Supplier management by distributing orders among new and existing suppliers: the methodology and its application to a fast fashion company

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Betul Acar Alagoz ◽  
Murat Caner Testik ◽  
Derya Dinler

PurposeThis study aims to create a reliable, collaborative and sustainable business environment with suppliers of a company for providing high-quality and low-cost products on time. A supplier management system that sustains existing suppliers by sharing work based on systematic performance evaluation while developing the supplier base with potential suppliers is proposed.Design/methodology/approachBuilt on quantitative approaches, supplier management functions are integrated in the designed system. A quantitative strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis is adapted for evaluating potential suppliers. A multi-objective integer linear programming (ILP) model is developed for the distribution of orders among selected potential and existing suppliers. A performance evaluation scheme based on an exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) is proposed to evaluate and monitor suppliers' performance over time.FindingsProposed system develops a supplier base by methodically selecting and approving new suppliers, and a sustainable relationship with both new and existing suppliers is established based on performance over time. Decisions on retaining or removing suppliers from the base are objectively made by quantitative evaluations. Orders are fairly distributed among suppliers under the constraints imposed by the management. Dependence on a certain set of suppliers and its associated risks are reduced while agility in offering goods is enabled.Originality/valueBusiness processes for selecting new suppliers, distributing orders among all suppliers, evaluating and monitoring performance over time are quantitatively integrated to add value in operational decision-making. The proposed system is original in the holistic approach for managing and sustaining multiple suppliers of a company based on performance.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manfred Bornemann ◽  
Kay Alwert ◽  
Markus Will

PurposeThis article reports on the background, the conceptual ideas and the lessons learned from over more than 20 years of IC Statements and Management with a country focus on Germany and some international developments. It calls for an integrated management approach for IC and offers case study evidence on how to accomplish this quest.Design/methodology/approachReport on the German initiative “Intellectual Capital Statement made in Germany” (ICS m.i.G.). A brief review of the literature describes the background and theoretical foundation of the German IC method. A short description of the method is followed by four detailed case studies to illustrate long-term impact of IC management in very different organizations. A discussion of Lessons Learned from more than 200 implementations and an outlook on current and future developments finalizes the article.FindingsIC Statements made in Germany (ICS m.i.G.) was successful in providing a framework to systematically identify IC, evaluate the status quo of IC relative to the strategic requirements, visualize interdependencies of IC, business processes and business results as well as to connect IC reporting with internal management routines and external communication. However, ICS is not an insulated method but delivers the maximum benefit when integrated with strategy development, strategy implementation, business process optimization accompanied by change management routines. Strong ties to human resource management, information technology departments, quality management, research and development teams as well as business operations as the core of an organization help to yield the most for ICS m.i.G. Over time, the focus of managing IC changes and maturity leads to deutero learning.Practical implicationsICS m.i.G. proved easy to apply, cost efficient for SMEs, larger corporations and networks. It helps to better accomplish their objectives and to adjust their business models. The guidelines in German and English as well as a software application released were downloaded more than 100,000 times. A certification process based on a three-tier training module is available and was successfully completed by more than 400 practitioners. ICS m.i.G. is supporting current standards of knowledge management, such as ISO 9001, ISO 30401 or DIN SPEC PAS 91443 and therefore will most likely have a continuing impact on knowledge-based value creation.Originality/valueThis paper reports lessons learned from the country-wide IC initiative in Germany over the last 20 years initiated and supported by the authors. Several elements of the method have been published over time, but so far no comprehensive view on Lessons Learned had been published.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-63
Author(s):  
Richard Thomson ◽  
Katherine Hofmeyr ◽  
Amanda Bowen

