Engaging Service Providers in Continuous Improvement: How Volvo's actors, systems and chemical management service provider could work together towards continuous improvement and sustainable development.
Author
Summary, in English
Continuous improvement is not a new idea in business. Six Sigma, Lean Production and the PDCA cycle are some of the approaches companies can take to conduct continuous improvement of their operations. However, when a buyer is engaged with a supplier via a service provision contract, their combined effort to work towards continuous improvement is made more complex. This research adds to the understanding of how a large business could engage its supplier in continuous improvement, specifically where a service provision contract exists between the buyer and supplier. A case study at Volvo Construction Equipment revealed that a number of actors and systems, that fulfilled the theoretical requirements for a successful engagement, already existed. This allowed for the proposal of a solution to Volvo Construction Equipment concerning the best way for them to engage with BP Castrol, their chemical management service provider.
Publishing year
2007
Language
English
Full text
Document type
Student publication for Master's degree (one year)
Topic
- Earth and Environmental Sciences
Keywords
- Chemical management service
- Product-service system
- Buyer-supplier relationship
- Supplier integration
- Continuous improvement
- Lean production
- Environmental studies
- Miljöstudier
Supervisor
- Torbjörn Brorson