Per Vagn Freytag

Evidence of lean: a review of international peer-reviewed journal articles

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how “lean” is viewed in academic literature and how it is operationalised. The paper also examines how evidence of lean is accounted for in practice.Design/methodology/approach – This paper discusses a review of 105 international peer‐reviewed journals with the purpose of identifying what has been written about lean. All in all, 154 articles featuring lean in the article title are identified and reviewed.Findings – Lean has moved from application only in production to being used in other sectors, such as the public and service sectors. Most contributions are still found in production and supply chain journals, however, and few contributions discuss the basis of lean or provide a clear definition of the meaning of lean. The literature review indicates that there is a low level of operationalisation of the concept of lean, making the concept seem unclear and vague. About one‐third of the reviewed articles apply a toolbox view on lean; and, in general, the po...

Attractiveness in Supply Chains: A Process and Matureness Perspective

Purpose – Companies engage in several business relationships ranging from arms length to close relationships based on trust and commitment. Several companies have recognized that their supply chain capabilities give them a competitive edge for delivering what customers want. However, often customers are not a homogeneous group requiring the same physical products and services. From a manufacturers perspective, this demands that the issue of customer and supplier attractiveness should be considered. How can a company work with a differentiated approach: to be more attractive to selected customers or to suppliers? The purpose of this paper is to address this issue by proposing a process and maturity model for customer attractiveness in supply chains.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on two in‐depth explorative case studies of Danish business‐to‐business manufacturers. The cases report both seller and buyer perspectives on attractiveness.Findings – The literature review on attractiveness rev...

Public procurement vs. private purchasing: Is there any foundation for comparing and learning across the sectors?

Purpose – Compared with the private sector, the public sectors procurement process differs in several respects. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the possibility for mutual learning and the value between the public and private sectors and also to identify both drivers and barriers for benchmarks between the two sectors.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on in‐depth literature reviews of comparisons between private and public procurements. The paper is, furthermore, derived from two case studies: one in a chain perspective and another that concerns public‐private innovation.Findings – Extant literature contains limited contributions that compare public procurement practice with private purchasing practice. Using tendering to regulate procurement is troublesome and may hamper the possibility to learn and gain value measured on a broader scale. Wider collaboration may provide more possibilities to learn and gain value.Research limitations/implications – The empirical part of the paper re...

Continuous strategic sourcing

Abstract This article is based on a specific situation and competence analysis research project. The objective of the project is to point out possible action areas for improvements and potential competence areas; areas that should be integrated in the companys future strategic work. In the long term, the objective is to develop specific tools that can support a companys decision processes when in and/or outsourcing. The specific tools form the basis for the development of a conceptual framework that may facilitate the work with and the understanding of strategic in and outsourcing. During recent years new theories on SCM, outsourcing, supplier cooperation, etc. have emerged. Each theory has its own specific basis seeking to give solutions to problems concerning how to use and cooperate with suppliers. All theories, however, seek to solve a well-known problem within economic theory. Thus, the issue on division of labour and specialization is well known (Foretag i netwark, Stockholm, Studieforbundet for Naringsliv och Sammhallet, 1982; Joint Venture: theoretische und empirische analyse unter besonderer berucksichtigung der chemischen industrie der schweiz. Verlag Rugger, Germany, 1989). From an economic point of view it is a question of reaching the situation with the lowest production and transaction costs (Handbook of Industrial Organization. Amsterdam, 1989, pp. 135).

Sourcing from outside – six managerial challenges

Purpose – As companies become more aware of their role in the business network and their own value contribution hereto, the question of the companies’ sourcing strategy and use of suppliers has simultaneously come more and more into focus of their decision making. The purpose of this paper is to describe some managerial challenges on the sourcing side, which companies must address in order to be able to act appropriately in relation to their own role and the cooperation with others in the network. The paper aims to focus on managerial implications of deliberate strategic sourcing.Design/methodology/approach – Based on empirical observations, discussions with managers, and previous research the paper discusses six significant strategic managerial challenges that companies must address in their quest to form their role in the network.Findings – Strategic sourcing is not a stand alone activity, but an activity impacting the whole network. The paper pinpoints how important it is to address the raised manageri...

