Development of Optimal Logistics Partnership Strategy - Case Metso Automation
Pajamäki, Veera (2006)
Kuvaus
Kokotekstiversiota ei ole saatavissa.
Tiivistelmä
The aim of this research is to explore the partnership strategy development phenomenon in the logistics context. The purpose can be formulated in the research task exploring the optimal logistics partnership strategy to ensure efficient logistics chain for the case company Metso Automation. The research task was divided into three more specific research questions: what are the logistics service needs and criteria, what is the content of the centralised logistics partnership solution that should be pursued and how can the existing logistics partnerships be utilised more.
The theoretical background is focused on the logistics partnerships, exploring first the partnership and outsourcing phenomena alone and then in the logistics context. The theoretical findings also present the recent studies conducted within logistics strategy development in terms of logistics outsourcing and partnership solutions between manufacturing and logistics companies. The research was conducted as a qualitative single case study with action research approach. The focus was on one key logistics partnership of the case company. The empirical data was collected with several techniques including participant observation as the main data collection technique, document databases of the case company, logistics questionnaire form and complementary interviews taking into account the customer and partner perspective.
The results were categorised according to the research questions. The most important service needs include the reliable delivery of correct goods to the right destination within the promised time and competitive price. No major or systematic deficiencies were found in logistics partners' performance. Integrated IT-solution between the case company and its logistics partner was developed as the key process improvement decreasing the amount of manual routines. This IT-solution also increased the partnership utilisation opportunities, as the partner could offer more extensive online tools to improve the logistics transparency. The logistics partnerships could also be utilised by group centralisation and active partner consulting in operational and partnership development issues.
The theoretical background is focused on the logistics partnerships, exploring first the partnership and outsourcing phenomena alone and then in the logistics context. The theoretical findings also present the recent studies conducted within logistics strategy development in terms of logistics outsourcing and partnership solutions between manufacturing and logistics companies. The research was conducted as a qualitative single case study with action research approach. The focus was on one key logistics partnership of the case company. The empirical data was collected with several techniques including participant observation as the main data collection technique, document databases of the case company, logistics questionnaire form and complementary interviews taking into account the customer and partner perspective.
The results were categorised according to the research questions. The most important service needs include the reliable delivery of correct goods to the right destination within the promised time and competitive price. No major or systematic deficiencies were found in logistics partners' performance. Integrated IT-solution between the case company and its logistics partner was developed as the key process improvement decreasing the amount of manual routines. This IT-solution also increased the partnership utilisation opportunities, as the partner could offer more extensive online tools to improve the logistics transparency. The logistics partnerships could also be utilised by group centralisation and active partner consulting in operational and partnership development issues.