Case overview At midnight on Thursday, 26 March 2020, the South African government ordered a three-week lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently extended this lockdown for a further two weeks until the end of April 2020. Among other measures, businesses not classed as “essential” had to cease operation. This meant that Jonathan Robinson, founder of the Bean There Coffee Company had to close his trendy Cape Town and Milpark coffee shops, as well as the company’s hospitality and corporate business. At the same time, Bean There’s costs increased by 25%, as the rand: dollar exchange rate worsened substantially. A glimmer of hope was that the company was able to continue roasting coffee and supplying its retail clients. Unlike most captains of industry, Robinson was not driven by the bottom line and clamouring shareholders. His corporate strategy was driven by a single, simple purpose: to achieve ethical sustainability aspirations while still running a profitable business. The question for him now, however, was how to ensure that his company could survive in the short term, so that it could achieve these goals in the longer term, and whether he could take this opportunity to think about whether his business was best positioned to achieve these goals when things returned to normal. Expected learning outcomes The learning outcomes are as follows: conduct a thorough analysis of a specific company and its industry, including its markets, competitors, and other aspects of the internal and external business environment, using a range of tools, including a Business Model Canvas (BMC), SWOT analysis and PESTLE analysis; analyse and explain the market outlook of a company; identify and analyse a company’s competitors; discuss and explain a detailed implementation plan showing the way forward for a company, considering its current challenges, including integrating a range of conceptual and analytical fields of knowledge to assess a management dilemma, and arrive at a creative and innovative management solution; and be able to present information and defend substantial insights and solutions to a management dilemma in oral and written modes, appropriate in standard for both the academic and business communities to analyse and appreciate. Complexity academic level Postgraduate Diploma in Management, MBA, Masters in Management, Executive Education. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy.


Author(s):  
Samer Alhawari

Enterprises have become increasingly reliant on digital information to meet business objectives. Significant amounts of information fuel business processes that involve parties both inside and outside of enterprise network boundaries. In response, many banks have recognized the importance of managing customer retention from the perspective of a process approach to positively impact customer retention. This paper adopts a holistic approach that examines the combined effects of customer processes on customer retention. Drawing on this framework, the paper develops several hypotheses regarding the main and interaction effects of customer processes on customer retention. The paper tests these hypotheses based on a sample of data collected from two hundred respondents, drawn randomly from four Jordanian banks working in Customer Relationship Management (CRM). The results show that customer commitment has strong positive effects on customer retention. However, findings that effect of customer knowledge creation and customer acquisition on customer retention is weaker than that of customer commitment. The empirical findings help both researchers and practitioners in future customer process and customer retention research. The value of the paper consists in establishing the need of researching and incorporating customer retention process as an important support to keep organizations competitive within the global business environment.


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 268-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayada Abd El-Aziz Youssef ◽  
Essam Moustafa

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the existence of two sets of factors societal institutions and management control systems’ (MCS) characteristics in the UAE business entities. Subsequently, this paper empirically examines the bilateral and the multivariate associations between the two sets. The societal institutions include six factors categorised in three main groups: cultural conventions, state structures and policies and skill development and control. The MCS characteristics consist of four factors which are: reliance on formal rules, control over the behaviour of employees, involvement of subordinates in target setting and performance evaluation and scope of information used in performance evaluation. Design/methodology/approach – Whitley’s model (1999) is adopted in the UAE business environment and the analyses are performed at the organisational level. Qualified accounting officials and managers are surveyed. The Kruskal-Wallis test, Spearman’s partial correlation and multiple regression are used for data analyses. Findings – Findings reveal the characteristics of the UAE societal institutions and the MCS in UAE organisations. They also reveal significant associations among four of the societal institution factors and most of the MCS characteristics. The results highlight the role played by the government structures and policies group in influencing the MCS characteristics in the UAE organisations. However, these results do not entirely agree with Whitley’s model. Research limitations/implications – The results of this study are restricted by the typical constraints associated with the survey method. The obtained results have implications for researchers and managers in facilitating the understanding of the relations among the various societal institutions and the MCS characteristics. Originality/value – This research, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, provides significant new empirical evidence into the relation between societal institutions and MCS characteristics in a non-Western economy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 329-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pooja Jha ◽  
Munish Makkad ◽  
Sanjiv Mittal

