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1
Nyström, Josefine, and Vera Kling. "Förlorad Möjlighet : E-handelsföretags brist på medvetenhet begränsar möjligheter och påverkar beslut inom returhanteringsprocessen." Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Akademin för textil, teknik och ekonomi, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-25714.
Full textAbstract:
Bakgrund Returer är en avgörande del inom e-handel och bidrar till ett företags framgång och konkurrenskraft. Däremot fokuserar svenska e-handelsföretag främst på flödet till kund och returhanteringsprocessen är för närvarande en underutnyttjad affärsmöjlighet. Genom en effektiv och välutvecklad returhanteringsprocess kan e-handelsföretag erhålla värde. Dock är synen på returer ofta kopplade till höga kostnader, vilket bidrar till att returhanteringsprocessen förblir underprioriterad. Inom tidigare forskning finns det begränsad litteratur avseende returhanteringsprocessen utifrån ett företagsperspektiv. Syfte Syftet med uppsatsen är således att, med utgångspunkt ur ett företagsperspektiv, undersöka värdeadderande aktiviteter och effektiviseringsmöjligheter inom returhanteringsprocesser främst utifrån tid och kostnad men även miljö. Det genom att studera svenska e-handelsföretags returhanteringsprocesser inom detaljhandeln. Metod Uppsatsen har ett kvalitativt forskningsangrepp där tio semistrukturerade intervjuer legat till grund för datainsamlingen. Dessutom har sekundärdata samlats kring e-handelsföretagen och deras returhanteringsprocesser, vilka har kompletterat primärdata. Uppsatsen har ett företagsperspektiv, vilket innebär att respondenterna är representanter från olika svenska e-handelsföretag inom detaljhandeln som besitter kunskap om e-handelsföretagens returhanteringsprocess. Slutsats Slutligen konkluderar uppsatsen att det finns tre olika returhanteringssystem, det vill säga manuellt, digitalt och hybrid. Valet av returhanteringssystem beror på vad e-handelsföretagen anser vara värdeadderande aktiviteter. Det manuella returhanteringssystemet fokuserar på att skapa en enkel returhanteringsprocess för kund, medan det digitala returhanteringssystemet värdesätter effektivitet. Dessutom påverkas beslutet av returhanteringssystem på e-handelsföretagets storlek och returvolym. För att erhålla en effektiv och värdeadderande process bör ett digitalt returhanteringssystem användas. Dessutom visar uppsatsen att samtliga e-handelsföretag i framtiden kommer behöva genomgå en transformering till mer digitala returhanteringssystem för att vara konkurrenskraftiga.Background Returns are a crucial part of e-commerce and contributes to the company´s success and competitive edge. However, Swedish e-commerce companies mainly focus on the flow towards the customer and returns management is currently an underutilized business opportunity. Through an effective and well-developed returns management process the business can create greater value. Unfortunately, returns management is often overlooked as it perceives to entails higher costs. Additionally, there is a lack of literature regarding returns management from a business perspective. Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the value adding activities and opportunities for improved efficiency within the returns management process mainly with regards to time and cost but also sustainability. This will be achieved by gathering data pertaining to specific research questions from e-commerce businesses’ returns management processes within the retail sector. Method This thesis has a qualitative approach where ten semi-structured interviews and secondary data comprise the basis for data collection. This thesis has a business perspective, which means that the respondents are representatives from different Swedish e-commerce businesses within the retail sector that possess knowledge about the e-commerce business’s returns management process. Conclusion In summary, this thesis shows that there are three different returns management systems, namely manual, digital and hybrid systems. The choice of returns management system depends on what the e-commerce business considers to be value adding. The manual returns management system focuses on creating a simple returns management process for the customer, whereas the digital returns management system values efficiency. Furthermore, the choice of returns management system also depends on the size of the e-commerce business and their volume of returns. In order to achieve a value adding and effective process a digital returns management system should be used. Lastly, this thesis indicates that every e-commerce business in the future will need to transform into a digital returns management system in order to remain competitive. This thesis is written in Swedish.
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Hansson, Martin, Sören Rätzer, and Xiaoran Lin. "Return management systems within leisurewear at Strålfors : A multiple case study about third-part logistics and e-commerce." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för ekonomistyrning och logistik (ELO), 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-36009.
Full textAbstract:
While varies of supply chains are working on moving products towardsthe end consumers, there is also an increasing amount of productsbeing sent back. This has meant an increasing importance of the returnmanagement process. As many businesses have realized that the returnprocess has little connection with their core value, the idea ofoutsourcing return management crossed the mind of many companies.Third-party logistics (3PL) provider have also sensed the opportunityand begun to explore the possibility of providing such services forcompanies in need.
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Agudelo, Isabel. "Supply chain management in the cement industry." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/51643.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2009.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-89).
Traditionally supply chain management has played an operational role within cement and mineral extraction commodity companies. Recently, cost reduction projects have brought supply chain management into the limelight. In order to clarify the reasons of the evolution of supply chain management and to demonstrate the value of efficient supply chain management within the cement industry, an analysis of the cement supply chain has been carried out using Michael Porter's five forces. In addition, a comparative analysis of the supply chain strategy of the four largest cement companies has been presented, according to Larry Lapide's excellent supply chain framework. Also, a characterization of the current cement supply chain has been done, using the Supply Chain Council's SCOR model processes; plan, source, make, deliver and return. Five authors' various frameworks of supply chain design have been used to gain insight into the general characteristics of the cement supply chain and propose a definitive supply chain strategy. Finally, three case studies from mineral extraction commodity companies have been presented to demonstrate the potential of supply chain management. The study concludes that supply chain management has tremendous potential to add value as a strategic function for companies in these industries.
by Isabel Agudelo.
M.Eng.in Logistics
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Fantozzi, Esmè 1968. "A strategic approach to supply chain event management." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/28565.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2003.Includes bibliographical references (p. 35).
This thesis project explores the possibility to apply project management techniques, specifically critical path method, and PERT, to supply chain event management. The idea behind the project is to create a framework for putting supply chain events into a broader supply chain context and assessing their criticality. Such a framework can then be utilized as a starting point for supply chain event management software applications. The problem has been approached from a "micro" point of view, with the analysis and PERT modeling of a single order fulfillment process, and from a "macro" point of view, with the analysis and a very simple model of the inventory itself. Finally, there are important factors that can drive the development and adoption of such systems in the future, including a higher level of supply chain informatization, removal of inter-and intra-company communication barriers, and better software integration technologies to effectively link all the element of the supply chain network.
by Esmè Fantozzi.
M.Eng.in Logistics
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Gulati, Nitin, and Amar Sharma. "Identifying supply chain strategies of firms with best supply chain performance." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/59243.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (S.M. in System Design and Management)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, System Design and Management Program, 2010.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references.
The Global Business Climate has been rapidly changing and has become more competitive. Enterprise now not only needs to operate at a lower cost to compete, it must also develop its own core competencies to distinguish itself from competitors and stand out in the market. The focus has now moved towards improving operational efficiency to stay competitive. Supply Chain is one of the important areas which almost every company is currently working to improve their operation efficiency. Improving operational efficiency in supply chain has three aspects including improving supply chain strategies, following better supply chain management practices, and aligning supply chain strategy with overall business strategy. Our thesis research objective is to understand what policies, capabilities, and strategies of an enterprises leads to best supply chain management. The research is cross industry, across all supply chain management domain and will shed light on what makes companies "best performer" by identifying and exploring the distinctive capabilities required in five key supply chain domains that contribute to high performance in the relevant operational metrics. The domains studied in our research are supply chain planning, fulfillment, service management, product lifecycle management, and, manufacturing. Another objective of our thesis is to relate domain performance of the firm with the firm's value proposition. The three value propositions considered in the thesis are product leadership/innovation, cost competitiveness, and customer service.
by Nitin Gulati & Amar Sharma.
S.M.in System Design and Management
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Kanyagui, Kenneth (Kenneth K. ). "Impact of demographics on supply chain risk management practices." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/61179.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2010.Page 98 blank. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 91-92).
Do demographic factors play a role in the choice of supply chain risk management practices by supply chain professionals? Are there stronger relationships between certain demographic factors and supply chain risk management practices? Most supply chains today cuts across multiple countries, cultures, languages, income levels, and industries just to name a few. This means there are differences in supply chain risk management behaviors or attitudes. Is there a way to understand some of these differences better and will the management of global supply chains benefit from this knowledge?
by Kenneth Kanyagui.
