Mitigating uncertainty for industrial service operations: a multi case study

Author(s):  
Christopher Durugbo ◽  
John Ahmet Erkoyuncu

Purpose This article aims to explore the evolution of industrial service uncertainties and the approaches for mitigating these uncertainties. The article also sheds light on how the interplay of potential uncertainties due to service operation challenges shapes the decisiveness of product-centric businesses. Design/methodology/approach To better understand how industrial firms mitigate uncertainties of industrial service provision by their supply chains, we adopted a qualitative multi-case logic methodology. Our approach is based on a research model of uncertainty avoidance and uncertainty reduction which we applied in an exploratory study with three major multi-national firms in the aerospace industry: BAE systems, Lockheed Martin and Rolls-Royce. Findings From the analysis, we found that to mitigate industrial service uncertainty, there is a need for aftermarket-oriented organisation, audit-oriented governance, relationship-oriented intelligence and lifecycle-oriented contracts. We also found that value uncertainty originating from unpredictability in client needs and project scope and structural uncertainty caused by volatility and variability of business structures are also important quandaries in decision making situations of firms towards their supply chains for industrial services. Originality/value The article makes two useful contributions. First it provides an assessment of the nature of uncertainty within operations for providing industrial services. Second, the paper identifies orientations for industrial service uncertainty mitigation. Whereas product-centric businesses firms tend to vary in their states for uncertainty avoidance and reduction, our work suggest similar orientations for uncertainty mitigation across these firms.

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcello Braglia ◽  
Leonardo Marrazzini ◽  
Luca Padellini ◽  
Rinaldo Rinaldi

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a structured framework whose objectives are to identify, analyse and eliminate fashion-luxury supply chains inefficiencies.Design/methodology/approachA Lean Manufacturing tool, the 5-Whys Analysis, has been used to find out the root causes associated with the problem identified from a data analysis of production orders of a fashion-luxury company. A case study, which explains the methodology and illustrates the capability of the tool, is provided.FindingsThis tool can be considered a suitable instrument to identify the causal factors of inefficiencies within luxury supply chains, suggesting potential countermeasures able to eliminate the problems previously highlighted. In addition, enabling technologies that deal with Industry 4.0 are associated with the root causes to enable further improvement of the supply chain.Practical implicationsThe effectiveness and practicality of the tool are illustrated using an industrial case study concerning an international Italian signature in the world of fashion-luxury footwear sector.Originality/valueThis framework provides practitioners with an operative tool useful to highlight where the major inefficiencies of fashion-luxury supply chains take place and, at the same time, individuates both the root causes of inefficiencies and the corresponding corrective actions, even considering Industry 4.0 enabling technologies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 449-466
Author(s):  
Annemarie Groot-Kormelinck ◽  
Jacques Trienekens ◽  
Jos Bijman

Purpose The aim of this paper is to study the influence of quality standards on contract arrangements in food supply chains. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative double case study was conducted on the dairy and citrus sectors in Uruguay. A transaction cost theoretical framework was used. All current public and private quality standards applied by processors were studied in relation to contract arrangements between processors and upstream producers as well as downstream buyers for each sector. Findings Quality standards complement contract arrangements for upstream transactions, leading to hierarchy-type contract arrangements. Quality standards substitute contract arrangements for downstream transactions, leading to market- or hybrid-type contract arrangements. Research limitations/implications Longitudinal studies that measure changes in contract arrangements over time are recommended. Practical implications Supply chain actors can reduce transaction costs by aligning quality standards with appropriate contract arrangements – further supported by public instruments. Originality/value Quality standards have differential influence on underlying transaction characteristics, and therefore on contract arrangements, depending on the location of the transaction in the supply chain.