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to conceptualize, develop and validate a scale reflecting performance dimensions of women entrepreneurs. The study intends to address the important aspects of women entrepreneur such as identifying factors influencing performance of women entrepreneur in emerging economies including India, and to develop a reliable and valid scale for measuring performance from women entrepreneurs’ perspective, which will help to explain the phenomena of entrepreneurship among women by using a holistic approach.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth literature reviews were conducted to identify manifest item measuring the latent scale dimensions. Semi-structured interview with women entrepreneurs also contributed toward item generation. A total of 1,032 valid and usable questionnaires were used for the final statistical data analysis. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) also conducted to confirm factors-item composition considered for the study.FindingsA final scale comprising six dimensions of entrepreneurial performance has been developed. These dimensions are business environment, motivation (pull/push), training and skill development, networking and market information, socio–cultural and financial. Dimensions are reflecting perception of women entrepreneurs on performance. Psychometrically properties of the proposed scale were tested and the model fitness was established through CFA.Research limitations/implicationsThe proposed scale will be beneficial for both existing and nascent entrepreneurs toward gaining awareness regarding what accounts for their performance enhancement in the respective ventures undertaken. At the same time, the finding carries implications for regulatory bodies and policymakers as well, which are engaged in drafting guidelines catering to the development of women entrepreneurship in respective economies.Originality/valueThe authors believe that the proposed scale offers superior ability to explain factors that affect the performance of women entrepreneurs in emerging economies such as India.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eli Moen

Purpose – This paper aims to addresses the question how a low-cost carrier (LCC) embedded in a coordinated market economy is succeeding in a highly competitive industry with a strong cost focus. Design/methodology/approach – This paper reports the results of a case study of a LCC (Norwegian Air Shuttle). The case study draws on both organizational and institutional theory as to how the international business environment and the national institutional framework continuously impact on its strategies. Findings – It is found that home-country high wage levels and strong labour regulation have been overcome by developing firm-specific capabilities based on active employee involvement which aligns with the tradition of the national system of industrial relations. Research limitations/implications – The present case study provides an input for further research on how actors deal with conflicting pressures. It supports the varieties of capitalism (VOC) argument that national institutional arrangements influence firms and actors’ strategies and practices, but it also supports the call within institutional theories for a more malleable conceptualizing of the link between actors and institutions than is the case in the VOC models. Originality/value – The paper provides an account of a successful case in a highly competitive international business despite disadvantages linked with home-country institutions.


2013 ◽  
Vol 36 (11) ◽  
pp. 1123-1136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Jin ◽  
Ngozi Oriaku

Purpose – Business-to-consumer (B2C) electronic service (e-service) allows a company to decrease transaction costs, expedite delivery time, and serve more customers. Flexibility lets e-service providers improve their service without costly and time-consuming infrastructure overhauls to cope with the changing business environment. Little work has been done to associate flexibility with e-service. This paper aims to provide a conceptual taxonomy of e-service flexibility in line with the online purchase in a customer activity cycle (CAC), as well as a theoretical model to investigate the relationships among a company's internal flexibility, e-service flexibility, customer readiness and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach – Based on an extensive review of e-service and flexibility literature, the paper develops a taxonomy of B2C e-service flexibility in a CAC framework and a conceptual model to show the influence e-service flexibility exerts on firm performance and the factors that support e-service flexibility. Findings – This research identifies the important e-service flexibility in each CAC stage, discusses the influence of e-service flexibility on firm performance and an organization's internal flexibility supporting e-service flexibility, and argues that customer readiness has an important influence on firm performance as well. Research limitations/implications – The conceptual model of e-service flexibility and propositions need further empirical validation. Practical implications – This paper should help managers identify the critical e-service flexibility that satisfies their customers and the core internal flexibility that supports flexible e-service. It should help managers consider customer limitations when developing e-service flexibility. Originality/value – This research sets some theoretical and research foundation for future empirical studies. First, the research provides a conceptual definition of e-service flexibility in line with the CAC. Based on the definition, measurements of e-service flexibility in each stage of CAC could be developed and the e-service flexibility construct could be validated. Second, the conceptual model outlines the relationships between a company's internal flexibility, e-service flexibility, customer readiness, and firm performance. The theoretical model provides the foundation for empirically testing the influences of interactions between a company and their customers on firm performance.