M.Eng.in Logistics
7
Puri, Mohitkumar. "European supply chain study." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/58523.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, System Design and Management Program, 2009.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 71-77).
Introduction: Supply chain management has been defined as, "..a set of approaches utilized to efficiently integrate suppliers, manufacturers, warehouses and stores, so that merchandise is produced and distributed at the right quantities, to the right locations and at the right time, in order to minimize system-wide costs.... satisfying service level requirements.. " -- ".. integration of activities ..through improved supply chain relationships to achieve sustainable competitive advantage.. " -- "..coordination and collaboration with channel partners.. coordination of process and activities.. " [53] "..from the ore mine to the trash can... the production and distribution network that encompasses the sourcing, manufacturing, transportation, commercialization, distribution, consumption, and disposal of goods.. " -- "...flow of requirement information from buyer to seller which triggers all later activities, the movement of goods from sellers to buyers, transfer of ownership rights from seller to buyer and payment from buyer to seller. " The above definitions offer a broad spectrum of supply chain orientation and management choices available to companies. They could vary from a transactional orientation that is focused on low cost acquisition; to one where stronger relationships are established with key suppliers and customers in an effort to optimize and capture synergies; onward to a partnership orientation that is focused on supporting mutual goals for a sustainable competitive advantage. Making the right choice is essential. It can have a significant impact on a company's balance sheet and income statement. GSCF and SCOR are two popular process frameworks in supply chain management [36]. Corporate strategy is the starting point of the GSCF framework, with the operational aspects of customer relationship management and supplier relationship management linked to the strategy. Its process metrics are related to EVA. On the other hand, the SCOR framework focuses on transactional efficiency by integrating operational activities such as purchasing, operations, and logistics. It benchmarks process metrics to improve operational efficiency.
by Mohitkumar Puri.
S.M.
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Mauro, Joseph (Joseph Peter). "Strategic inventory management in an aerospace supply chain." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/44295.
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Thesis (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division; in conjunction with the Leaders for Manufacturing Program at MIT, 2008.Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-80).
This paper introduces multiple methods to set and optimize inventory levels. These methods are then classified based on the complexity involved to implement them. As an organization develops a deeper understanding of inventory, it becomes more mature and can apply more complex methods. This sequencing of methods is defined as a three phase maturity model. First, a foundational level of maturity is defined, which quantifies inventory levels based on future demand and business requirements. Second, a transitional level of maturity defines safety stock positioning in a single-echelon supply chain. Finally, the maturity model concludes with an optimal level of maturity that is based on principles of multi-echelon inventory optimization: safety stock at multiple positions of a supply chain. The setting for this paper was the Aerospace industry. Honeywell Aerospace is in the middle of a 3-year effort to re-engineer Sales, Inventory and Operations Planning (SIOP) systems. At the same time, Honeywell Aerospace is standardizing on a uniform implementation of an ERP system. Through SIOP, standard inventory and planning practices aided by the uniform ERP backbone and a strategic inventory program executive management hopes to reduce what is seen as a disproportionate contribution of inventory to Honeywell International.
by Joseph Mauro.
S.M.
M.B.A.
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Beinhaker, Ross 1978. "The impact of intelligent transportation systems on supply chain management." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/29522.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2004.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 192-195).
Businesses are constantly searching for ways to reduce costs and increase revenue. This is a fact of life in a world where shareholder value drives corporate actions. In order to become more profitable, these businesses develop new processes and techniques to create efficiency. This paper is focused on one particular new technology that can be used to increase corporate profitability--intelligent transportation systems. The primary research objective of this thesis is to determine the impact that differing levels of information can have on transportation practices, and therefore, in turn on corporate profitability. This information is collected, analyzed, and disseminated through the use of intelligent transportation systems. The end result of this work is a quantification of this impact and conclusions related to which informational practices should be implemented into the supply chain. An experimental setup is designed that uses the Los Angeles Highway System as a test-bed. Traffic data is collected on this network over a two-week period. This data is used as the foundation to perform a series of simulations using differing levels of information. Each of these information levels is compared to a baseline to yield a % time savings. Next, a sensitivity analysis is performed by introducing a random error term which is normally distributed with mean zero and a specified standard deviation. The author concludes that there appears to be a fairly consistent trend in the way differing levels of information provide value. Progressing up the information spectrum, it appears that more and more value can be extracted in the form of time savings over the baseline. A monetary framework is examined which translates the time savings derived in the simulations into financial
(cont.) performance. It is shown that a regional carrier with a modest fleet size is able to add millions of dollars per year in operating profit by using the highest levels of information in its supply chain practices. After the implementation costs are incorporated into the analysis, the savings from ITS have the potential to unlock significant value for a company. The author recommends that supply chain professionals incorporate intelligent transportation systems into their operations. All in all, the author believes that the pre-trip, predictive information level is likely to offer the most benefit to corporations at a reasonable cost for the near-term if an accurate forecast can be made.
Ross Beinhaker.
M.Eng.in Logistics
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Selot, Ajay. "Short-term supply chain management in upstream natural gas systems." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/46375.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, 2009.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 253-267).
Natural gas supply chain planning and optimization is important to ensure security and reliability of natural gas supply. However, it is challenging due to the distinctive features of natural gas supply chains. These features arise from the low volumetric energy density of natural gas and the significance of gas quality and pressure in supply chain operations. Contracts play a central role in the entire supply chain due to high capital cost, specificity and investment risks associated with gas infrastructure. An upstream production planning framework is crucial for supply-side optimization and scenario evaluation in the natural gas supply chain. The technical features of upstream systems imply that the most efficient mode of operation is by single entity central control of the system, while their economics favor involvement of multiple parties in ownership. To resolve this conflict, upstream systems are generally operated by a single operator on the basis of governing rules that stem from agreements between the upstream operator, multiple stakeholders and consumer facilities. These agreements govern production sharing, operational strategy and gas sales in the upstream system. A short-term operational planning framework (with a 2-12 weeks planning horizon) for upstream natural gas systems is presented that can help to maximize production infrastructure utilization and aid in its management, minimize costs and meet production targets while simultaneously satisfying governing rules. Its requirements are inspired by the Sarawak Gas Production System (SGPS), an offshore gas production system in the South China Sea, which supplies the liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant complex at Bintulu in East Malaysia. This is the first attempt to formulate a comprehensive modeling framework for an upstream gas production system that includes a production infrastructure model and a methodology to incorporate governing rules.
(cont.) The model has two components: the infrastructure model is a model of the physical system, i.e., of wells, trunkline network and facilities while the contractual model is a mathematical representation of the governing rules, e.g., production-sharing contracts (PSC), customer specifications and operational rules. The model formulation and objectives are from the perspective of the upstream operator. The infrastructure model incorporates the capability to track multiple qualities of gas throughout the network and determine the optimal routing and blending of gas such that the quality specifications are satisfied at the demand nodes. Nonlinear pressure-flowrate relationships in wells and the network are included for predicting a sufficiently accurate pressure-flowrate profile thereby facilitating implementation of the production strategy on the network. Modeling of complex platform configurations with reversible lines, lines that can be shut-off in normal operation and compression facilities, further improve the realistic representation of the network. A simplified prediction of natural gas liquids (NGL) production is included to maximize NGL revenue. The contractual model represents the framework for modeling the governing rules that are central to the operation of upstream systems. Modeling of productionsharing contracts is a two-fold challenge: accounting for gas volumes and converting the logical rules as stated in the system operations manual to binary constraints. A PSC network representation is proposed to account for gas volumes as well as interactions between different PSC. PSC rules are expressed as logical expressions in terms of availability, priority and transfer Boolean-states, and converted to binary constraints. Additional logical constraints are required to model the inference and intent of the rules. Operational rules can be modeled within the same framework.
(cont.) The resulting mathematical program is a mixed-integer nonlinear program (MINLP) with nonconvex functions and can be solved with the current state-of-the-art global optimization approaches, provided careful attention is paid to the model formulation.A hierarchical multi-objective approach is proposed to address multiple objectives when operating upstream systems, by optimizing a lower priority objective over the multiple optimal solutions of a program with a higher priority objective to obtain a win-win scenario. A reproducible case study that captures all the features of natural gas upstream systems is constructed to facilitate future work in algorithm development for such problems. A preliminary comparison with the existing approach indicates that substantial benefits may be possible by using the proposed approach for short-term planning. The application of a reduced-space global optimization approach to planning in upstream gas networks has also been demonstrated, which can significantly lower the number of variables in the branch-and-bound algorithm. The lower bounding problem is implemented using McCormick (convex) relaxations of computer evaluated functions and solved by implementing a nonsmooth bundle solver as a linearization tool to obtain a linear programming relaxation. The upper bounding problem is implemented using automatic differentiation and a local NLP solver. Branch-and-bound with reduction heuristics and linearization propagation is used for global optimization.This approach has been found to be competitive with current state-of-the-art global optimization algorithms for upstream planning problems.
by Ajay Selot.
