Ralf Hieber

Gestaltung von effizienten Wertschöpfungspartnerschaften im Supply Chain Management

Im Zeitalter der New Economy sind wir um sehr viele neue Schlagworter und Abkurzungen „bereichert“ worden. Die meisten unternehmerischen Tatigkeiten wurden mit der Vorsilbe ‚e-‘ erganzt (z. B. e-Business, e-Commerce, e-Procurement, e-Logistics, e-Fulfillment). Eine exponentiell zunehmende Zahl von drei-buchstabigen Abkurzungen des Typs ‚x2y‘ (z. B. B2B) wird zur Vermarktung von Software-Produkten zur Stutzung und Verbesserung der Prozesse sowohl innerhalb des eigenen Unternehmensnetzwerks, als auch zwischen Netzwerkpartnern bis hin zum Miteinbezug des Verbrauchers selbst benutzt.

How to manage your supply network to get better results

The paper aims at providing a network diagnosis tool for the management of supply chains which can be very successful in evaluating and optimizing the performance of supply networks. Therefore, first of all, this paper gives an indication how variances within a supply chain can create great disturbances in the material flow over the own interorganizational boundaries. Analyses have shown that the standard deviation of the material flow of representative A-products can raise manifold along the supply chain. By investigating this phenomenon, also called the bull-whip effect (Lee, 1997), schedule instability was discovered as the root cause. To manage networks and to control the material flow over various links of the supply chain, a methodology, called network diagnosis system has now been developed. Experiences with the application of this methodology have shown that not only the variances can be diminished, but also the cooperation between the different organizations can be significantly improved. Moreover, first results have also revealed, that the awareness of the involved members about the subsequent consequences and effects of local single actions within the supply chain is one of the most critical factors for a successful network management.

Performance Measurement in Virtual Organizations

The paper gives an overview of a new integral model for performance measurement in virtual organizations. With the focus on the one-of-a-kind production environment, different type of virtual enterprises can be distinguished depending on the deliverables. The paper will focus on the virtual service enterprise, which delivers services such as maintenance, repair, or operation support to customers. By providing generic and aggregated performance indicators an integral and balanced model to measure the performance of a service network as well as virtual service enterprises, which are formed by selected network members, will be provided. A case study has proven the applicability and potential benefits of a collaborative performance measurement in service networks.

Die Einführung von SCM-Softwaresystemen

Dem Beispiel der USA folgend, hat sich in den letzten Jahren auch in Europa das Thema Supply Chain Management, das Management von Wertschopfungsketten, erfolgreich etabliert. Starkere Kundenorientierung, umfassenderer Logistikservice und standige Produktinnovationen haben dazu gefuhrt, dass sowohl Grosunternehmen als auch kleine und mittelstandische Unternehmen die Strategie einer Konzentration auf ihre Kernkompetenzen verfolgen. Erganzende Wertschopfungsprozesse werden auf spezialisierte Betriebe ausgelagert. Dies fuhrt jedoch auch zu einer zunehmenden Verflechtung von Lieferanten, Produzenten und Logistik-Dienstleistern in Netzwerken. Der individuelle Erfolg einzelner Unternehmen wird damit zunehmend durch die Leistungsfahigkeit des gesamten Netzwerkes bestimmt. Als Folge mussen Kostensenkungspotenziale nicht mehr nur unternehmensintern, sondern gemeinsam im Netzwerk erschlossen werden.

New generation of information system for the extended enterprise

The paper starts with a brief survey over the historical development of information systems, from simple inventory control programs over very sophisticated integrated enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) towards advanced planning and scheduling systems (APS) in the industrial environment. Thereby, the focus is not only on technical innovations, but also on the managerial impacts on industrial organizations. Based on these insights, this new generation of standard software packages, also known under the expression Supply Chain Management (SCM) solutions, will be discussed. The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare current SCM-solutions versus existing information systems which are operating in different industry branches. Based on the experience of our own research and the insight of our industry partners, strengths and weaknesses of these new systems will be revealed. The findings of these study will end up with a potential gap between the technological capabilities of theses systems and the organizational needs.