Luis Martin Diaz

Usage and evaluation of Supply Chain Management Software – results of an empirical study in the European automotive industry

Abstract.  This paper presents an evaluation of Supply Chain Management Software. For this purpose, we conducted an empirical study in the European automotive industry among car manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and logistic service providers from 25 countries. In particular, we analysed the objectives these companies are trying to achieve by using Supply Chain Management Software and evaluated to what extent these objectives have been accomplished. Our results show that the companies have been able to reduce both their costs and lead times and to improve their service levels. The survey also reveals, however, that until now, the cooperative potential of Supply Chain Management Software has not been utilized effectively.

Inter-organizational document exchange: facing the conversion problem with XML

Information exchange processes are often characterized by the need of translating from one data format into another in order to achieve compatibility between information systems. A conversion problem often arises when exchanging files between applications of different software vendors or when incorporating legacy business data into new standard software. In this paper we want to survey the conversion problem in the field of multi-organizational networks, since participants often use different data formats. We examine, to what extent XML is able to support the inter-organizational exchange of business documents. Thereby, we concentrate on the problem of converting different data and examine different approaches for solving the transformation problem. We show how XML can actually be implemented for a Web-based integration in multi-organizational networks. Moreover, we present a java-based prototype that enables document exchange over the Internet using XML business vocabularies for document representation, XSLT for document conversion and presentation, and both DOM and SAX for processing and integrating documents into in-house-systems.

XML-based supply chain management-as SIMPLEX as it is

In this paper we want to examine, to what extent XML is able to support the exchange of business documents in supply chains. Thereby we focus on the problem of converting different data formats of participants of the supply chain. First results show that XML and its surrounding standards of the XML family highly accelerate and simplify the conversion process. Therefore, XML allows using a common standard on a lower level, without reducing variety on a higher level, due to the use of different XML vocabularies. First, we examine different approaches for solving the transformation problem. Second, we show how XML can actually be implemented for a Web-based integration in supply chains. We present a Java-based prototype that enables document exchange over the Internet using XML business vocabularies for document representation, XSLT for document conversion and presentation, and both DOM and SAX for processing and integrating documents into in-house-systems.

Economic evaluation of cooperation scenarios in supply chains

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to examine economic approaches to evaluate different cooperation scenarios in the context of Supply Chain Management.Design/methodology/approach – The value of different cooperative scenarios is analyzed in the fields of procurement and distribution planning using an analytical approach as well as simulation runs.Findings – On the basis of the framework of Wyner and Malone coordination mechanism in the field of Supply Chain Management was examined. Using an analytical approach as well as simulation runs it can be shown that the centralized coordination scenarios usually lead to superior results compared with different decentralized approaches in the field of procurement planning and distribution planning.Originality/value – Empirical data show that the difficulty in quantifying cooperation benefits is the main reason for not to implementing inter‐organizational software solutions such as Supply Chain Management software. Therefore, a prototype is developed to quan...

Kooperationen in Supply-Chains - ökonomische Bewertungsansätze und Anwendung eines Simulationsmodells

This paper examines economic approaches to evaluate cooperation in supply chains. Thereby, we analyze the Bullwhip Effect in the context of procurement planning on the one hand and present our prototype SCOptimizer for determining the added-value of cooperative distribution planning on the other hand. The added value of cooperation can serve as a basis for a profitability analysis of using information and communication technology on an interorganizational level.

Basics of mySAP.com and mySAP Technology

This chapter presents mySAP Technology, the new integration architecture from SAP AG, which serves as a basis for the application of mySAP.com solutions. A fundamental objective is the support of the cooperation between companies. Like other standard software suppliers, SAP focuses on the use of open standards, such as Java, XML, or HTTP. On the one hand, this strategy aims at achieving a high flexibility in the sense of an easy extensibility of solutions. On the other hand, this openness is a prerequisite for the compatibility of systems from different suppliers. From a business point of view, this change in strategy from primarily in-house and proprietary solutions to open solutions has by all means been successful: Only one year after introducing mySAP.com, these solutions made up almost 50 percent of the income from license agreements (Jakovljevic 2000).

Collaborative Planning in Supply Networks: Concepts and SAP Solutions

This chapter focuses on procedures as well as options and limits of using mySAP solutions for the support of collaborative planning processes in supply chains. Here, the use of the Advanced Planner and Optimizer (APO) is of particular interest.

Inter-organizational Cooperation in Supply Networks

This chapter first describes basic objectives of establishing cooperation before concentrating on collaboration in supply networks in a next step. Then possible usages of information and communication systems in supply chain management are introduced.

Case Studies from the Automotive Industry

This chapter describes the use of mySAP solutions for the support of supply chain management with the help of five case studies from the automotive industry. The automotive industry has for a long time been molded by an intense cooperation between producers and vendors as well as logistics services providers. Examples for that are already mentioned concepts such as JIT production and vendor-managed inventory. In addition, cooperation between the various suppliers exists when they join forces to form a development partnership in order to play the role of a large system provider. Also manufacturers cooperate, for example, when Porsche buys gear boxes from DaimlerChrysler or vehicles are developed collectively.

Data Management: Concepts and SAP Solutions

This chapter analyzes the possibilities for data management based on data warehouse solutions. First, general concepts and methods for setting up a data warehouse are discussed. Possible applications of the SAP Business Information Warehouse are then introduced.