2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesús Cambra‐Fierro ◽  
Rocío Ruiz‐Benítez

PurposeThis paper proposes a framework that considers some key concepts to design and manage supply chains in both national and international contexts. For a better understanding, it is intended to illustrate this framework with the case of Carrefour in both Spain and China.Design/methodology/approachIn the form of a case study the paper explains global strategies in both countries. The paper also discusses similarities and differences in the supply chain management in both contexts.FindingsThe paper found application of core SCM concepts to a leader distribution firm. “Thinking global and acting local” is also pertinent to application in the management of supply chains.Practical implicationsManagers may identify key processes and consider the possible contributions of each to the efficiency of their own chains. This case study could be also used as an example of the successful management of the supply chain of a company leader in its sector.Originality/valueThe present paper illustrates a leader company based on real data.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 609-642
Author(s):  
Andrei Bonamigo ◽  
Brenda Dettmann ◽  
Camila Guimarães Frech ◽  
Steffan Macali Werner

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to recognize the facilitators and inhibitors of value co-creation in the industrial service environment.Design/methodology/approachFirst, a systematic literature review (SLR) based on the systematic search flow (SSF) method was conducted, using six databases. Then, the content analysis proposed by Bardin (2011) was used to analyze the selected papers from SLR.FindingsThe authors identified a total of 11 facilitators and four inhibitors of value co-creation in industrial services. The findings show that concerning facilitators, the involvement of actors and synergy among participants reported a higher presence. As for the inhibitors, incompatibility among actors and actors' inexperience in the context of value co-creation were the ones that registered the most frequency.Research limitations/implicationsEven though the SLR covered a large proportion of the studies available, this research may not have enabled a complete coverage of all existing peer-reviewed papers in the field of value co-creation in industrial services.Practical implicationsThis study assists managers in enhancing the performance of the value co-creation process. This is because, by knowing both the facilitators and inhibitors, managers can have an improved understanding of this process, thereby pondering these elements on the elaboration of their strategies and decision-making.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first attempts to recognize both the facilitators and inhibitors of value co-creation in industrial services.


Author(s):  
Pankaj Sharma ◽  
Makarand S Kulkarni

Purpose – Armies around the world face the dilemma of reaching the right size of the logistics chain, without compromising the effectiveness of it. The stocking of spares for maintaining the equipment and the vehicles of the army is done with just in case philosophy which results in huge inventories that have associated holding and carrying costs. Material managers of the army must learn lessons from the industry about rightsizing their inventories. Concepts like lean and agile must find place in managing spares of army. Both these concepts have their inherent positives which must be exploited by making use of them at the opportune time. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The paper starts with discussing the case study of spare parts supply of army. The paper then presents a framework where both lean and agile methods of managing inventory can be used in army. The paper also brings out salient aspects of both these concepts as relevant to spares management in army. The paper also proposes use of automation incorporating MIMOSA database and Ontology-based knowledge repositories. Findings – The paper brings out the fact that both lean and agile supply chains can be used for spares replenishment in army. The paper also gives out a framework to implement the concept. Originality/value – This concept has been used in the field of healthcare, however, this paper is original in its approach to use it for the army spare parts replenishment. Use of Ontology and MIMOSA as proposed in the paper is also an original attempt.


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jukka Partanen ◽  
Marko Kohtamäki ◽  
Vinit Parida ◽  
Joakim Wincent

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a new scale for measuring the scope (i.e. breadth and depth) of industrial service offering. Design/methodology/approach The scale and its constructs are developed by combining the key insights from prior literature and practitioners gained through expert interviews; validating the constructs by 3 item-construct validation rounds with 9 academic experts; and by testing and further revising the scale, with a sample of 91 manufacturing firms. Findings The distinct contribution of the study is the construction and validation of a new multi-dimensional scale for operationalizing the scope of industrial service offering. In addition, the identified service categories (i.e. pre-sales services, product support services, product life-cycle services, R&D services and operational services) extend the current literature on service typologies. Research limitations/implications The data are somewhat biased toward small- and medium-sized industrial firms. Hence, the development of the measurement in the context of large industrial firms provides one fruitful avenue for further research. Practical implications For managers of industrial firms, the identified service categories provide novel insight on how to develop, bundle and commercialize industrial services to their varying customer segments. Originality/value This study develops a multi-dimensional, fine-grained, statistical and relationship-level scale for measuring the scope of industrial service business. Moreover, this study tests and further develops the scale with quantitative empirical data.


