| 1. |
- Haglund, Petter
(författare)
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Logistics Strategy for Building Contractors : CONTEXT, CONTENT, AND PROCESS
- 2022
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A logistics strategy is at the foundation of how a company manages the flow of resources in the supply chain. It ensures that the logistics function of a company contributes to fulfilling strategic goals. In the project-based building construction industry, logistics is a means of supporting building operations by ensuring that resource flows are managed efficiently in the supply chain and at the construction site. However, there is a tendency to focus on operational logistics issues and to adopt established logistics principles from other industries to solve logistics-related problems in building construction, which typically favour “one size fits all” solutions. These approaches to construction logistics are problematic because building contractors target different market segments through their type of products, production methods, and supply chains. Therefore, there is not a “one best way” of managing logistics in building construction. This thesis focuses on how a building contractor can adopt a more strategic and long-term approach to logistics. Strategy is typically regarded in terms of three dimensions: context, content, and process. Consequently, building contractors need to understand the logistics strategy context, how it influences the logistics strategy content, and the process of formulating and implementing a logistics strategy. The purpose of this licentiate thesis is therefore to investigate the fit between logistics strategy context and content for building contractors.To fulfil the purpose, the following two research questions are answered:RQ1: What elements of logistics strategy context and content can be used to assess the fit of building contractors’ logistics strategies?RQ2: What leads to fit/misfit in building contractors’ logistics strategies?To answer the research questions, a combination of conceptual and empirical research methods has been used. The conceptual part comprises a literature review that was used to derive constructs to develop conceptual research frameworks. The literature review also served as input to defining research questions and as guidance for collecting empirical data. The empirical methods used are based on case studies to further develop and verify the conceptual research framework.The main findings of this thesis are four logistics strategy context elements and five content elements that can be used to assess the fit between a building contractor’s logistics strategy context and content. This fit is important to facilitate logistics’ role as a support function for a cost/delivery or flexibility-oriented competitive strategy. However, fit is difficult to achieve in practice and the logistics strategy process can be constrained by the building contractor’s previous investments and the support given by internal stakeholders. This means that fit is not solely a deliberate choice made for efficiency/effectiveness reasons but includes comprises between previous and future directions and managerial discretion. This thesis contributes to the logistics strategy body of knowledge concerning the context, content, and process dimensions of logistics strategy within building construction. The thesis shows that there are trade-offs in selecting a logistics strategy that supports a cost/delivery or flexibility-oriented strategy. These trade-offs emerge as a consequence of different degrees of pre-engineering, type of production systems, and supply chain structures employed by building contractors, which building contractors needs to address during logistics strategy formulation. A logistics strategy profiling template was developed, which is a tool that managers in building contractor organizations can use to analyze and reconfigure a logistics strategy. Furthermore, the thesis highlights that building contractors should establish a central logistics function that takes responsibility for strategic logistics decisions, regardless of their logistics strategy context.
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| 2. |
- Janné, Mats, 1979-
(författare)
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Construction Logistics in a City Development Setting
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- With the current urbanization trend, there is an increased need for city development, i.e. to build apartment buildings, hospitals, schools and infrastructure in cities and urban areas to meet the rising demands. At the same time, land is increasingly seen as a finite resource. This has led to the regeneration of decommissioned industrial-use land for development purposes. This means that multiple individual construction projects are being built in the same or nearby areas during the same time-period. However, the end products of construction projects are produced at their place of consumption, which means that large quantities of materials and resources need to be delivered to, and removed from, each construction site. This leads to new transport flows being created in connection to city development. These transport flows need to be coordinated to ensure efficient construction productivity