Supplier Assessment For Composites’ Product-Based Manufacturers: Case Study

Supplier assessment as a method to company for choosing the potential supplier; it is important decision makings in business operation. This paper examines the similarities and differences of supplier assessment methodology on four selected companies which involved in composites products and manufacturing. The data collections consist of semi-structured interview with supply chain personnel, documentation review and observation. The findings show that effective supplier assessment is not easy to achieve and it takes knowledge or an organization’s goals, supply base, business processes, and structure. Besides, the study identified that different companies (same business nature but different product) have their own ways in selecting out the main criteria in supplier assessment that in line with their business strategy. The results can be used as reference to the others companies to restructure their supplier assessment focusing on the main criteria based on their business objective

A technique for determining the optimum mix of logistics service providers of a make-to-order supply chain by formulating and solving a constrained nonlinear cost optimization problem

In this paper, a technique has been developed to determine the optimum mix of logistic service providers of a make-to-order (MTO) supply chain. A serial MTO supply chain with different stages/ processes has been considered. For each stage different logistic service providers with different mean processing lead times, but same lead time variances are available. A realistic assumption that for each stage, the logistic service provider who charges more for his service consumes less processing lead time and vice-versa has been made in our study. Thus for each stage, for each service provider, a combination of cost and mean processing lead time is available. Using these combinations, for each stage, a polynomial curve, expressing cost of that stage as a function of mean processing lead time is fit. Cumulating all such expressions of cost for the different stages along with incorporation of suitable constraints arising out of timely delivery, results in the formulation of a constrained nonlinear cost optimization problem. On solving the problem using mathematica, optimum processing lead time for each stage is obtained. Using these optimum processing lead times and by employing a simple technique the optimum logistic service provider mix of the supply chain along with the corresponding total cost of processing is determined. Finally to examine the effect of changes in different parameters on the optimum total processing cost of the supply chain, sensitivity analysis has been carried out graphically

Citizen relationship management implementation in Malaysian local governments

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.From the perspective of a system developer, this study presents an in-depth analysis of the CiRM implementation process in Malaysian local government. The study was motivated by the lack of studies examining the CiRM implementation process initiatives in the local government sector. Furthermore, the performance of the Malaysian Government in this initiative has been subjected to various criticisms, i.e., not properly servicing its public. This raises the question as to what has happened during the period of the CiRM implementation process in Malaysia. As there has been a demand for local governments to invest more in CiRM projects, the need for existing and potential system developers in the Malaysian government to have an implementation framework that could guide their effort in implementing the system has become more vital. This study combines the case study research and grounded theory approaches. Twenty in-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with system developers from ten local governments (i.e., five interviews from four pilot-cases and fifteen interviews from six primary-cases). The analyses of these data were divided in three main phases. The first phase involved a within and cross-case analyses of the pilot cases. The second and third phases involved a within and cross-case of the primary cases. These analyses enabled a set of determinants on CiRM implementation in the Malaysia local governments to be developed. The determinants were established by fitting their characteristics to the lifecycle of the CiRM system implementation process. Some of the determinants were found to be common to the existing literature while others were found to be enhancing the existing knowledge in CiRM implementation process. These determinants were then developed to shape a theoretical framework for the CiRM implementation process in the local Malaysian governments. This framework not only describes the main determinants in the implementation process, but also the forces and activities that lie within it.Doctoral studentship from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Exploring green and logistics service quality of Thai logistics service providers

The emergence of environmental or green issues in global supply chains has made it an essential practice to measure the performance of organisations of not only from their financial and management perspectives but also their environmental performance, particularly logistics service providers (LSPs) as service providers. There has been little work done during last two decades linking the three topics of green service quality (GSQ), logistics service quality (LSQ), and the Thai government’s logistics performance index (TLPI) for the logistics sector. The objective of this thesis was to investigate issues pertaining to GSQ and LSQ, and their impact on the TLPI for logistics providers in Thailand.Based on an extensive literature review, three research questions were proposed for this thesis to address gaps in the body of knowledge. GSQ is a new area of theory development and few research studies have focussed on the on the integration of both green and logistics service quality. The study used a rigorous three-phase methodological framework originally developed for the marketing discipline for item and scale development and applied more recently to logistics research.A mixed method approach used semi-structured interviews in Phase One, in conjunction with the literature, to generate and develop variables of GSQ and LSQ. These variables were tested in a Phase Two empirical study of Thai LSPs and their customers using a questionnaire survey. Finally, in Phase Three structured interviews were conducted to verify and validate the overall results.The findings indicate that LSQ has a positive and significant effect on TLPI, and that effect is more pronounced when GSQ measures are included. Such measures indirectly affect TLPI through LSQ. The findings also propose a final set of twenty-eight GSQ and LSQ variables of importance to LSP performance as perceived by Thai LSPs and their customers, and are related generally to green safety, regulations and collaboration; time and services; order service quality; and order procedures competencies. In light of this study, Thai LSPs should consider introducing GSQ as part of their business and the Thai government might include GSQ measures as part of its TLPI

Supplier selection in the Malaysian telecommunications industry

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Supplier selection plays an important role in any organisation. This study investigates and examines supplier selection criteria and the impacts on buying firm performance; specifically focusing on the telecommunications industry in Malaysia. Previous studies in this area have focussed on the criteria such as quality, price, delivery, supplier relationship management and decision making tools and techniques. However, little research has been undertaken to include government policies and business ethics as elements in the supplier selection criteria. After a literature review and interviews, the development of conceptual frameworks and a number of hypotheses were put forward. To achieve an in-depth study, four major telecommunications service provider companies in Malaysia were chosen as a case study. A questionnaire was used as the main instrument in gathering data. The questionnaire is principally concerned with the understanding of supplier selection and its criteria; based upon the variables that are used for the model and hypothesis testing. The study also investigates the relationship between supplier selection and the impact of supplier selection to the company performance. This model was tested using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique with the AMOS software application. Results indicated all of the criteria include quality, price, delivery, supplier relationship management, decision making tools and techniques, government policy and business ethics as valid constructs. A good model fit was also established. The findings of this research conclude that the influencing criteria to supplier selection in the telecommunications industry in Malaysia are supplier delivery performance standards and supplier relationship management even when considering the remainder of the above mentioned elements.The price factors were found to be less important due to this factor possibly leading to unhealthy competition in the market in terms of price wars among the suppliers in order to win the business. Most of the criteria are also interrelated to each other and affect the supplier selection decision. This model has added new perspectives to the study of supplier selection in the supply chain management field. As for future research it is suggested that intangible elements such as political, cultural and social influences are included in the conceptual framework; as this would offer important insight for management bodies in organisation, academia and public policy fields alike