordination in the organisations. From a managerial point of view this thesis demonstrates in a systematic way the contribution and role of purchasing to SRs. The framework of activities that is developed may provide a useful reference point for the auditing and improvement initiatives of purchasing professionals in SRs. From this, guidance about the types of situation in which certain activities may be more important than others will provide a useful guide to how purchasing departments may be involved in an effective and efficient way. Academically, this thesis utilises an innovative conceptual method in evaluating SRs by incorporating two major theoretical frameworks and provides with insights in delineating the actual role of the purchasing function in SRs. Finally, the thesis contributes to the ongoing debate of the establishment of a contiguous Supply Chain Management discipline, by investigating its problem domain.

I tillverkande företag kan inköpskostnaden stå för 60–80 procent av den totalaproduktkostnaden. Det framhäver vikten av att identifiera en kostnadseffektiv inköpsstrategi som reducerar totalkostnad för inköp. En sådan inköpsstrategi kan vara inköp av större ordervolym för att erhålla volymbaserat pris. Tidigare forskning om volymbaserat pris centreras kring inköp av standardkomponenter i stora volymer, således finns en bristande forskning om volymbaserat pris för organisationer som inte tillämpar denna typ av inköp. Studien syftar därför till att med en explorativ fallstudie, studera hur ökad ordervolym med samkoordinerade inköp påverkar totalkostnad för inköp hos en organisation med hög kundanpassning och låg årlig ordervolym. En organisation som arbetar enligt engineer-to-order (ETO) med storskaliga projekt, hög kundanpassning och låg årlig ordervolym har således använts som huvudsaklig empirisk kontext för fallstudien. Datainsamlingen har i fallstudien bestått av en metodkombination som inkluderar en dominerande kvalitativ fas följt av en underliggande kvantitativ fas. Insamlade data användes sedan i en kostnadsanalys för att utvärdera hur identifierade faktorer påverkade organisationens totalkostnad för inköp och huruvida samkoordinerade inköp kan anses som en kostnadseffektiv inköpsstrategi i denna kontext. Resultatet från studien visar att inköpspris reduceras och lagerkostnad ökar vid samkoordinerade inköp för organisationer med hög kundanpassning och låg årlig ordervolym. Den köpande organisationen kan påverka faktorerna: ordervolym och utformning av artiklar, vilket skapar en kostnadsförändring för leverantörernas faktorer: tillverkning, material, transport och administration. Kostnadsanalysen visar att kostnadsreducering uppnås vid samkoordinerade inköp för den studerade organisationen. Viss osäkerhet kring resultatet uppstår då samkoordinerade inköp skapar en ny situation för lagerhantering där kostnadsuppgifter saknas. Enligt studien kan synergierna av samkoordinerade inköp förstärkas genom ett skifte mot single sourcing, centraliserade inköp och ökad grad av standardisering. Studiens främsta bidrag är en identifikation av de faktorer som påverkas i leverantörernas verksamhet vid en kombination av samkoordinerade inköp och karaktäristiken av ETO, samt hur dessa genererar volymbaserat pris.
