Managing Complex Networks inEmerging Markets: The Story of AMUL

Firms that desire to do business in large emerging markets need to develop a new paradigm for looking at opportunities in these markets. The success of many such firms has depended on how well have they formed or managed to become a part of an existing network of suppliers and consumers. These economies are complex and have unique characteristics that range from underdeveloped markets to small and fragmented supplier base. Clearly, traditional business models are not adequate for this environment. Successful firms participate in the development of both these elements of the supply chain. The prize, needless to mention, is significant sales in a large market. In this paper we describe a successful business model using the example of AMUL. AMUL is a dairy cooperative in the western India that has been primarily responsible, through its innovative practices, for India to become the worlds largest milk producer. The distinctive features of this paradigm involves managing a large decentralized network of suppliers and producers, simultaneous development of markets and suppliers, lean and efficient supply chain, and breakthrough leadership. This paper draws various lessons from the experiences of AMUL that would be useful to firms contemplating entry into emerging market.

A Conceptual Framework of Reverse Logistics Impact on Firm Performance

This study aims to examine the reverse logistics factors that impact upon firm performance. We review reverse logistics factors under three research streams: (a) resource-based view of the firm, including: Firm strategy, Operations management, and Customer loyalty (b) relational theory, including: Supply chain efficiency, Supply chain collaboration, and institutional theory, including: Government support and Cultural alignment. We measured firm performance with 5 measures: profitability, cost, innovativeness, perceived competitive advantage, and perceived customer satisfaction. We discuss implications for research, policy and practice

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY – ERASING THE WEAKNESSES OF VENDOR MANAGED INVENTORY

Technological advancements, such as machine learning or the concept of blockchain, have the potential to reshape entire branches of industry as a disruptive technology, but also offer the possibility to opti-mize existing processes. In this paper, we present a concept for vendor managed inventory relationships based on blockchain technology. Hence, we initially define necessary processes and transactions that highlight a special need for transparency and trust between the participants. We designed and developed a proof of concept that addresses the weaknesses of current VMI solutions by performing certain process steps in the blockchain. Thus, we implement a method based on smart contracts, which can interact with existing systems by using different data interfaces and therefore represents an application of Blockchain 3.0. The present work is intended to explain the concept to the reader and to support researchers for the future development of further industrial applications of the blockchain

The optimization of the logistics chain at Jerónimo Martins: The centralization decision

This work project results from a challenge proposed by Jerónimo Martins, the largest food distribution group in Portugal, which consists in developing a simulator to support the centralization decision in Recheio, a cash & carry chain. A quantitative analysis was performed to understand the dispersion of purchasing volume by region and centralization degree. The simulator designed intends to acknowledge the impact of a specific decision on three dimensions: economic, environmental and social. The economic costs, CO2 emissions and stock-out probabilities, are presented for both centralized and decentralized scenarios. In the end, this project aims to optimize the company’s logistics chain

Developing the Sourcing Function: Towards Global Sourcing

The study relates to the development of the sourcing function from international purchasing towards integrated global sourcing. Global sourcing is examined through the managerial and operational functions that can promote an organization’s efforts in pursuing common sourcing and purchasing procedures. The objective is first, to build a conceptual theoretical framework from the existing literature and previous studies for understanding and analyzing the global sourcing operations in multinational corporations. The theoretical findings will then be reflected to the empirical information collected from the case company. Through these findings the current sourcing systems and processes of the case company are modelled, as well as the targeted systems and processes. Development ideas are presented in order to achieve the company’s future goal of sourcing operations. Sourcing is presented as an important part of the value chain and supply chain management, which can significantly improve the company’s competitive advantage. Purchasing process and activities are examined from the global sourcing point of view. This study emphasizes the importance of consistent purchasing procedures in pursuing successful global sourcing in the corporate level. The prevailing conditions of purchasing are reflected against the objective state and further development ideas are presented. The supplier selection and negotiations are made by global sourcing committee, as the agreements are corporation wide, long term contracts. The supply chain management is examined in general, so that the link between the whole supply chain and the procurement operations becomes evident. The make or buy decision is considered as an integral part of the sourcing process as well as the supply chain management. Notes about the importance of forecasting and intraorganizational communications are made from both operational and managerial point of view.fi=Opinnäytetyö kokotekstinä PDF-muodossa.|en=Thesis fulltext in PDF format.|sv=Lärdomsprov tillgängligt som fulltext i PDF-format

Logistic Strategy and Organizational Structure in Brazilian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (Smes)

This study evaluates the logistic strategies developed in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) as a response to their organizational structures and planning processes. A multiple case study was carried out in the second largest furniture cluster in Brazil. Based on theoretical models, it was found that the characteristics of a company’s organizational structure had an impact on planning. In the case of companies with a low level of family participation, this impact was intentional, whereas in the case of companies with strongly centralized owner control over decision-making, the impact was unplanned. However, the formal nature of planning does not guarantee that logistics will have strategic aims and, in all cases, it has a strictly reactive nature

