Mads Christoffersen

Deployment of vendor capabilities and competences throughout the outsourcing process

Purpose – A vendors capabilities are recognized as one of the most important factors for success in outsourcing. However, there is a lack of understanding of how vendors manage their capabilities throughout the outsourcing process. With an aim to contribute to filling this existing gap, the purpose of this paper is to explore how vendors deploy their capabilities in order to win, run and renew the outsourcing contracts.Design/methodology/approach – The research question has been derived by integrating a resource‐based view theory with a model of a vendors process in outsourcing. A multiple‐case study of three contract electronic manufacturers has been employed to explore the research question.Findings – The results show that for achieving their outsourcing objectives, vendors use different capability mixes: the winning, the running, and the renewing. These mixes are created through utilization of different portfolios of competences (balanced, unit‐dominant, and versatile) and capabilities (permanent and...

An analysis of vendor innovation capability in the contract electronics manufacturing industry

Abstract Limited academic research has been given to analysing the innovation capabilities of vendors in outsourcing contracts. This paper seeks to address this gap in the literature by enhancing our understanding of how the innovation capability of vendors is deployed to win, run and renew outsourcing contracts with their customers. Employing the resource-based view as a theoretical basis and undertaking in-depth case study analysis of three vendors in the electronic manufacturing services industry, the research shows that to achieve the outsourcing objectives of winning, running and renewing the contract, vendors can use different configurations of the competitive priorities of cost, quality, delivery and flexibility. The research aggregates the capabilities that influence the innovative capability of a vendor into the innovation-related capabilities (IRCs) of design, new product introduction and manufacturing. Three strategies are identified for vendors on how to deploy these IRCs, and a number of propositions are developed to indicate the suitability of the three deployment strategies for different operational contexts.

Videotex in a Broader Perspective: From Failure to Future Medium?

Many different observations can stimulate the national analyses made in this book. But considering the rich variety of specific national conditions and contingencies influencing the outcome of videotex development in each of the 13 countries, one must be extremely cautious about hasty generalizations.

Improved management facilitates return of an iconic fish species

Declines and losses of biota which persist for long periods often lead to a shifting baseline of where populations and species should live and neglect or abandonment of recovery actions aimed at ecological restoration. Such declines are frequently accompanied by contractions in distribution, negative ecological impacts and diminishing economic benefits. Here we show using citizen science information and data that after 50-60 years of near total absence from waters near Denmark, Norway and Sweden, the iconic top predator and highly migratory species bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, returned by the hundreds if not thousands during August-October 2016. This remarkable return has been facilitated by improved fishery management for bluefin tuna and its prey. Its reappearance, despite a recent history of mismanagement and illegal fishing which led to population decline, offers hope that other marine ecological recoveries are possible under improved management of fisheries and ecosystems. One Sentence Summary Improved management helps bring back an ocean icon to northern Europe. Significance Statement Commercial fisheries are often perceived being in a state of decline and collapse, putting food and economic security at risk. Such declines are frequently accompanied by contractions in stock distribution, negative ecological impacts and diminishing economic benefits. Here we present an example based on one of the world’s most valuable and controversial fish species, bluefin tuna, which demonstates that effective management of both bluefin tuna and its prey has been a key factor leading to a remarkable reoccupation of formerly lost habitat. This reappearance, following decades of absence, occurred despite the bluefin tuna stock having had a recent, long history of unsustainable and illegal exploitation. Marine ecological recovery actions can be successful, even in situations which may initially appear intractable.

Denmark: From Electronic Picture Book to New Medium?

The development of videotex in Denmark has many characteristics of a failure. Both in the opinion of the information suppliers and users and from an international perspective, performance of the Danish videotex system is very poor. This rather depressing situation is not, however, due to a lack of initiative and action. Quite on the contrary: hundreds of millions of Danish kroner have been spent to buy, install, experiment and modify quite advanced technical equipment and thousands of working hours have been devoted to refining this system that for a long period was seen as the new communication system that was to pave the road to the glittering information society for the average citizen.

Chapter 1 Introduction. Videotex: Is There a Life After Death?

In this book an overview is given of the introduction of videotex in different European countries and the United States. Not much has been published so far about organizational and sociopolitical perspectives on videotex. We therefore approach this field with caution. Still, we hope to rise interest in enlarged circles about the characteristics of this important new type of communication.