Inventory Management in Buyer-Supplier Relationships : Case: XX
Nenonen, Jussi (2017)
Nenonen, Jussi
Metropolia Ammattikorkeakoulu
2017
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017060212147
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017060212147
Tiivistelmä
The objective of this thesis was to gain an understanding of the buyer-supplier relationships and how they can be developed in the case company, XX Finland with some of their suppliers. There are needs to increase communication between the businesses as well as to improve the material flow and inventory control in the client company in order to minimize lead time violation orders and large order quantities that could cause hindrance in the supply chain. The main focus in improving the relationship is in increasing the effectiveness of the day to day operations that the case company experiences with its suppliers. The author’s personal interest for this topic came from working as a materials specialist first as a summer intern in 2014 and later as a full-time¬-employee from 2.1.2015 onwards. In my job I have seen the need to find ways to improve the production flow and avoid line stoppages.
The scope of this research is limited to the manuals purchased from different printing companies as individual products that are required in the case company’s final product to the customer. Even though manuals are a rather cheap investment individually, they play a vital role in the product portfolio.
The theoretical framework of this thesis is based on various approaches of materials management and factors affecting supplier-customer relationship.
This thesis is based on case study and the main research methodologies were researcher´s own observation and interviews to the employees at the client factory (General Electric Healthcare Finland) and its suppliers. During the research some new inventory control methods were tested and implemented which added an action-based research element to the thesis.
The main results of the thesis were new materials planning parameters for the user documentation sets that belong to XX’s monitors and a new visual monitoring method to act as a safeguard for manuals under the Min-Max planning method, and their positive effect on purchasing schedules which further improved buyer-supplier relationships.
The scope of this research is limited to the manuals purchased from different printing companies as individual products that are required in the case company’s final product to the customer. Even though manuals are a rather cheap investment individually, they play a vital role in the product portfolio.
The theoretical framework of this thesis is based on various approaches of materials management and factors affecting supplier-customer relationship.
This thesis is based on case study and the main research methodologies were researcher´s own observation and interviews to the employees at the client factory (General Electric Healthcare Finland) and its suppliers. During the research some new inventory control methods were tested and implemented which added an action-based research element to the thesis.
The main results of the thesis were new materials planning parameters for the user documentation sets that belong to XX’s monitors and a new visual monitoring method to act as a safeguard for manuals under the Min-Max planning method, and their positive effect on purchasing schedules which further improved buyer-supplier relationships.