2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 278-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soumaya Ben Letaifa

Purpose – This paper uses the multidimensional definition of value – ecosystemic value – and employs lifecycle theory to identify the different stages of evolution of value-creation and -capture processes in an ecosystem. Specifically, the aim of this paper is to show the uneasy transition from supply chains to ecosystems. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a field study of a Canadian ICT ecosystem, this paper adopts a multilevel perspective on value-creation and value-capture processes and illustrates how these processes need to move from a dyadic economic focus to a network socioeconomic one. Findings – The findings pinpoint the uneasy transition from supply-chains management to ecosystems management and provide a framework for understanding how value creation and value capture should be coupled throughout the ecosystem lifecycle. Finally, five theoretical and managerial propositions are suggested to better leverage ecosystemic capabilities and better manage value creation and value capture in ecosystems. Practical implications – Five theoretical and managerial propositions are suggested to better leverage ecosystemic capabilities and better manage value creation and value capture in ecosystems. Originality/value – Many marketing and management scholars discuss the limitations of unbalanced perspectives (customer- or seller-centric) in building a comprehensive view of how value is created and captured. This multi-actors case study highlights how ecosystemic value creation may be obstructed by a firm's focus on value capture.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 487-496
Author(s):  
Pavan Tejaswi Velivela ◽  
Nikita Letov ◽  
Yuan Liu ◽  
Yaoyao Fiona Zhao

AbstractThis paper investigates the design and development of bio-inspired suture pins that would reduce the insertion force and thereby reducing the pain in the patients. Inspired by kingfisher's beak and porcupine quills, the conceptual design of the suture pin is developed by using a unique ideation methodology that is proposed in this research. The methodology is named as Domain Integrated Design, which involves in classifying bio-inspired structures into various domains. There is little work done on such bio-inspired multifunctional aspect. In this research we have categorized the vast biological functionalities into domains namely, cellular structures, shapes, cross-sections, and surfaces. Multi-functional bio-inspired structures are designed by combining different domains. In this research, the hypothesis is verified by simulating the total deformation of tissue and the needle at the moment of puncture. The results show that the bio-inspired suture pin has a low deformation on the tissue at higher velocities at the puncture point and low deformation in its own structure when an axial force (reaction force) is applied to its tip. This makes the design stiff and thus require less force of insertion.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 4339
Author(s):  
Marta Mańkowska ◽  
Michał Pluciński ◽  
Izabela Kotowska ◽  
Ludmiła Filina-Dawidowicz

The world-wide crisis caused by the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a significant impact on the global economy functioning and the sustainable development of supply chains. The changes also affected seaports being the key links of maritime supply chains. The purpose of the research study described in this article was to identify the sources and kinds of disruptions observed in various maritime supply chains as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and their impact on the operations of various types of seaport terminals, namely those serving bulk (universal, specialised) and general cargoes (universal, specialised). An additional purpose was to identify the dependencies between the type of terminal and its main function, and the tactical decisions adopted by the particular terminals. The research was carried out using the multiple-case study method. The study covered some selected port terminals functioning in Polish seaports (Gdańsk, Szczecin, Świnoujście), applying direct, semi-structured in-depth interviews. The analysis of the results was carried out using the inductive reasoning method. The research study has shown that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic some maritime supply chains ceased to exist, some of them were operating with decreased cargo volumes, while in other cases the transshipment volumes actually rose during the pandemic. Among terminal operators’ tactical responses to disruptions in maritime supply chains, there were pro-active and adaptive measures. Pro-active (offensive) measures included actions taken by an enterprise in order to engage in new maritime supply chains, and even participating in establishing new maritime chains in response to limitations caused by the pandemic. Adaptive (defensive) measures covered actions taken by the port terminals as a consequence of changes in the existing maritime supply chains, caused by the pandemic in the port’s foreland or hinterland. The research study results revealed that the terminals extent of engagement and tactical decisions related to the pandemic were depended on the type of terminal (universal or specialised) and its main function played within a supply chain.


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