In manufacturing companies, the purchase cost can account for 60-80 percent of the total product cost. The high purchase cost emphasizes the importance of identifying a cost-effective purchasing strategy that reduces the total cost of purchasing. Such a purchasing strategy can be to purchase larger order volumes in order to obtain quantity discounts. Previous research on quantity discounts is centered on the purchase of standard components in large volumes, thus a lack of research on quantity discounts for organizations that do not apply this type of purchase exists. Therefore, this study aims to examine how a larger order volume with coordinated purchases affects the total cost of purchasing for an organization with high customer customization and low annual order volume. It was done with an exploratory case study of an organization that operates according to engineer-to-order (ETO) with large-scale projects, high customer customization and low annual order volume. The data collection in the case study consisted of a mixed-method approach that includes a dominant qualitative phase followed by an underlying quantitative phase. The collected data was further used in a cost analysis to evaluate how identified factors affected the organisation's total cost of purchasing and whether coordinated purchases can be considered a cost-effective purchasing strategy in this context. The result of the study shows that the purchase price is reduced, and the inventory cost is increased by coordinated purchases for organizations with high customer customization and low annual order volume. The purchasing organization can affect the factors: order volume and design of items, which results in a cost change for the supplier’s factors: manufacturing, materials, transport and administration. The cost analysis shows that a cost reduction is achieved through coordinated purchases for the studied organisation. Some uncertainties about the result arises as coordinated purchases create a new situation for inventory management where cost data is missing. The synergies of coordinated purchasing can further be enhanced by a shift towards single sourcing, centralized purchasing and increased degree of standardization. The main contribution of the study is the identification of factors in the suppliers' operations that are affected by the combination of coordinated purchases and the characteristics of ETO, and how they generate quantity discounts.

Inköp av material i byggbranschen genomförs traditionellt med lägsta pris som främsta kriterium. Vidare sker inköpen ofta lokalt i respektive byggprojekt, vilket oftast leder till kortsiktiga relationer med leverantörer. Dock visar forskning på att kortsiktiga relationer inte alltid är mest gynnsamma. Det anses istället vara mer fördelaktigt att låta sig inspireras av andra industrier och upprätta långsiktiga relationer och leverantörssamarbeten som sträcker sig över flera byggprojekt. År 2014 förvärvade ett av Sveriges största byggföretag en fabrik som tillverkar prefabricerade produkter i fiber- och gråbetong. Uppköpet var en så kallad vertikal integration och en del i ett koncept för att industrialisera bostadsbyggandet. Förvärvet innebar inte bara ett upprättande av en långsiktig relation utan således även en integration av en leverantör i företagets värdekedja.  Syftet med det här examensarbetet är att bättre förstå hur en sådan intern långsiktig leverantörsrelation fungerar i byggbranschen. Syftet med studien är även att utveckla kunskap och komma med förbättringsförslag kring hur en långsiktig intern affärsrelation kan utvecklas.  Studien anses som kvalitativ och grundar sig på en litteraturstudie, semi-strukturerade intervjuer, interna dokument, platsbesök och observationer. En abduktiv forskningsansats har använts då teori och empiri varvats längs studiens gång. Undersökningen kan även ses som explorativ då slutmålet från början inte var känt.     Studien påvisar och konfirmerar att en intern långsiktig relation är komplex men fördelaktig då det bland annat möjliggör en ökad kontroll och utveckling av både den levererade produkten och relationen. Vidare visar studien att den levererade produktens komplexitet har stor betydelse. Undersökningen åskådliggör även att en kombination av ett externt och internt förhållningssätt till en relation kan vara mest fördelaktigt trots att leverantören definitionsmässigt är intern. Likväl som i externa långsiktiga relationer är även begrepp såsom tillit, engagemang, förväntningar och beroende centrala i interna relationer, men bör utifrån förutsättningarna ses på ett annat sätt. Byggbranschens projektorientering och traditionsenlighet visar sig också påverka en implementering av långsiktiga interna relationer. Vidare förekommer andra mötesforum och socialiseringsprocesser tillskillnad mot externa kortsiktiga relationer. Då den undersökta relationen är en del i ett större koncept visar det sig även möjliggöra förekomsten av fler än två parter, vilket får en påverkan på beslutsfattandet i relationen.     För att utveckla relationen anses tidigare nämnda begrepp som tillit, förväntningar, engagemang, kommunikation, beslutsfattande och beroende vara något som man tankemässigt bör ha med sig. Vidare bör beställare och leverantör tillsammans anpassa sig till varandras processer och arbetsstrukturer. Gemensamma långsiktiga mål bör även formuleras.  För att utveckla en långsiktig intern relation bör även institutionaliseringens fördelar utnyttjas. Detta innebär att kontaktmönster, kommunikationsverktyg och kontaktvägar bör vänjas in och utvecklas över tid. För att engagera och motivera individerna till att vara delaktiga i relationen rekommenderas även nya typer av mötesforum som komplement till de redan existerande.