An intra‐ and inter‐organisational perspective on industrial segmentation: A segmentation classification framework

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce and discuss a contextual framework, which is based on different purposes of segmentation. A matrix is proposed for segmentation that distinguishes between strategic and operational levels and the degree to which new value is created.Design/methodology/approach – The conceptual discussion aims at contributing to development of the discussion of segmentation purpose.Findings – Several models have emerged in the segmentation literature, but the purposes of many segmentation models are not explicitly addressed. However, the purpose of a model affects the segmentation process and has ramifications to the subsequent implementation. This paper links segmentation to the purpose of segmenting and discusses the degree to which previous choices have impact on a firms possibility to select and implement new segments.Research limitations/implications – This paper contributes to a more extensive discussion on segmentation. It adds to the discussion on segmentation pu...

Complementor involvement in product development

Purpose – The involvement of lead‐users in product development has been emphasised as a rewarding method for companies in various industries to strengthen their development efforts. The argument is that these leading edge customers can generate innovative and appealing new product concepts. In some industries, however, companies may not be able to make use of lead‐users. In such situations, a complementor may be a valuable alternative. Complementors may be defined as development partners “whose outputs or functions increase the value” of the companys own innovations. The purpose of this article is to compare and contrast the advantages obtainable from the lead‐user method and complementor involvement respectively in order to determine the interchangeable value from these different approaches.Design/methodology/approach – A typical case is selected as the empirical foundation, describing a Danish food‐producing companys collaboration with a complementor.Findings – The case analysis shows that complemento...

The Beauty of Measurements

Purpose – There is a clear focus upon increasing research output, improving research quality and securing closer interaction between universities and the private market of businesses. Research should be evaluated according to usefulness and relevant criteria, where increased competition between universities and business schools for research grants should be established, such that the greatest number of publications, with the highest impact factors and most citations trigger most funding. Measurements and rankings have become hot topics for universities and business schools – this paper aims to discuss possible measurements and ranking impact for research and education.Design/methodology/approach – This paper discusses development trends in research and education based upon available research literature and analyses a brief questionnaire‐survey completed by professors from 13 different European countries, which includes quantitative and qualitative features.Findings – There is a clear trend towards publish...

Helicopter view: an interpersonal relationship sales process framework

Purpose – This paper aims to offer a two‐dimensional holistic framework for analyzing interpersonal relationships in the sales process in a business‐to‐business (B2B) context.Design/methodology/approach – This paper takes the form of a literature study of the key concept, i.e. “interpersonal relationship”, three behavior‐based theoretical streams, and an eclectic range of existing models within the existing buyer‐seller literature.Findings – The framework presented suggests that interpersonal relationships are comprehensible from four perspectives or levels in a sales process – i.e. environment, firm, sales cycle, and sales characteristics. The finding illustrated in the framework is that, in order to understand and manage interpersonal relationships in a sales process effectively, it is valuable to apply a holistic picture, thus including all four levels. This is because dynamic forces exist not only within each layer, but also between layers. In addition, it was found that existing normative directions ...

Qualitative methods in business studies

This paper focuses on the use of qualitative studies in business to business research. It highlights some of the differences and similarities between qualitative methods to illustrate the methodological consequences of choosing one method in preference to another. Three methods are presented: The Case Study Method, Grounded Theory, and the Humanistic Inquiry. A general presentation of each of the methods is followed by a description of their use in practice—how is research planned and performed according to each method? Finally, a critical review of the three methods is made. it is emphasized that choice and use of qualitative method must be consistent with the problem, the type of explanation to be used, and the theory in use. Further, it is demonstrated how the choice of method will have crucial consequences for the direction and conclusion of a study. To use qualitative methods in business to business studies the researcher must meet critical methodological demands; why a method is chosen, how it can be used, and in which way it is possible to triangulate with other methods.