Extending social responsibility to small and medium-sized suppliers in supply chains: A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis

Buying firms’ sales and reputation will be greatly damaged by any non-responsible behaviors on the part of suppliers, especially when those suppliers, like small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), have restricted resources and capabilities. To eradicate these risks, a growing number of buying firms have introduced socially responsible supplier development (SRSD). SRSD, including monitoring and evaluating suppliers, can provide them with incentives and assistance. Based on configuration theory and contingency theory, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) is adopted in this study to examine how SRSD practices adopted by buying firms, supply chain partnership, and market turbulence affect the corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance of their SME suppliers. We find that, as core factors, supplier monitoring, supplier assistance, and supply chain partnership can work together with peripheral conditions to achieve superior CSR performance. In addition, even at different levels of market turbulence, superior CSR performance can be realized through different causal configurations.     

A cash-constrained stochastic inventory model with consumer loans and supplier credits: the case of nanostores in emerging markets

We consider a small traditional retailer that is managing its inventory under strict cash constraints, mainly because typically informal loans are offered to customers. These stores are widely present in emerging markets, and we refer to them as nanostores (also called ‘mom-and-pop stores’). As the suppliers require immediate payments for goods delivered, a nanostore can only replenish products to the level for which it has on-hand cash available. To improve delivery efficiency, a supplier might offer a nanostore credit for its replenishments. However, currently, suppliers are often reluctant to do so as these nanostores quickly go bankrupt or disappear, hence defaulting on all outstanding credits. The objective of this paper is to determine when it is beneficial to offer supplier credits. We propose a multi-period, stochastic inventory model, and numerically compare scenarios with and without supplier credits. Our study shows that even in the presence of this risk, suppliers often have good incentives to provide these credits, even if interest is not incurred. For this to hold, the operations of the retailer should be (a little) profitable in the first place, for which we provide analytical conditions.     

探讨加强质量监督管理提高电网安全水平

电网的安全水平主要取决于其使用产品的质量是否过关。如果产品的质量较好，则能建造出优质的电网，电网的安全水平便会随之提高。因此，应加强对产品质量的监督管理，从而提高电网的安全水平。我们可建立质量监督管理系统，及时抽检出质量不过关的产品，从而消除电网运行过程中潜在的安全隐患。     

工业化住宅预制构件供应商选择方法研究——基于VIKOR模型

针对工业化住宅项目预制构件供应商的选择问题,建立预制构件供应商二级评价指标体系。采用VIKOR模型建立预制构件供应商多指标评价模型,并采用客观赋权的变异系数法确定评价指标的权重系数。最后,通过工程案例计算了基于VIKOR模型的评价参数,并通过对评价结果的分析获得最优预制构件供应商的评价结果。     

我国沥青市场主要供应商及竞争格局分析

全面介绍了我国沥青市场主要供应商情况,针对国内国际两种资源进行了深入的对比分析,回顾了我国沥青市场竞争格局的演变过程,对我国沥青市场未来竞争格局的发展进行了展望。     

基于改进 CRITIC-VIKOR 法的装配式构配件供应商选择分析

供应商作为装配式构配件供应链的源头,做好装配式构配件供应商的决策分析意义重大。鉴于此,从装配式构配件供应商管理内容的角度建立了评价指标体系。引入基尼系数改进 CRITIC 模型,以此对评价指标进行权重计算,利用灰色关联分析法将计算得到的关联系数作为决策矩阵,通过 VIKOR 法对装配式构配件供应商展开选择决策。并通过案例应用获得了备选供应商的优劣排序,然后从决策系数和决策矩阵两个方面进行对比研究,验证了该方法的灵活性和可行性。     

Offshoring and backshoring of surface finishing from the perspective of the Nordic countries

Backshoring of production to Western Europe has become an increasingly important trend after decades of offshoring. The subject is introduced by a general discussion followed by a specific analysis of the Nordic surface finishing industry. The main finding is that production quality is the main driver for backshoring of surface finishing.     

Transaction attributes and buyer-supplier relationships in AMT acquisition and implementation: the case of Malaysia

This paper explores how transaction attributes of technology affect differences in the relationship between technology buyers and suppliers. It also examines the impact on performance of different patterns of relationship between technology buyers and suppliers. Data obtained from 147 manufacturing firms in Malaysia are used to test several hypotheses, which were derived from a review of the literature on technology, transaction cost theory and buyer–supplier relationships (BSR). The research results indicate that the higher the level of technological complexity, specificity and uncertainty, the more firms are likely to engage in a closer relationship with technology suppliers. Even though the majority of firms reported improvements in their performance, results indicate that firms demonstrating a closer relationship with technology suppliers are more likely to achieve higher levels of performance than those that do not. It is also shown that with high levels of transaction attribute, implementation performance suffers more when firms have weak relationships with technology suppliers than with moderate and low levels of transaction attribute.     

Outsourcing practices in automotive supply networks: an exploratory study of full service vehicle suppliers

Most automotive companies outsource the design, manufacturing and assembly of some complete cars to independent suppliers or full service vehicle companies (FSVs). FSVs represent a relatively unexplored form of outsourcing which combines joint efforts in developing a modular product with the externalisation of specific niche manufacturing processes. On the basis of comparative cases and of qualitative information collected within three FSVs and three OEMs, this study aims to investigate the associated advantages and risks for FSVs, commonalities/differences from the practices of outsourcing to component/module specialists that can be found in other industries and why and for what kind of products FSVs can be appropriate in automotive supply networks. The study contributes to the debate on outsourcing in the automotive industry by providing an original interpretation on why FSVs have recently seen a shakeout with some growing whilst others have faltered.