Purchasing of material in the construction industry is traditionally carried out with lowest price as main criteria. In addition, purchasing often occurs separately in each project, which usually ends up with short-term relationships with suppliers. However, research shows that that short-term relationships are not always the most advantageous. It is considered as more advantageous to obtain inspiration from diverse industries and establish long-term relationships with suppliers that lasts over numerous projects.  In 2014 one of Sweden’s largest construction companies acquired a manufacturer that produces prefabricated concrete elements. The acquisition was a vertical integration and a part of an industrialized house building concept. Hence, the acquisition did not only establish a long-term relationship, it also integrated a supplier in the company’s supply chain.  The purpose with this thesis is to clarify and understand how an intra-organizational long-term supplier relationship is managed in the construction industry. The purpose is also to contribute with knowledge in how to develop such a relationship.  The study is considered as qualitative and is based on literature studies, semi-structured interviews, internal documents, site visits, and personal impressions from meetings. An abductive research approach has been conducted since empirics and theory have been alternated during the study. The survey can also be identified as an explorative study since there was not a clear objective when the study was initiated.  The study reveals and confirms that an internal long-term relationship is complex but advantageous. The long-term focus enables an increased control and development of the product as well as the relationship. The study also illustrated that a combination of an external and internal approach to the relationship is most advantageous, even though the relationship is defined as intra-organizational. In inter-organizational relationships, concepts such as trust, commitment, expectations, and dependence seems to be important in intra-organizational relationships as well, but should be viewed in a different way. The strong project orientation and traditionalism in the construction industry is also considered to affect an internal long-term relationship. Furthermore, in contrast to inter-organizational short-term relationships, other kinds of meeting forums and socialization processes exists. Since the studied relationship is part of a larger concept, more than two parties seem to be involved in the relationship. This, among other things, affect the decision-making process in the relationship.  To develop the relationship, stated concepts such as trust, expectation, commitment, communication, decision-making and dependence should be kept in mind. Furthermore, buyer and supplier should try to adapt to each other’s processes and work structures. To develop a long-term internal relationship, the benefits of institutionalization should also be used, enabling buyer and suppliers to develop and familiarize roles, communication tools and contact routes. To engage and motivate individuals to participate in the relationship, new types of meeting forums are also recommended to complement the ones that already exist.

Cette thèse porte sur l’externalisation de la gestion achats-approvisionnements-logistiques des articles dits « Classe C » sur un site ALSTOM. La Classe C chez ALSTOM est une famille d’achats regroupant des articles hétérogènes à faible valeur unitaire (marchés, technologies, prix, de volumes, poids). Mobilisant la Théorie des Coûts de Transaction, la Théorie de l’Agence, ainsi que les travaux sur la fonction Achat et l’externalisation, cette recherche analyse les facteurs déterminants et les risques liés à l’externalisation des activités, notamment des Achats, et ce en vue d’améliorer la gestion externalisée des achats et les approvisionnements de la classe C. L'auteur de ce travail, praticien-chercheur, privilégie la Recherche Action. Il a fondé son enquête sur des entretiens demi-directifs auprès de professionnels impliqués dans la gestion de la Classe C, et abouti à des résultats qui mettent non seulement en évidence les problèmes de redéfinition du périmètre externalisé, des ressources, de la fiabilité de l’expression des besoins, du contrôle et de la mesure de la performance, mais permettent aussi de suggérer des solutions aux problèmes mentionnés, comme par exemple la définition de la classe C et de son périmètre