Ph.D.
11
Reddy, Harry 1963. "Financial supply chain dynamics : operational risk management and RFID technologies." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33729.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2005.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-83).
The banking industry is consolidating to streamline its operations through mergers and acquisitions, and is adopting new technologies to develop innovative products and services, thereby achieving both economies of scale and scope. Operational risk management has become a serious issue in the banking industry. Some reputed banks are either forced to close down their operations (eg., Citibank Private Bank in Japan) or faced cost overruns (eg., Barings Bank in England) due to poor operational risk management. In the supply chain industry, businesses are engaged in devising effective solutions using RFID technologies to locate and track the goods. We present the dynamics of banking industry in terms of operational risk management, innovation and business strategies. We also present the process mapping of RFID technology use in banking business areas to minimize operational risks. We further come-up with an effective operational risk management framework for banks to follow in improving their operational risk management.
by Harry Reddy.
M.Eng.in Logistics
12
Penn, Robert Lewis. "Mitigation Strategies of Technostress on Supply Chain Management." ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3196.
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Logistics managers work to create practices that reduce technostress, which is associated with diminished productivity in supply chain management. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the mitigation strategies that logistics managers at distribution centers used to reduce technostress with their employees in the Los Angeles County, California area. The conceptual framework included in this study was the sociotechnical systems theory. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 6 logistics managers from large distribution centers who implemented mitigation strategies that demonstrably reduced technostress with their employees. Public documents and physical artifacts reviewed in this study included productivity assessment tools, information and communication technology system training materials, technostress mitigation instruments, and information from technological devices. Data were analyzed through a process of pattern matching, cross-case synthesis, and systematic text condensation. The findings included 6 themes: reliance on internal information technology experts; hiring temporary experts; maintaining communication and training; using time management skills and organizing priorities; identification and understanding of employee differences; and implementing well-being, fitness, and health programs. These findings could contribute to positive social change by providing logistics managers with strategies to reduce technostress, which could lead to improved employee well-being, better work conditions, and increased productivity for greater company profitability that could produce a more thriving and prosperous community.
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Singh, Narendra. "Product strategies in supply chains." Diss., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/53934.
Full textAbstract:
This doctoral dissertation titled "Product Strategies in Supply Chains" consists of three essays. In this dissertation, I study firms' strategic decisions regarding design of products and product lines in different supply chain contexts. I focus on firms' strategic interactions with supply chain members, including consumers and suppliers, in dynamic environments.
The first essay (Chapter 2) studies how the cost structure of and information asymmetry about an OEM's in-house option affect her choice of product design quality in a decentralized supply chain where the supplier specifies contract terms. The second essay (Chapter 3) examines the effect of product returns and their potential refurbishing on intertemporal product strategy and profit of a firm facing strategic consumers. We also examine the effect of product returns on the time inconsistency problem faced by the firm. The third essay (Chapter 4) investigates the impact of competition from a third-party remanufacturer on product strategy and profit of an OEM in the presence of strategic consumers. Motivated by general perception among practitioners and the extant literature showing the competition from third-party remanufacturers as undesirable for the OEM, we specifically examine whether competition from a third-party remanufacturer is always undesirable for the OEM.
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Qrunfleh, Sufian M. "Alignment of Information Systems with Supply Chains: Impacts on Supply Chain Performance and Organizational Performance." Toledo, Ohio : University of Toledo, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=toledo1271962888.
Full textAbstract:
Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of Toledo, 2010.Typescript. "Submitted to the Graduate Faculty as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Manufacturing Management." "A dissertation entitled"--at head of title. Title from title page of PDF document. Bibliography: p. 177-201.
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Pavlou, Soultana. "An information systems framework for event management in supply chain operations." Thesis, City University London, 2006. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.434582.
Full text
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Chandler, Thomas B. (Thomas Brian) 1970. "Program management systems for the semiconductor processing capital equipment supply chain." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/34808.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; in conjunction with the Leaders for Manufacturing Program at MIT, 2004.Includes bibliographical references (p. 117-119).
The Capital Equipment Procurement group of Intel Corporation is responsible for developing and procuring the semiconductor processing capital equipment that is used throughout all of the company's development and manufacturing facilities. The semiconductor industry is faced with rapid technology change, increase in the complexity of the manufacturing process, and high cost of capital. In this challenging environment, the group is concerned with the following two issues required to maintain their leadership position in the industry. First is the need to evaluate risk earlier in the capital equipment specification and development cycle to ensure that the semiconductor processing capital equipment is developed on schedule (on-line, on-time) at an affordable cost. A previous model developed and used in the manufacturing readiness phase of process development serves as the basis for a new risk assessment approach. Modifications, including new risk categories, criteria, and processes enable the new model to be applied earlier, in the technology development phase. Second is the need for a more accurate cost model to capture the costs of new processes that employ equipment from existing processes at Intel. As Intel faces increasing cost pressure on some of the new commodity products it is developing, it must increase equipment reuse in its new process designs. A target costing model is developed that first sets target and baseline costs, and then tracks progress from the baseline cost until the target cost is achieved. This model is used to closely manage various cost reduction programs or projects being undertaken in its process development organization. The overall theme of this thesis is to demonstrate how these two program management systems can be used to manage
(cont.) the development of new manufacturing equipment such as needed in the semiconductor and other capital intensive industries.
by Thomas B. Chandler.
S.M.
M.B.A.
17
Chu, Chi-Leung. "Coordination of supply chain inventory systems with private information." Texas A&M University, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/4895.
Full textAbstract:
This dissertation considers the problems of coordinating different supply chain
inventory systems with private information under deterministic settings. These systems
studied are characterized by the following properties: (a) each facility in the system has
self decision-making authority, (b) cost parameters of each facility are regarded as
private information that no other facilities in the system have access to, and (c) partial
information is shared among the facilities. Because of the above properties, the existing
approaches for systems with global information may not be applicable. Thus, new
approaches for coordinating supply chain inventory systems with private information are
needed.
This dissertation first studies two two-echelon distribution inventory systems.
Heuristics for finding the replenishment policy of each facility are developed under
global information environment. In turn, the heuristics are modified to solve the
problems with private information. An important characteristic of the heuristics
developed for the private information environment is that they provide the same
solutions as their global information counterpart.
Then, more complex multi-echelon serial and assembly supply chain inventory
systems with private information are studied. The solution approach decomposes the
problem into separate subproblems such that the private information is divided as
required. Global optimality is sought with an iterative procedure in which the
subproblems negotiate the material flows between facilities. At the core of the solution procedure is a node-model that represents a facility and its corresponding private
information. Using the node-model as a building block, other supply chains can be
formed by linking the node-models according to the product and information flows. By
computational experiments, the effect of the private information on the performance of
the supply chain is tested by comparing the proposed approach against existing
heuristics that utilize global information. Experimental results show that the proposed
approach provides comparable results as those of the existing heuristics with global
information.
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Suryawanshi, Yogeshwar D. (Yogeshwar Dattatraya), and Thomas Hsien. "Multi-echelon inventory management for a fresh produce retail supply chain." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/61188.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2010.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 83-84).
Perishability presents a challenging problem in inventory management for the fresh produce industry since it can lead to higher inventory costs and lower service levels. If a supply chain has multiple echelons, that further complicates the issue since companies have an added risk of not having the right amount of product at the right location at the right time. We conduct our research on Chiquita's Fresh Express supply chain. We analyze the impact of perishability on total relevant costs. Our research focuses on determining the optimal inventory policy for the system considering inventory holding costs, shrinkage costs, lost sales costs, forecast accuracy and service levels. We test the sensitivity of the system with respect to forecast errors and the transportation lead time. We developed a discrete-event simulation model using Arena software to conduct the research. Our research demonstrates that by lowering the current target on-hand inventory levels at the distribution center and retail stores, inventory holding costs and shrinkage costs are reduced significantly. Under the optimal inventory policy, the system can save 31% in costs, improve the item fill rate at the distribution center, reduce the total shrinkage volume, and maintain high service levels of more than 95% at the retail stores. Our sensitivity analysis shows that the system is very sensitive to the forecast errors. Additionally, we recommend keeping the transportation lead time as low as possible to maximize the products' lifetime at the retail stores. Reducing the forecast errors or the transportation lead time would reduce the total relevant cost of the system while improving the item fill rates across the supply chain.
by Yogeshwar D. Suryawanshi and Thomas Hsien.