2021 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-285
Author(s):  
K. Dr. S. Raja, Dr. M. Ganesan @ Kanagaraj, K. Guru

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a management concept where by the companies integrates social and environmental concerns in their business needs, operations and interactions with their stakeholders. Corporate social responsibility is important to both consumers and company’s .CSR is generally understood as being the way through which a company achieves a balance of economic, environmental and social imperatives, while at the same time it also helps in addressing the expectations of shareholders and stakeholders. A properly implemented CSR concept can bring along a various variety of competitive advantages, such as enhanced access to capital and markets, increased sales and profits, operational cost savings, improved productivity and quality, efficient human resource base, improved brand image and reputation, enhanced customer loyalty, better decision making and risk management processes. In this sense it is important to draw a distinction between CSR, which can be a strategic business management concept, and charity, sponsorships or philanthropy. Often, companies that adopt CSR programs have grown their business to the point where they can give back to society Even though the latter can also make a valuable contribution to poverty reduction, will directly enhance the reputation of a company and strengthen its brand, the concept of CSR clearly goes beyond that. It refers to practices and policies undertaken by corporations that are intended to have a positive influence on the world. CSR is generally understood as a strategic initiative that contributes to a brand's reputation. CSR is titled to aid an organization's mission as well as serve as a guide to what the company represents for its consumers. Business ethics is the part of applied ethics that examines ethical principles, moral and ethical problems that can arise in a business environment. Organizations in India have been quite sensible in adopting CSR initiatives and integrating them into their business processes. It has become progressively projected in the Indian corporate setting because the organizations have recognized that besides growing their businesses, it is also important to shape responsible, valuable and supportable relationships with the community at large.


2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (30 (1)) ◽  
pp. 164-170
Author(s):  
Laura Barna ◽  
Bogdan Ionescu

The business environment has evolved over time, so that it has become a dynamic and hyper-competitive environment. The business environment presents many risks. The purpose of the risks is to highlight the success or failure in the business, because some risks are inevitable and some risks can be controlled by companies. For a company to succeed and survive in a dynamic and hyper-competitive business environment, they must find and introduce radical and incremental innovations simultaneously. Over time, many small, medium and big companies have succeeded in implementing accounting information systems, in order to make their activity more efficient. Investing in accounting systems has a positive impact on the company because they improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization, as well as increase the performance. Increasing efficiency and effectiveness means better management and dissemination of information within the company, so that employees have easier access to information and based on them to take the best decisions. The research method used was quantitative using the questionnaire based on which we identified the main advantages and disadvantages of using accounting information systems, as well as the influence of these systems on the organization and the criteria underlying the choice of these systems. The most relevant results we obtained through our research were: accounting information systems offer both advantages and disadvantages, these systems improve the performance of the organization, and the criteria for choosing these systems depends most on the speed of implementation of the systems.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Schmitt ◽  
Sabrina Hörner

PurposeNumerous approaches from the field of economics already exist for the improvement of business processes. In the field of software development, work has been done on improving development processes. For years, the focus here has been on agile approaches. Although various approaches for improving business processes exist, it is becoming increasingly difficult to adapt business processes to the fast-moving conditions of the market and the business environment. Agile approaches address this issue. Thus, not only software development processes, but also business processes should benefit from agile approaches.Design/methodology/approachTo this end, values and principles of the Agile Manifesto, agile methods such as Scrum, and various agile practices such as the Kanban board should be applied in business processes. This paper examines the work already done on this topic. With the help of a systematic literature review (SLR), literature studies dealing with the implementation of the agile approach in business processes are identified.FindingsThis paper presents, investigates and contrasts 12 primary sources dealing with agile and business processes and shows how they are different/ equal regarding three research questions.Originality/valueWe provide an overview of existing approaches handling the combination of agile and business processes to improve business processes.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document