Navigating through the Purchasing Department’s Role in Technological Uncertainty: An Investigation into Supply Chain Resilience in New Product Development A case study at a leading OEM in the automotive industry
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Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Master's Thesis
Master's Thesis
Program
Supply chain management (MPSCM), MSc
Publicerad
2023
Författare
Kasselia, Ninva
Somi, Sebastian
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
Numerous automotive companies have begun to offer electric vehicles in their model range
which currently is undergoing rapid development. This places pressure on how the purchasing
department interacts with stakeholders where the traditional ways of working quickly become
less effective in the technologically uncertain environment of new product development
projects. The rapid development in the technologically uncertain environment also stresses the
importance of applying supply chain resilience in organizations to build a system that can
experience disturbance and maintain function and control in this rapidly evolving market.
Therefore, this thesis has examined how the relationship between the purchasing department
and new product development projects can achieve a resilient supply chain in a technologically
uncertain environment.
Through a single case analysis examining OEM X where the main practices in the upstream
supply chain have been in focus, challenges in the new environment have been identified and
addressed. The case company and its processes have been investigated through interviews,
internal data, and observations that have contributed to findings that have then been analyzed
in relation to literature and research done in the field. It was observed that the purchasing
department and its relationship with new product development projects bring many challenges
to both the department itself and other departments working on the same project. This was
due to the late involvement of the purchasing department in the projects, challenges arising in
technologically uncertain environments, resource constraints, and risk management in the
supply chain. In conclusion, the thesis provides various suggestions for how OEMs operating
in the same environment can ensure that the purchasing departments' operations promote
upstream supply chain resilience. This is done by examining when the purchasing department
should be involved in new product development projects and the challenges that may occur
with an early involvement, but also how the relationship with potential suppliers should look like.
However, the discussed improvements come with implications that should be considered by
OEMs planning to implement these measures. The thesis also gives rise to further research
that can be conducted to further strengthen the relationship between the purchasing
department and new product development, operating in a technological uncertain environment.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
Purchasing , New Product Development , Supply Chain Resilience , Technologically Uncertain Environment