M.Eng.in Logistics
19
Zhai, Lihua 1977. "A system dynamics approach to supplier partnership management in supply chain." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/28524.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2004.Includes bibliographical references (leaf 62 ).
To be competitive and quick-to-market in today's global marketplace, Electronic Manufacturing Service (EMS) providers should focus on their core competencies, partnership relationships and continuous improvements. As Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) Customers shift their focus on marketing and product development, EMS providers have been assuming the leading role to develop creative manufacturing solutions based on the core competencies in their supply chains. A tightly-coupled and synergistic relationship with OEM customers and key components suppliers is critical to EMS providers' success. This thesis focuses on applying system dynamics approach to supplier partnership management at FSJC, a top player in EMS industry, with the aim of gain deeper understanding on dynamics within FSJC's supply chain network and between suppliers and FSJC. We find out that to maintain its market position, FSJC must concentrate on small number of qualified suppliers and put effort to build strong partnership with these suppliers. This requires a better understanding of the impact of key parameters of partnership and manufacturing process of both suppliers and FSJC. Developing this sort of understanding can help FSJC continue to provide worldwide responsiveness to its customers by improving time-to-market, scalability and manufacturing efficiency and foster long-term partnership with both customers and suppliers by improving communications both upstream and downstream in the supply chain.
by Lihua Zhai.
M.Eng.in Logistics
20
An, Yimin M. Eng Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Samuel Srethapakdi. "Order promising/fulfillment and customer/channel collaboration in supply chain management." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/36148.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2006.Vitae.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-115).
This research investigates the order promising and fulfillment and customer and channel collaboration functions of a company. In addition to presenting more precise definitions, we identify and analyze current and emerging innovative practices in these two functions implemented by leading companies across nine industries, namely aerospace, apparel, automobile, computer, consumer packaged goods, petroleum, pharmaceutical, retail, and telecommunication. Based on our analysis, we propose a framework for categorizing order promising/fulfillment and customer/channel collaboration business models and strategies as well as future trends. Significance of integration of these two functions is also analyzed. Finally, we present guidelines for companies to optimize their operations vis-à-vis Customer and Demand management and prepare themselves for business success as far as into the year 2020.
by Yimin An and Samuel Srethapakdi.
M.Eng.in Logistics
21
Peruvankal, James Paul. "Supply chain and the executive agenda." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/70833.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (S.M. in System Design and Management)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2011."June 2011." Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references.
In recent years, supply chain pundits and consultants emphasized the importance of strategies such as just-in-time, lean manufacturing, off- shoring or frequent deliveries to retail outlets. However, with significant economic changes, rising labor costs in developing countries, huge volatility in oil and other commodity prices, and new regulations such as carbon emission caps, some of these strategies may imperil the supply chain. At the same time, logistics and supply chain management have been the focus of executive meetings, business columns and research institutes as never before. The importance of integrated, globally optimized supply chains is well understood and it seems that in many companies executives have discovered the impact on business performance that can be achieved by effectively managing their supply chains. With all these changes and pressure, it will be quite remarkable if supply chain is not an important topic in the agenda of today's CEOs and CFOs. This study tries to answer questions such as - Is Supply Chain Management an important topic on the agenda of today's business leaders, in particular CEOs and CFOs? If it is on the agenda, what specifically is included? - risk management, cost cutting or new channels? If SCM is not directly on the CEOs/CFOs agenda, what is on their agenda? Is there a link between SCM and these topics? To gain insight into these issues, the research team collected data from about 200 companies across a variety of industries. Our results indicate not only a link between the executive agenda and supply chain strategies but also that business and financial performance go hand in hand with supply chain performance. The research results indicate significant difference between Cost-Efficient and Responsive supply chain strategies and an overall increasing drive towards flexibility. The research identifies the key supply chain strategies that could give the optimal results from operational, business and financial perspectives.
by James Paul Peruvankal.
S.M.in System Design and Management
22
Schmalzried, Dirk. "RealTime and Anytime Supply Chain Planning." Universitätsbibliothek Leipzig, 2012. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:15-qucosa-84024.
Full textAbstract:
Bisher sind die Planungsebenen des Supply Chain Management (SCM) konzeptionell, personell und softwaretechnologisch getrennt und oft hierarchisch organisiert. Geschäftsprozesse definieren die Übergänge von und Rückkopplung zwischen Ebenen grober, strategisch/ taktischer Planung und Ebenen feiner, operationaler Planung. Diese Trennung führt zu konzeptionellen, prozessualen und temporalen sowie zu systemtechnischen Defiziten im Supply Chain Planning (SCP).
Kerngedanken des neuen Konzepts sind, alle heute üblichen Planungsebenen vollständig auf das operative Modell zu gründen die neuen Softwaresysteme vollständig im RAM zu verankern sowie mit neuen Nutzeroberflächen auszustatten, die den Aspekt der virtuellen Aggregation und Disaggregation der Daten zur Laufzeit befördern.
Durch die Ergebnisse der Arbeit wird das den Stand der Technik darstellende Paradigma der sequenziellen, hierarchischen Planung verändert zu einem Konzept einer jederzeit ausführbaren (Anytime) Planung, welche Planungsergebnisse innerhalb sehr kurzer Antwortzeiten (Real-Time) liefert. Durch die schnellen Antworten können zudem ganz
neue interaktive, simulationsbasierte Planungsprozesse anstelle bisheriger batchorientierter Prozesse eingeführt werden. Es werden Vorteile gegenüber dem alten Konzept und die praktische Machbarkeit anhand von Softwarefallstudien bewertet.
23
Mendes, Toste Dinis Nuno Miguel. "Impact of demographics on supply chain risk management attitudes : prevention vs response." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/61182.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2010.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 73).
There is no doubt that the 21st century is the century of globalization. The great majority of companies' supply chains span multiple countries, cultures, and industries. However people in different parts of the globe perceive supply chain risks differently. Is it possible to predict the way people manage their supply chain in terms of prevention versus response, based on demographics? Using a large-scale worldwide, online survey as a base, conducted by the MIT Global SCALE Initiative, this research project analyzes the relationship between a dependent variable (Prevention vs. Response) and independent variables (demographics). The analysis shows that there are indeed demographic factors that can help predict how people manage supply chain risk. The following demographic factors need to be known: country of origin, gender, primary field of study, and job function.
by Nuno Miguel Mendes Toste Dinis.
M.Eng.in Logistics
24
Tjhin, Poi Chung, and Rachita Pandey. "Inventory management strategy for the supply chain of a medical device company." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/77474.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2012.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 97-98).
In the medical device industry, many companies rely on a high inventory strategy in order to meet their customers' urgent requirements, sometimes leading to excessive inventory. This problem is compounded when it involves a long supply chain with several stages of activities and with long delivery and processing lead times. It is further exacerbated when high inventory leads to the frequent expiry of items with short shelf lives, which is typical of surgical items that have to be sterilized. Good supply chain strategies can potentially lead to a significant reduction of the supply chain cost. Through the use of relevant mathematical formulae and Strategic Inventory Placement optimization method, this paper examines the extent of the usefulness of a few possible strategies, such as kitting architecture change and continuous review system, for a family of medical emergency surgical kits across the whole supply chain for a medical device company. The result shows that reducing production lead time and review period, as well as adopting certain kitting architecture changes can reduce inventory value by more than 60% and operating cost by more than 20%. In addition, the paper shows that the Strategic Inventory Placement method can further reduce the total inventory value and operating cost by increasing the inventory of finished products and reducing the inventory of components in the supply chain.
by Poi Chung Tjhin and Rachita Pandey.
M.Eng.in Logistics
25
Lévy, Romain (Romain Georges Jean). "Evolutionary supply chain risk management : transforming culture for sustainable competitive advantage." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/42928.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program; and, (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2008.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 92-94).