Unlocking the Business Model Innovation Potential on a Public Blockchain Ecosystem: A Critical Realism Approach

This study aims to explain the phenomenon of blockchain technology in business model innovation in the public ecosystem since it offers huge potential benefits for business activities to overcome existing problems, such as data ownership, security, and accessibility. This study uses the realism perspective for understanding the phenomenon. The multiple-case study strategy presents five blockchain experts who use the value system framework to find potential for public blockchain applications. The study finds that in the public blockchain ecosystem: (i) value capture is oriented to enlarge new potential income; (ii) value creation is carried out through partnerships with other entities; (iii) value delivery is delivered through decentralized application and smart contracts; and (iv) value propositions help to solve public problems. From the findings, this study proposes three types of added value. First, low value-added, i.e., blockchain exchange data/information exchange and security; second, medium value-added, wherein technology initiates collaboration performance among entities in the public ecosystem; and finally, high value-added, i.e., a blockchain encourages new market innovation. This study focuses on the literature on blockchain and business models as well as potential future research

Application of a Blockchain Enabled Model in Disaster Aids Supply Network Resilience

The disaster area is a dynamic environment. The bottleneck in distributing the supplies may be from the damaged infrastructure or the unavailability of accurate information about the required amounts. The success of the disaster response network is based on collaboration, coordination, sovereignty, and equality in relief distribution. Therefore, a reliable dynamic communication system is required to facilitate the interactions, enhance the knowledge for the relief operation, prioritize, and coordinate the goods distribution. One of the promising innovative technologies is blockchain technology which enables transparent, secure, and real-time information exchange and automation through smart contracts. This study analyzes the application of blockchain technology on disaster management resilience. The influences of this most promising application on the disaster aid supply network resilience combined with the Internet of Things (IoT) and Dynamic Voltage Frequency Scaling (DVFS) algorithm are explored employing a network-based simulation. The theoretical analysis reveals an advancement in disaster-aids supply network strategies using smart contracts for collaborations. The simulation study indicates an enhance in resilience by improvement in collaboration and communication due to more time-efficient processing for disaster supply management. From the investigations, insights have been derived for researchers in the field and the managers interested in practical implementation

Market research: Outsourcing companies' indirect procurements to a third party (Company X Ltd.)

This thesis examines the possible market interest in Finland towards outsourcing indirect procurement to a market entry level company (Company X Ltd). The objective of this study is to present the case company background of the current market situation and interest for its business plan. The study’s primary objective is to provide the case company with statistical knowledge that will give a competitive advantage in the Finnish market and detailed information of customer expectations on the indirect procurement service. In the theoretical section, the concepts and theories of purchasing, purchase management and outsourcing are defined. This section also explains the theoretical topics, such as supply chain, networks and partnership. The research approach of this thesis can be classified as the quantitative approach, since this research required acquiring statistical data. Data collection methods are questionnaires. The questionnaires were designed on the basic of the relative theoretical fields. The empirical section describes the background information of the case company and lists the data analysis details. The crucial information has been analyzed from the questionnaires’ responses and the important findings have been presented. In the conclusion section of the thesis, the research conclusion and recommendations have been presented for the case company.Market research: Outsourcing companies’ indirect procurements to a third party (Company X Ltd.) Opinnäytetyössä tutkitaan mahdollista markkina kiinnostusta Suomessa sijaitsevaan epäsuorien hankintojen ulkoistusta tarjoavaa yritystä kohtaan. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on esitellä tutkitun yrityksen markkinatilannetta ja liiketoimintasuunnitelman merkitystä. Tutkimuksessa tavoitteena oli myös esittää tilastollista tietoa yrityksen luomiseksi Suomen markkinoilla sekä havainnollistaa yksityiskohtaisesti kuluttajien odotuksiin kohdistuvaa tietoa epäsuorassa ostotoiminnassa. Opinnäytetyön teoriaosuudessa määritellään ostotoiminnan käsitteet ja teoriat, sekä oston hallinto ja ulkoistaminen. Lisäksi teoriaosuudessa käsitellään ostoketjun, verkoston ja osakkuuden teoreettiset taustat. Tutkimuksessa käytettiin kvantitatiivista, määrällistä, tutkimusta, koska kvantitatiivinen tutkimus vaatii tilastollista tarkastelua. Tilastollisen tiedon kerääminen toteutettiin kyselykaavakkeella, tutkimuksen perusteoriatietoon liittyvien kysymysten avulla. Opinnäytetyön empiirinen osuus kuvaa tutkitun yrityksen taustatietoa sekä analysoi yksityiskohtaisesti tutkittua tietoa.Kyselykaavakkeen vastausten perusteella on havainnollistettu ja analysoitu tutkimuksen kannalta oleva tärkein tieto. Opinnäytetyön johtopäätöksissä esitellään lopuksi tutkimuksen yhteenveto ja suositukset tutkitulle yrityksell