and reduce the transports’ environmental and social impact on the urban transport system. At the same time, it is important to ensure that construction sites can be managed from a logistics perspective without impairing efficiency due to the challenges of building in urban environments.One way of managing logistics to and from construction projects in city development is through so-called construction logistics setups (CLS). However, the implementation of CLS’s affect many different stakeholders and the interorganizational relationships between them. The implementation of CLS’s therefore faces three challenges; management of transport to and from construction sites, management of logistics at construction sites, and managing the interorganizational relationships amongst construction project stakeholders. The development of CLS’s is often undertaken by mimicking previous setups as there is currently no guiding procedure for developing and implementing CLS’s. To reduce the ad hoc approach to developing and implementing CLS’s, the purpose of this dissertation is to propose a framework for developing construction logistics setups. The purpose is fulfilled with the aid of the following four research questions:RQ1: Taking the perspectives of different stakeholders’, why are CLS’s implemented?RQ2: What type of CLS services are offered?RQ3: How can performance effects of CLS’s be measured?RQ4: How do CLS’s affect the identified challenges of managing the transports to and from construction sites, managing logistics at construction sites, and managing the interorganizational relationships amongst construction project stakeholders?To answer the research questions, three main methodologies have been used; literature reviews to inform the background of the studies and develop analytical frameworks, and case study and Delphi research for the empirical studies. In fulfilling the research purpose, the findings of this dissertation suggests that when developing a CLS, three activities need to be considered; 1. setting the scope of the CLS, 2. deciding on the structure of the CLS, and 3. managing the interorganizational relationships of the CLS. These activities are the foundation of the developed framework. The contents of the activities were derived through the research questions.When answering RQ1, it was found that contractors implement CLS’s to ensure construction productivity, developers implement CLS’s to reduce disturbances to businesses and residents nearby, and municipalities implement CLS’s to reduce disturbances to third-parties and to reduce the impact from construction logistics on the urban transport system. These stakeholder drivers for implementing CLS’s will impact the scope of the CLS. Furthermore, the scope of the CLS was found to be dependent on both the contextual considerations of the CLS in terms of physical context at site and in terms of what is being built, as well as the organizational context in terms of what stakeholders are part of the project, where in the hierarchy the CLS is located, and what level of mandate the CLS has. The scope will also set the terms for how transports are managed through the CLS. If for instance there is limited space at site, this can imply that time-planned deliveries are favoured. In answering RQ2, it was found that as a consequence of what transport management approach is chosen, the structure of the CLS will differ. This dissertation shows that asset-based setups are similar to traditional logistics outsourcing and TPL in which physical distribution services are offered. Non-asset based services on the other hand act more as supply chain orchestrators similar to fourth-party logistics service providers. In these cases, supplied services are aimed more at ensuring that the right services and capabilities can be procured for the CLS. One value-adding service that was found crucial to include in CLS’s is a joint booking and planning system. Having this type of support systems will allow the CLS to coordinate the different stakeholders connected to the CLS. Related to the structure of the CLS, RQ3 suggest that performance needs to be monitored for deliveries, on-site logistics, and the coordination of logistics activities on and off site. The performance monitoring needs to be developed from a logistics point-of-view, taking into consideration the different stakeholders’ perspectives. Finally, in answering RQ4, it was found that a CLS can affect the identified challenges positively. In essence, a CLS aims at managing construction logistics and if developed and implemented from this notion, transports to and from site as well as on-site logistics management can become more efficient. Additionally, the dissertation shows that CLS’s can help in managing the interorganizational relationships within the construction project(s). However, this builds on the notion of having well-developed and communicated service offerings and regulations, e.g. through business and governance models. It was also found that the activities of the framework are interrelated and dependent on one another, suggesting that developing construction logistics setups is an iterative process. The proposed framework should thus be seen as a guideline for how to develop the setup, allowing for adaptations of the setup to the context for which it is developed.