In today's fast-paced and turbulent global economy, the topic of risk management has gained significant interest in the business and academic world. However, in practice, risk management remains rather underdeveloped and often dealt with in an informal and reactive manner. To this end, we propose a comprehensive approach to supply chain risk management based on academic and business research and apply it to a company to develop a case study. We survey the state-of-the-art of supply chain risk management by exploring both the qualitative and quantitative sides of risk management in this thesis. We study in detail the reasons why risk is often neglected in organizations, and learn from several conceptual frameworks that have been proposed in the literature. On the more quantitative side, we explore tools that have been used or could be used for supply chain risk management, such as Decision Analysis or Real Options. We apply our proposed supply chain risk management framework to the case company, focusing primarily on qualitative methods. Data for the analysis is collected by way of semistructured interviews with business executives and relevant company documents. The results are presented to shed light on the current risk management practices at the company by highlighting their strengths and potential weaknesses. The research also draws from fields outside the normal realm of supply chain risk management. A policy perspective is taken to isolate important drivers of risk that lie beyond the direct control of organizations, such as political uncertainty and regulations. The objective is to promote a more proactive outlook in organizations to anticipate and exploit the uncertainty in the business environment. Similarly, a market perspective is used to articulate a novel way to uncover information asymmetry in the domain of risk management. Instead of simply pointing to asymmetry as an undesirable fact of business world, we propose two approaches that could be used for developing creative solutions, specifically, prediction markets and credit derivatives concepts. In conclusion, we argue that evolutionary risk management processes accompanied by a radical shift in business risk culture are required to achieve competitive advantage through supply chain risk management.
by Romain Lévy.
M.Eng.in Logistics
S.M.
26
Pang, Vincent Ying Kiun Information Systems Technology & Management Australian School of Business UNSW. "Understanding collaboration in inter-organisational information systems: Implications for supply chain management." Publisher:University of New South Wales. Information Systems, Technology & Management, 2008. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/41297.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis seeks to explore how management can work together to adopt an Inter-organisational Information System (IOIS) for Supply Chain Management (SCM) at different levels of collaboration sophistication. 20 common issues associated with collaboration and adoption of IOIS for SCM, were identified from the current literature. Two theoretical frameworks were developed. First, an IOIS for SCM Adoption Framework was constructed to understand the IOIS for SCM adoption process. Secondly, an Inter-organisational Collaboration Framework was constructed and used as a lens to examine and understand the process of inter-organisational collaboration. Five underlying theories, namely agency, needs and motivation, resource dependency, cultural and negotiated order, were drawn on to develop an understanding of collaboration in this latter framework. The study of collaboration for IOIS adoption is exploratory. Eight organisations were approached from three industries and sixteen interviews were carried out with managers who are involved in the supply chain activities. Data was primarily collected using an interview instrument based on literature, and documentary and archival evidence. Interviews were transcribed and cross-case analysis was conducted on the data. Three of the four levels of collaboration sophistication were supported. At the highest level of collaboration, namely cooperation sophistication, the organisations that were studied have growth motivations, same interests and common business objectives, and prepare to develop strategy and finance projects while reengineering their business processes and redesigning their supply chains collectively. Collaboration is not limited to one dimension but multi-dimensional. An organisation collaborates with its partners in one project but that at the same time, they may not want to collaborate on a different project due to differences in business objectives. When there is a disagreement between parties, negotiation is an important process to help resolve their differences. The process of collaboration was summarised into three perspectives: industry, intra-organisational and inter-organisational. These perspectives can assist practitioners who need to understand how to address the process of collaboration in the adoption of IOISs for SCM with their partners.
27
Icasati-Johanson, MariÌa BeleÌn. "Impact of e-business supply chain management systems on inter-organisational relations." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.419871.
Full text
28
Barbará, Axel (Axel Nahuel), and Molet Tomás Dominguez. "SKU clustering for supply chain planning efficiency." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/103735.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis: M. Eng. in Logistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, February 2016. (Axel Barbará).Thesis: M. Eng. in Logistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, June 2015. (Tomás Dominguez Molet).
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (page 54).
Globalized companies seek growth while dealing with more complex and compelling challenges such as economic volatility, fluctuating commodity prices, supply-chain inefficiencies and increasing customer expectations. While companies cannot control all of these challenges, there is much they can do to remain competitive. Companies can gain competitive edge through improved demand forecasting and efficient inventory management. SKU segmentation is a concept that intends to demonstrate that there is a economic benefit behind treating and handling some products differently from another. Our thesis optimized SKU segmentation for a global CPG and restaurant brand. This aided inventory managers and supply planners adequately assess the varying needs of diverse products, to cluster them according to comparable needs, to reduce supply chain costs and optimize their supply chain. To explore this problem, we analyzed 53 weeks of forecast and demand data for over 15,000 SKUs. Utilizing a variety of clustering techniques, we identified a more cost-effective clustering strategy for the subject case. We analyzed the comparative costs between our theoretical classification and the actual classification used by the subject case study. Once we identified the disconnect, we calculated the incurred costs for being out of the optimal solution. This included both the effect of safety stock and the stock out costs. Our research created new insights into the comparable cost of under-forecasting and over-forecasting on safety stock and customer service level.
by Axel Barbará and Tomás Dominguez Molet.
M. Eng. in Logistics
29
Khamsi, Cyril, and Veronica Stolear. "Efficient supply chain design for highly-perishable foods." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/107516.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis: M. Eng. in Logistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Supply Chain Management Program, 2016.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 52-53).
To be competitive, businesses must make supply network design decisions, but often with only limited information and under uncertain conditions. How can an organization understand trade-offs between supply network decisions, without relying on complex, black-box models that require extensive data collection and hidden assumptions? We apply approximation methods to estimate and compare total logistics cost of supply network designs under various business conditions, such as variations in demand, changing costs, and shifting production policies. The method is applied to the real-world example of XYZ Co, evaluating network design choices for a new, rapidly growing product category: fresh foods. The method is used to evaluate tradeoffs between five distinct network designs for supply of these highly perishable foods to XYZ Co stores from a sole regional supplier. The model provides insights to help understand tradeoffs and key cost drivers, thereby channeling subsequent, more intensive and time- consuming analysis.
by Cyril Khamsi and Veronica Stolear.
M. Eng. in Logistics
30
Chen, Yu-Hsiang. "Reinforce customer satisfaction through enterprise resource planning and supply chain management integration." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2007. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/3276.
Full textAbstract:
The purpose of this project is to try and establish a blueprint for integrating Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Supply Chain Management (SCM). ERP and SCM have become popular in many industries because they help companies improve their Information Systems (IS) which helps support their operational goals. New technology is being used in resource planning and e-commerce and a stable supply chain helps corporations integrate many basic applications. This helps facilitate smooth supplier-customer interactions while minimizing transaction costs. This project is trying to provide a way in which to implement ERP systems properly into SCM. It should result in improved business performance and client satisfaction.
31
Srinivasan, Arati. "Role of distributed databases in an apparel supply chain." Thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/9163.
Full text
32
Hendrix, Brian P. (Brian Pierre). "Designing a biodiesel supply chain in Mexico City." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/105311.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2015.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 63-67).
Mexico City is a prime location to start a biodiesel enterprise due to its sizeable availability of waste vegetable oil (WVO) and biodiesel users. WVO is an extremely viable feedstock for producing biodiesel because of the similar functional properties compared to other feedstocks and low cost; collecting it for local reuse has enormous environmental savings potential. Supply chain design is essential for the success for this startup biodiesel enterprise. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze a biodiesel enterprises value chain that uses feedstock as the primary performance area within the value chain. Second, this thesis will focus on optimizing the feedstock supply chain through a vehicle routing problem with time constraints in order to maximize the cost performance of the business. TransCAD transportation planning software was used to solve the vehicle routing problem through different scenarios that included 263 WVO stops positioned randomly and clustered. The results reveal a logistics design model with optimized transportation cost providing insight into operating a successful start up biodiesel enterprise. Potential takeaways of these findings show that clustering is a necessary technique for optimizing transportation cost through managing vehicle fleet size, manpower, and vehicle scheduling.
by Brian P. Hendrix.
S.M. in Engineering and Management
33
Ravenel, John Bishop. "Applying human-machine interaction design principles to retrofit existing automated freight planning systems." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2019. https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/122253.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis: M. Eng. in Supply Chain Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Supply Chain Management Program, 2019Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 66-70).
With the increased application of cognitive computing across the spectrum of industries, companies strive to ready their people and machines for future system change. Based on resource constraints, business needs, and the speed of change, many companies may opt for system augmentation rather than the adoption of entirely new systems. At the same time, changes in technology are increasing at paces never before realized. Against this backdrop, human actors and machines are working together interactively in new and increasing ways. Further, recent business model innovations, particularly in the retail space, have cast focus on logistics execution as a potential major competitive advantage. In this context, we considered the conceptual question of how best to iteratively improve a logistics planning system, which is composed of both human and machine actors, to reduce transportation and labor costs and increase the ability of the organization to think and act strategically.