This research is devoted to the outsourcing of Sourcing-Supply-Logistics management of articles called "C Class" at ALSTOM´s. ALSTOM´s C-Class is a purchasing family that groups items with low unit value and heterogeneous (markets, technologies, prices, volumes and weights). By utilizing the Transaction Costs Theory and the Agency Theory, as well as some case-studies on the purchasing function and the outsourcing, this thesis analyzes the determinants and risks associated with outsourcing of activities, including purchasing, in order to improve the outsourced management of purchasing and supply of C class. Its author, as a practitioner-researcher, favors Action Research. He based his investigation on semi-structured interviews with professionals involved in the management of the C-Class, produced results that not only the problems of redefining the scope of outsourced resources, reliability of expression of needs, control and performance measurement, but also suggest solutions to the aforementioned problems, such as the definition of class C and its perimeter
Esta tesis está dedicada a la externalización de la adquisición, suministro y gestión de logística de los artículos llamados "Clase C" en un ALSTOM sitio. La Clase C en ALSTOM es una familia de compras que agrupamiento artículos con bajo valor unitario y heterogéneos mercados, tecnologías, precios, volúmenes, pesos. Movilizando la Teoría de Costes de Transacción, la Teoría de la Agencia, así como algunos trabajos sobre la función de compras y la contratación externa, esta investigación analiza los factores determinantes y los riesgos de la externalización de actividades, incluyendo las compras, para mejorar la adquisición del externalizado y suministro de Clase C. El autor, practicante-investigador, recurrió a la investigación-acción y basó su investigación en entrevistas semi-estructuradas con los profesionales que intervienen en la gestión de la Clase C y produjo resultados que no sólo relieven los problemas relacionados con el alcance de los recursos externalizados, la fiabilidad de la expresión de las necesidades y el control y la medición del desempeño, pero ofrecen también soluciones a los problemas mencionados, tales como la definición de la Clase C y su perímetro
آلستوم ترابری، برون¬سپاری، گروهc، خرید، ذخیره، پشتیبانی، سازمان¬دهی، راه¬بُرد، شاغل-پژوهشگر، پژوهش- اقدام.این پشتیبانی - تأمین آن دسته از قطعاتی که بنام گروه"c" در پایگاه¬های آلستوم رده¬بندی شده¬اند، می¬پردازد. گروه "c" در این پایگاه¬ها، مجموعۀ قطعات خرید با ارزش کم برای هر واحد است که دارای بازار، فناوری، بها، میزان سفارش، وزن و اندازۀ متفاوت هستند. با کاربرد نظریه "هزینۀ مبادله" و نظریه "نمایندگی" همچنین، موردکاوی¬های کارکرد خرید و برون¬سپاری، این پژوهش، عوامل تعیین¬کننده و ریسکهای مربوط به برون¬سپاری فعالیت¬ها، شامل خریدها را جهت بهبود مدیریت برون¬سپاری¬شدۀ خریدها و تأمین گروه "c" مورد تحلیل قرار می¬دهد. نگارندۀ این پایان¬نامه، که خود شاغل- پژوهشگر است، روش پژوهش- اقدام¬ را ترجیح می¬دهد. از این رو کاوش خود را بر پایۀ مصاحبه¬های نیمه¬رهبری شده با کارکنان حرفه¬ای که شخصاً درگیر مدیریت خرید گروه "c" هستند، قرار داده و به نتایجی دست یافته است که نه تنها مسائل بازتعریف قلمرو منابع برون¬سپاری شده، قابلیت اطمینان بیان نیازها، کنترل و اندازه¬گیری عملکرد را آشکار می¬سازد، بلکه راهکارهایی بمنظور ترفیع مسائل پایان¬نامه به بررسی برون¬سپاری مدیریت خرید - مذکور،

Alors que la littérature fait état du manque de reconnaissance de la fonction achat, de sa difficulté à établir des relations collaboratives et de son incapacité à se légitimer autrement que par la réduction des coûts, les associations professionnelles exhortent les acheteurs à se professionnaliser en renouvelant leurs rôles, leurs pratiques et leurs liens avec les membres de l’organisation. En mobilisant la sociologie interactionniste des professions et le cadre d’analyse d’Abbott (1988, 2003) sur les juridictions professionnelles, cette recherche vise à améliorer la compréhension de la dynamique professionnelle des acheteurs et la manière dont ils se saisissent des dispositifs de contrôle intra et inter-organisationnels pour améliorer leur position dans la gouvernance des partenariats client-fournisseur. A travers une étude qualitative préliminaire et deux études de cas approfondies nous distinguons deux logiques dominantes de gestion des partenariats dans lesquelles la performance financière est soit légitime, soit en quête de légitimité. Dans chacun des contextes, nous décrivons les projets professionnels qui façonnent les solutions juridictionnelles et reflètent les univers cognitifs des acheteurs ; puis nous analysons la rhétorique et les compromis juridictionnels établis entre les acheteurs et les autres groupes professionnels