In order to front these current technological realities - the need to stage for agent based systems and cognitive computing, the likelihood of system retrofit over rebuild, the ever increasing rate of change, and the rapid intertwining of human and machine roles - we proposed using human-machine interaction (HMI) design paradigms to retrofit an existing loosely coupled human-machine planning system. While HMI principles are normally applied to tightly coupled systems such as jet airplanes, the HMI architectural design applied novelly in this case showed significant application to an existing loosely coupled planning system. In addition to meeting the realities of today's competitive landscape, the developed HMI framework is tailored to a retrofit situation and also meets resiliency considerations. That novel conceptual proposal of HMI frameworks to an existing loosely coupled joint cognitive planning system shows tremendous promise to address these imminent realities.
With regards to the particular freight planning system considered, 71% of manual interventions were caused by the wrong sourcing facility being assigned to supply pallets to a customer. The remaining intervention causes were carrier changes 18%, customer restrictions 9%, and one change prompted by a data discrepancy. Further, at a conceptual level, the application of HMI frameworks to an existing freight planning system was effective at isolating data and alignment incongruences, displayed lower communication costs than recurrent system rework processes, and tethered well with system resiliency factors.
by John Bishop Ravenel.
M. Eng. in Supply Chain Management
M.Eng.inSupplyChainManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Supply Chain Management Program
34
Petersen, Brian J. (Brian Jude). "Reverse supply chain forecasting and decision modeling for improved inventory management." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/80988.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division; and, (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; in conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT, 2013.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 69-71).
This thesis details research performed during a six-month engagement with Verizon Wireless (VzW) in the latter half of 2012. The key outcomes are a forecasting model and decision-support framework to improve management of VzW's reverse supply chain inventory. The forecasting model relies on a reliability engineering formulation and incorporates a learning component to allow incremental forecast improvement throughout the device lifecycle. The decision-support model relies on Monte Carlo simulations to quantify the uncertainty and risk associated with different inventory management policies. These tools provide VzW stakeholders with a full-lifecycle perspective so that inventory planners can avoid costly end-of-life underages and overages. Prior to this effort, inventory planners at VzW relied on a three month returns forecast despite the fact that customers can return devices more than three years after launch. The decision-support model replaces existing heuristics to improve inventory management. Model efficacy is demonstrated through case studies. For a variety of representative SKUs, the returns forecast model is found to predict cumulative lifecycle returns within 10% using data available six months from launch. Had inventory been managed according to the policies recommended by the decision support model instead of policies from existing heuristics, VzW could have avoided an end-of-life stockout of more than 20,000 devices for a particular SKU.
by Brian J. Petersen.
M.B.A.
S.M.
35
Fike, Randy L. (Randy Lynn). "Supply chain risk management : (redefining the audit function within a large industrial company)." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33316.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2005.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-74).
As supply chains become more sophisticated, difficulties with their operation can become more complex as well. An organization must ensure the flow of goods and services end- to-end across the supply chain at the promised level and at the anticipated cost. This thesis describes the redesign and centralization of the supply chain operating model of a large industrial company, and suggests a structure capable of mitigating supply chain risk subsequent to the change. The appropriate organizational framework suggested for ensuring an uninterrupted flow of goods and services through the supply chain is the company's internal audit department. A redefinition of the audit department is explored, with the transformation of the audit role suggested to take the form of a process design centered on the Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) model of Plan, Source, Make and Deliver.
by Randy L. Fike.
M.Eng.in Logistics
36
Xia, Diwei, and Kaiye Lu. "Application of Supply Chain Risk Management through visualization and value-at-risk quantification." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/92116.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis: M. Eng. in Logistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2014.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 46-47).
Supply Chain Risk Management ("SCRM") is often discussed in business and academia but is still underdeveloped as a practical tool. Many studies have examined the effects of supply chain disruptions, and many studies have also produced tools for mitigating risk. However, there is still a need for an integrated, practical approach for SCRM that businesses can implement on an enterprise scale. Our thesis attempts to bridge this gap and produce a practical approach for corporations to deploy a SCRM strategy on an enterprise level. Through the use of supply chain visualization and catastrophe modeling software, we have developed a SCRM strategy for a large multi-national chemical company. Our SCRM framework focuses on four key steps: 1) defining the scope of supply chain disruptions; 2) mapping and visualizing the supply chain; 3) evaluating the probability of disruption; and 4) developing a strategy to create an economically resilient supply chain.
by Diwei Xia and Kaiye Lu.
M. Eng. in Logistics
37
Atabarut, Altan. "Value Of Quality Information Of Returns In Product Recovery Management." Master's thesis, METU, 2009. http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12610453/index.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
Returned products of many industries are transported backwards through supply
chains for recovery, thus forming &ldquoclosed-loop supply chains&rdquo
. Benefits, forthcoming with more effective management of recovery of returns are gaining importance. However, some issues, such as lack of information required to assess the quality of the returned products, may translate into critical uncertainties in the product recovery decisions and prevent closed-loop supply chains from operating efficiently. Hence, it is envisaged that significant economies may be attained by increasing the quantity of information fed into the planning decisions related to returned products. Thus, the objective of this study is to test the hypothesis that ready availability of perfect quality grade information associated with returned products by means of &ldquo
embedded systems&rdquo
, may lead to improved over all performance of recovery operations. To this end, in this thesis, linear programming models of generic multistage recovery processes are built. It is demonstrated by computational studies that significant gains may be obtained especially in environments where the prices of recovered products are decreasing in time.
38
oghazi, Pejvak. "Supply Chain Management– An Empirical study of Swedish Manufacturing Firms’ Enterprise Systems Adoption,Supply Chain Integration, Competition Capability and PerformancePejvak." Doctoral thesis, Ltu, 2009. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-16156.
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Oghazi, Pejvak. "Supply chain management : an empirical study on Swedish manufacturing firms' enterprise systems adoption, supply chain integration, competition capability and performance /." Luleå : Luleå University of Technology, 2009. http://pure.ltu.se/ws/fbspretrieve/3359936.
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40
Creyts, Christopher Alan, and Nora Weisskopf. "E-Commerce drop shipping : building a CPG supply chain." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/107519.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis: M. Eng. in Logistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Supply Chain Management Program, 2016.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 55-57).
Manufacturers and retailers are increasingly interested in exploring different ways to optimize their fulfillment of e-Commerce orders. An approach that is often considered is drop-shipping, where the manufacturer takes on the responsibility of shipping directly to the consumer. Retailers are interested in this model as it shifts their inventory responsibility upstream and frees up working capital. Manufacturers are intrigued by drop shipping as a means of capturing lost sales on high-value, seasonal products that retailers might be under-stocking. These manufacturers currently lack the retailer-side inventory availability information to assess the extent of this opportunity. We propose a framework to show manufacturers and retailers how to examine the key issues of drop shipping such as capacity constraints, per unit distribution cost, changes in working capital, cost allocations in the supply chain and delivery time to customers. We also explore how to bridge information gaps to gauge inventory availability and lost sales using Web Extraction System data. We demonstrate our framework by partnering with a CPG manufacturer interested in implementing drop-shipping. Using their data from an existing facility and a selected retailer, we simulate drop shipping orders for a specific set of products during the holiday season that are normally fulfilled by the retailer. Firstly we show that in this scenario, the manufacturer will not exceed their current facility's capacity and will require minimal changes to their existing operations. Using Activity-Based Costing (ABC), we then find that the overall channel costs are only slightly more expensive than those in the traditional model. However, the manufacturer takes on a much larger portion of those costs than they would in the existing model. The transfer of the distribution labor and inventory holding costs from the retailer to the manufacturer drives these cost shifts. As expected, we found significant working capital benefits for the retailer when shifting to drop-shipping. To understand the potential gains that could be achieved from capturing lost sales, we paired data from a Web Extraction System with Point-of-Sale data to obtain previously unavailable retailer inventory information. Contrary to initial expectations for this scenario, the retailer displays very high inventory availability, making lost sales a weak justification for adopting this model. Lastly, using publicly available time-in-transit tables, we model the changes in delivery time that customers experience. The results show that the average delivery time increases by one day for most locations in the US. Our framework and analyses contribute to developing an understanding of the opportunities and implications of drop shipping. In addition, we introduce new techniques manufacturers can use to deal with asymmetric inventory information.
by Christopher Alan Creyts and Nora Weisskopf.
M. Eng. in Logistics
41
VIEIRA, MARCIO DA SILVA. "INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT: THE CASTROL DO BRASIL LTDA`S CASE." PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO, 2005. http://www.maxwell.vrac.puc-rio.br/Busca_etds.php?strSecao=resultado&nrSeq=7343@1.
Full textAbstract:
A gestão da cadeia de suprimentos (Supply Chain
Management - SCM) é um
novo conceito de gerenciamento dos processos de negócios
empresariais que
extrapola os limites das companhias para incluir também
seus principais clientes e
fornecedores. Com esse conceito a integração e a troca da
informação entre as
empresas tornam-se cada vez mais importante para
performace destas empresas e
de suas cadeias de suprimentos. A consolidação da SCM em
diferentes industrias
tem-se desenvolvido com o auxílio de Sistemas de
Informação (SI). Nesse
contexto, a presente dissertação tem como objetivo mapear
e analisar os principais
processos de negócio da Castrol do Brasil (subsidiária de
uma multinacional
inglesa do segmento de petróleo, a British Petrolium) sob
a perspectiva de seus
Sistemas de Informação (SI) - tanto os sistemas limitados
às fronteiras desta
empresa, como também os sistemas responsáveis pela
interface desta empresa com
alguns dos membros mais importantes de sua cadeia de
suprimento, focando,
porém, na parte produtiva e nas operações logísticas
(outbound). A partir deste
estudo elabora-se uma crítica à SCM da Castrol do Brasil
sob a perspectiva dos SI.The Supply Chain Management (SCM) is a new concept of enterprise business processes management that surpasses the limits of the companies to also include its main clients and suppliers. With this concept the integration and information exchange among companies has become more and more important for these companies performance and their supply chains systems. The SCM consolidation in different industries has been developed with the Information Systems (IS) assistance. In this context, the current dissertation aims to map and analyse the main businesses processes of Castrol do Brasil Ltda (which is a British multinational subsidiary of Petroleum segment - BP) under the perspective of its Information Systems (IS). The dissertation will consider either those systems limited to this company boundaries, as well as the systems responsible for this company`s interface with some of its most important supply chain members, focusing, however, on productive part and logistic operations (outbound). From this study, a critic can be elaborated to Castrol do Brasil Ltda SCM, under IS perspective.
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Li, Sheng. "Introducing a rule-based architecture for workflow systems in retail supply chain management." Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Institutionen Handels- och IT-högskolan, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-16404.
Full textAbstract:
Problem: While global IT competition is becoming increasingly severe, various business organizations and companies, in order to maximize the profit and gain market competitiveness, are in urgent need of high-performance workflow systems to improve efficiency. However, the workflow systems that are currently used are embedded with fixed business rules that cannot be easily adjusted by users, resulting in the inability of users to make adjustments to the business rules, so as to satisfy changed requirements and deal with high cost of business management and low efficiency. Therefore, it is highly desirable for users of workflow systems, especially retail supply chain companies, to employ a new type of systems that can be easily adjusted by end users themselves when required.Solution: The rule-based workflow system architecture for the management of retail supply chain business process is recommended. In such architecture, the business rules can be separated from the system logic and managed by users via a friendly interface. The rule-based workflow systems can greatly enhance the system efficiency and lower maintenance cost, as compared with the traditional workflow system or other similar information systems. And the efficiency of retail supply chain business process management can be greatly enhanced by employing rule-based workflow systems.Methods: Two main research problems and four sub-research problems, which serve as the guidance to conduct related research work, have been identified. The research work has been divided into the theoretical part and the empirical part. In the theoretical part, the theory of rule base establishment and rule-based workflow system architecture are discussed. In the empirical part, data analysis as well as prototype design are conducted by employing both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. Attempts are also made to verify the theories suggested in the theoretical part by means of empirical research. Based on both theoretical and empirical research, attempts are made to find solutions to the research questions. In general, this thesis arms at providing references for the future research related to rule-based workflow system management in retail supply chain management. The thesis also aims to provide references for the practical use of rule-based systems in the retail supply chain field with such issues as system development and maintenance, especially for the system of complex and changeable business processes. Most importantly, some solutions are offered to the challenges of retail supply chain management.Program: Magisterutbildning i informatik
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Joyce, Robert K. "Successful Implementation of Decision Support Systems for Supply Chain Management within Manufacturing Companies." NSUWorks, 2005. http://nsuworks.nova.edu/gscis_etd/619.
Full textAbstract:
Decision Support Systems (DSS) development and implementation is a challenge that most manufacturing companies find difficult. However, implementing these complex systems is becoming more of a necessity to stay competitive in today's global economy. This paper reports on an in-depth empirical study of development/Implementation strategies commonly used in DSS and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems projects to promote success. The goal of the research was to determine which strategies promote success on DSS projects designed to enable supply chain management (SCM).
Through a survey of 80 industry professionals, the Study establishes that there are strategies that should be utilized based on system type. DSS users must have strong analytical skills. They must be able to analyze, interpret, and act on complex data. These analytical skills were found to be significantly more important for DSS users to have than ERP users (p < 0.05). Intelligent SCM systems must include "what if' functionality and allow users to evaluate multiple business scenarios before acting. The "small releases" systems development methodology (i.e., phased approach to implementing business functionality was found to be more appropriate for DSS than ERP projects (p < 0.05).
Many strategies, which are traditionally considered administrative in nature, were found to be more important for ERP systems projects (p< 0.05). Utilizing cross-functional project teams, ensuring user participation, securing top-management support, and providing extensive user training were all found to be significantly more important for ERP (p
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Zhu, Xiaozhou. "Agent Based Modeling for Supply Chain Management: Examining the Impact of Information Sharing." [Kent, Ohio] : Kent State University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=kent1226538465.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Kent State University, 2008.Title from PDF t.p. (viewed April 16, 2010). Advisor: Marvin Troutt. Keywords: ABM; agent; repast; information sharing. Includes bibliographical references (p. 161-179).
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Schmalzried, Dirk. "RealTime and Anytime Supply Chain Planning." Forschungsberichte des Instituts für Wirtschaftsinformatik der Universität Leipzig Heft 8/15. Interuniversitäres Doktorandenseminar Wirtschaftsinformatik der Universitäten Chemnitz, Dresden, Freiberg, Halle-Wittenberg, Jena und Leipzig, 2011. https://ul.qucosa.de/id/qucosa%3A11355.
Full textAbstract:
Bisher sind die Planungsebenen des Supply Chain Management (SCM) konzeptionell, personell und softwaretechnologisch getrennt und oft hierarchisch organisiert. Geschäftsprozesse definieren die Übergänge von und Rückkopplung zwischen Ebenen grober, strategisch/ taktischer Planung und Ebenen feiner, operationaler Planung. Diese Trennung führt zu konzeptionellen, prozessualen und temporalen sowie zu systemtechnischen Defiziten im Supply Chain Planning (SCP).
Kerngedanken des neuen Konzepts sind, alle heute üblichen Planungsebenen vollständig auf das operative Modell zu gründen die neuen Softwaresysteme vollständig im RAM zu verankern sowie mit neuen Nutzeroberflächen auszustatten, die den Aspekt der virtuellen Aggregation und Disaggregation der Daten zur Laufzeit befördern.
Durch die Ergebnisse der Arbeit wird das den Stand der Technik darstellende Paradigma der sequenziellen, hierarchischen Planung verändert zu einem Konzept einer jederzeit ausführbaren (Anytime) Planung, welche Planungsergebnisse innerhalb sehr kurzer Antwortzeiten (Real-Time) liefert. Durch die schnellen Antworten können zudem ganz
neue interaktive, simulationsbasierte Planungsprozesse anstelle bisheriger batchorientierter Prozesse eingeführt werden. Es werden Vorteile gegenüber dem alten Konzept und die praktische Machbarkeit anhand von Softwarefallstudien bewertet.
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Qin, Zhifeng, and 秦志锋. "RFID-enabled life-cycle traceability in pharmaceutical supply chain." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2011. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B46975068.
Full text
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Gu, Xiaoyuan (Xiaoyuan Goodman). "Toyota recalls : revealing the value of secure supply chain." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/59241.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (S.M. in System Design and Management)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, System Design and Management Program, 2010.Vita. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 116-121) and index.