Literature points out a lack of recognition of the purchasing function, its difficuties to establish collaborative relationships with operationnal managers, and its inability to legitimize itself otherwise than by reducing costs. At the same time, professional associations urge buyers to professionalize by renewing their roles, their practices and their links with members of the organization. Building on this observation, we refer to the interactionist sociology of the professions’ research and Abbott’s framework on professional jurisdictions (1988, 2003) to enhance the understanding of buyers’ professional dynamics and how they take advantage of intra and inter-organizational control systems to improve their position in the governance of buyer-supplier partnerships. Through a preliminary qualitative study and two case studies, we first identify two dominant logics of partnership management in which financial performance is either legitimate or seeking legitimacy. Then, in each context, we describe the professional projects that shape the jurisdictional solutions and reflect the cognitive universes of buyers. Finaly, we analyze the rhetoric used by buyers and highlight the jurisdictional arrangements they established with other professional groups

This study sets out to ascertain the impact that the marketing initiatives of a retail chain have on the inventory levels of the retail chain. The stock levels of a retail chain are the source of many frustrations. However, through developing an efficient and effective supply of inventory, a viable, competitive advantage is created for the firm. The bullwhip effect is the name given to the fluctuation in demand for specific products that is seen through the supply chain, the discoverer of this effect was J W Forrester. The primary objective of this study is to identify whether the movement of stock through the supply chain identifies with the bullwhip effect where the influences of the marketing initiatives are felt. The secondary objective is to discover what impact the different role players have on this phenomenon, i.e. the store managers, buyers and suppliers. The promotion process is utilised as a tool to drive the strategy of the Clicks organisation, but a side effect is the creation of the Bullwhip Effect. The main problem is that the demand for the item is increased for a specific period and then the demand is either reduced to levels lower than before the promotion or will revert to the same level as before. Sales and stock movement data was recorded and graphically displayed to determine whether the Bullwhip effect was created. This research has highlighted the following problems: (a) There is no direct communication between the role players. (b) Decisions are based on somewhat dubious information. (c) Large promotional orders are based on sales history. (d) There are no real measures in place to rectify any errors. (e) The measuring criteria and KPAs differ between the role players. Recommendations derived from this research include: (f) Increase communication between the category buyers and the store managers. (g) Rather than bulk ship stocks to the stores, introduce a staggered shipping approach. (h) Create a position for a specialist person who can deal with the overstocks. This person would be responsible for reallocating overstocks including returning the overstocks to the DCs. (i) Reduce the number of "lost leaders" and extensive advertising of these "lost leaders" and rather concentrate on more generic advertising.
Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

This work is focusing on the issues of the organisation structure and the quality management in the area of purchasing in the selected company MOTOR JIKOV Strojírenská a. s. The goal of this work was to analyze the current state and to find opportunities (recommendations) for the improvement in the given area based on the knowledge gained by previous studies of special literature and commonly used methods of prestigious companies.