Summary: The warning bells are ringing. Once a global auto giant with a gold-plated reputation for safety and reliability, Toyota has stumbled. Its engineering excellence and traditional craftsmanship are being watered down by years of nips and tucks. With a torrent of high-profile recalls at the beginning of the new decade and a series of highly publicized legal charges, Toyota is all over the headlines. Following a business strategy that sacrifices its customer-first focus but in favor of driving shareholder value, Toyota gradually has shifted away from the tenet of lean manufacturing. Seeking cost leadership and market leadership has gone too far, and differentiation through quality, reliability and fuel efficiency becomes blurred. The execution of such business strategy in the past few years has lured Toyota to rush into relationships with suppliers it has not adequately vetted and to apply questionable security measures as it sourced parts from all around the world. In so doing, Toyota has been constantly adding stress to the security of its supply chain. In the end, its risk mitigation capability does not improve and quality standards have lapsed. Globalization and commoditization have forced today's businesses to focus on cost-cutting and growth to achieve profits of struggle to survive. Consequently, offshoring and outsourcing have become common practice. In such a competitive environment, supply chain is the lifeblood of a business and supply chain security is well-recognized as a competitive advantage and even a marketing tool. Security Secure supply chain is critical in product quality assurance and combating counterfeit, for which authoritative product attribute service represents an urgent need. For a long time, product attribute service is considered a Business-to-Business application. Trading partners of a supply chain build and share product information amongst themselves. Consumers are basically excluded from accessing such information. On the other hand, typically, product information provided to the end consumers are maintained by individual retailers. Such an approach is heterogeneous, error-prone, inaccurate, incomplete, and it undermines consumer confidence. There is a gap for authoritative product attribute service (APAS) that can provide uniform, validated, timely and complete product info to the end consumers. With APAS, consumers will play an active role in monitoring and contributing to the security of the supply chain. With a mobile barcode scanner or mobile RFID reader in hand, consumers will become a vibrant force in combating counterfeits, detecting 'bogus' status and reducing illegal trade. Consumers will benefit from such new capability by protecting their rights to buy genuine products with correct status and through legitimate channels. In addition, a spectrum of important mobile commerce applications will be made possible, such as trustful product attributes retrieval, attribute-based product search and comparison, product rating and commenting. With APAS, brand owners and other supply chain partners will see unprecedented possibilities such as direct customer-facing product marketing e.g. product recommendation, individualized coupon promotion, as well as direct user feedback on feature request and defect report. All of this will allow them to build competitive advantages with shorter user interaction cycles, more fragile to user demand variation, targeted and efficient product design, responsive product recall, and more effective in attacking counterfeits. In this thesis, I strive to provide a timely in-depth analysis on the mechanisms behind Toyota's crisis, especially the linkage between business strategy and supply chain security. I will relate secure supply chain to competitive advantage, and authoritative product attribute service to secure supply chain. Based on this, I perform strategic analysis and propose an architectural design for product attribute service. As a proof of concept, I design and implement a prototype of APAS with decent size of APAS repository and support for both mobile and PC clients. To this end, I first formulate the problems and explain the motivations behind secure supply chain and product attribute service. I then give an overview of the journey of Toyota from the synonym of quality to the reminder for product recalls. To provide further more background knowledge, I will examine business strategy and competitive advantage, together with secure supply chain, in the following two chapters. In particular, I will be deliberating on the causality between business strategy and supply chain strategy, and how supply chain vision and strategy can lead to operational executions that are sources of QA crises. In the next section, I provide details on architectural design for Authoritative Product Attribute Service. Afterwards, I describe the prototyping and implementation of APAS that covers the backend product attribute repository, the web backend that powers the APAS, as well as the Android-based mobile frontend. Finally, I summarize with concluding remarks and outline directions for future research.
by Xiaoyuan Gu.
S.M.in System Design and Management
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Walsh, Daniel Andres. "Lean transformation of a supply chain organization." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/44430.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division; in conjunction with the Leaders for Manufacturing Program at MIT, 2008.Includes bibliographical references (p. 110-113).
There are two basic schools of thought regarding how to approach a Lean transformation. Either start with introducing Lean tools or start with driving a Lean cultural change. Academic researchers like Steve Spear (Harvard/MIT), Lean experts such as James Womack (Lean Enterprise Institute), and many Lean practitioners within the company believe that a "culture first" approach is more likely to create a sustainable Lean transformation rather than a "tools first" approach. So, who is responsible for this "culture?" The leaders of an organization are responsible for the culture. Leaders drive cultural change through incentive systems, performance management, and role modeling. One critical tenant of Lean is the concept of kaizen, or making change for the better. Kaizen and continuous improvement applies to everyone, everywhere, everyday. This paper proposes that if one's approach to Lean is "culture first," then the leaders who own driving cultural change should hansei (personal introspection and reflection) and kaizen his or her own leadership behaviors and practices to ensure a successful Lean cultural shift for the organization. Supply Planning Operations (SPO) decided to begin its own Lean journey in July 2007, and the transformation is still in its infancy. As part of the journey, the leadership team is reflecting on and comparing the group's leadership and management practices with those advocated by Lean experts. The team found that Toyota's leaders built an enabling bureaucracy to foster a high-performing learning organization. "Leading Lean" requires new approaches and behaviors that challenge existing group norms. This paper summarizes the gaps between SPO's current leadership norms and those identified by Lean experts.
For example, SPO needs to continue developing their "people value stream" based on Lean organizational capabilities and healthy relational contracts between employees and management. These recommendations are not a prescription for success nor are they necessarily directly applicable to other groups. The intent of this thesis is yokoten (Toyota term for the horizontal transfer of information and knowledge) to share SPO's current understanding of its leadership problems with others on the Lean journey.
by Daniel Andres Walsh.
S.M.
M.B.A.
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Lo, Billy S. (Billy Si Yee). "Inventory optimization in an aerospace supply chain." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/39678.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division; in conjunction with the Leaders for Manufacturing Program at MIT, 2007.Includes bibliographical references (p. 66-67).
Strategic inventory management has become a major focus for Honeywell Aerospace as the business unit challenged itself to meeting cost reduction goals while maintaining a high level of service to its customers. This challenge has become particularly important as customers have steered their purchase decisions from focusing only on capability and quality to including cost performance as well. To do so, Honeywell Aerospace's Planning and Asset Management group is undertaking a three-year effort to re-engineer its inventory planning systems with the goal of increasing planner productivity, improving supply chain responsiveness, and reducing overall inventory. This internship forms the building blocks of this strategy by leveraging existing software available in the industry and applying it to Honeywell's supply chain. Through two pilot programs with different supply chain designs, this internship analyzed the cost and benefit of transforming the company's inventory management strategy. In addition, this internship attempts to identify the challenges associated with such an enormous change, compare them with challenges with implementation in other industries in order to prepare management for full implementation across all product lines. These challenges range from leadership buy-in and information readiness to implementation feasibility both within Honeywell manufacturing and its suppliers.
by Billy S. Lo.
S.M.
M.B.A.
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Hebalkar, Tejaswini. "Re-architecting the failure analysis supply chain." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/39487.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division; in conjunction with the Leaders for Manufacturing Program at MIT, 2007.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Includes bibliographical references.
With customer satisfaction and lifecycle product quality becoming a competitive advantage, technology companies are motivated to look beyond their historical focus on forward supply chain management. Operational excellence in customer returns management, failure analysis, and closed loop corrective action is taking on an increasingly important role as companies strive to improve their business processes, policies and supply chains to achieve a world-class leadership position in their industry. In the competitive high-tech industry, companies face a number of challenges in managing customer returns and re-architecting their failure analysis supply chains to support a closed loop corrective action approach to product quality. Supporting globally distributed customers through a diverse network of outsourced manufacturing, repair, failure analysis and logistics partners increases the complexity of the supply chain architecting problem. This thesis proposes a holistic enterprise architecting approach, including governance, process, network design, organization, enabling technology, and performance management elements that should be considered when re-architecting the failure analysis supply chain. During this process, strategic decisions need to be made regarding supply chain designs that are aligned with the vision of the enterprise.
(cont.) Operations managers and leaders can use data-driven, collaborative approaches supported by decision support tools like the "Decision Model for Failure Analysis Supply Chain" to align decisions with customer value and stakeholders' needs. Implementing changes based on these strategic decisions requires understanding organizational dynamics within the enterprise. An understanding of the "frame of reference" that guides decision makers can help address implementation challenges. In addition, communication, training and alignment of incentives across functional groups to encourage collaboration can allow enterprises to make strategic decisions that are successfully implemented. The strategies proposed in this thesis are intended to aid managers in making monumental changes to their "reverse" operations and exceeding customer expectations.
by Tejaswini Hebalkar.
S.M.
M.B.A.