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| 3. |
- Lindskog, Magnus, 1973-
(författare)
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On systems thinking in logistics management - A critical perspective
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Systems thinking. Systems theory. The systems approach. All these concepts have in various guises been claimed as central to logistics management, since its dawning in the mid twentieth century. Such claims are the starting point of this dissertation, the purpose of which is to contribute to an increased understanding of systems thinking in logistics management research, both present and for future advances. The primary unit of analysis in this dissertation is thus logistics management research.The purpose is pursued through a strategy of triangulation of research approaches, via two research objectives:To describe the nature of systems thinking in logistics management research.To explore the merits for logistics management research of an interpretive approach to actors’ systems thinking.The term systems thinking in this dissertation denotes any somewhat ‘organised’ bodies of thought with aspirations to be ‘holistic’ in the sense of aiming for comprehensiveness. This part relates mostly to the systems part of the term. With regard to the other part, systems thinking is also regarded as a term that encompasses thinking about, and in terms of, systems; either that of researchers or that of actors in logistics practices.Systems thinking can sometimes be theorised on in such a way that it seems fair to label it as systems theory. Another term that is also frequently employed is systems approach. This denotes any approach to intervene in and/or conduct research on enterprises, with a holistic ambition. Such approaches can or cannot be informed by systems theory. By approach is meant the fundamental assumptions of the effort, such as ontological and epistemological positions, views on human nature, and methodologies.This dissertation employs an approach informed by a strand of systems theory labelled Critical Systems Thinking (CST). This builds on a pluralist strategy, which entails an awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of all types of systems approaches, and thus strives towards putting them to work under such circumstances in which they are best suited.The first objective is pursued by means of a combined inductive-deductive approach presented mainly through two peer-reviewed, published journal articles. The first is an extensive literature review of academic publications in logistics management; the second is a survey of logistics management academics. Results show that the systems thinking within the discipline most often is not informed by systems theory, and is oriented towards a narrow section of the available systems approaches. This is an approach that builds on an objective world-view (realist ontology), and which seeks knowledge in terms of different kinds of law-like regularities. There are variations to the kinds of knowledge that are sought, in the sense that some search for deeper, underlying generative mechanisms (structuralist epistemology), some seek causal relationships among observable phenomena (positivist epistemology). The common view on human nature is determinist, and methodologies are often quantitative. It is concluded that logistics management employs a functionalist systems approach, which implicitly assumes homogeneity in actors’ systems thinking in mutual contexts (i.e. shared logistics practices).The second objective is pursued by adopting an interpretive systems approach, thus embracing a nominalist ontology and interpretivist epistemology, in order to explore what benefits such a perspective can lend to logistics management. Informed by the pluralist commitment of CST, theoretical constructs and methods grounded in cognitive psychology are employed to study logistics management practitioners’ systems thinking through cognitive mapping. If this reveals heterogeneities in systems thinking among actors of a mutual context, in which a high degree of homogeneity can be expected, the rationale is that the dominant homogeneity assumption is insufficient. The study, presented through an unpublished working paper, concludes that actors’ systems thinking can differ in ways that render the assumptions of the functionalist systems approach inadequate. More thought, debate, and research on an interpretive systems approach within logistics management is called for.With constant expansions in the scope of ambition for logistics management in mind – towards larger enterprise systems in the spirit of supply chain management, towards more goals for enterprises than the traditional financial ones, and towards new application areas (e.g. healthcare) – it is recognised that more and more actors become stakeholders in the practices that logistics management research seeks to incorporate within its domain of normative ambitions. This leads to an expanding scope of voices that ought to be heard in order to legitimise efforts to improve logistics management practices. This in turn motivates that we should seek to accommodate not only interpretive systems approaches, but also emancipatory, in order to ensure normative prescriptions that are legitimate from the perspectives of as many stakeholders as possible, not only from the common a priori efficiency perspectives of functionalist logistics management research.
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| 4. |
- Noroozi, Sayeh
(författare)
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A Framework for Sales and Operations Planning in Process Industries
- 2014
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis studies Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) in process industries. S&OP is a planning process which has a role of balancing demand and supply at an aggregate level. S&OP has traditionally been considered as a generic process meaning that it is independent from the context of the industry in which it is implemented. Process industries do; however, have specific characteristics which affect their planning and control processes, including S&OP. Therefore, the aim in this thesis is to reconcile these two contradictory stances and furthermore investigate how the specific properties in process industries should be included into an S&OP framework. Such a differentiated framework aims to support process industries to design/implement their S&OP process based on their unique requirements in relation to their markets, products and processes while it also takes into account the specific characteristics regarding the continuous production. Consequently, the process industries would realize the expected benefits from S&OP process to a greater extent.The study starts with a literature review on S&OP in process industries in order to build the knowledge foundation for subsequent studies. The results show that the underlying difference between process industries and discrete industries is the object continuity which affects the selection of production processes including resources. Thus, process industries are often hybrids in the sense that their production processes include both continuous production, when the transformed object (material) is continuous, and discrete production when the object (material) turns into discrete products after the discretization point. In other words, process industries deploy both continuous production and discrete production while discrete industries use only discrete production. The specific characteristics of process industries are actually related to the continuous production part and influence the planning processes as well. As the result of this study, the continuous production characteristics that can affect the S&OP process are identified.In the continuation of the thesis and in order to provide a typology for planning and control purposes, the object type (continuous and discrete) is combined with two other dimensions i.e. mode type (onetime, intermittent and continuous) and driver type (customer order driven and forecast driven) into a planning and control typology. The mode type addresses the repetitivity of the flow and the driver type takes into account the trigger of the flow. Each dimension has a transition point – i.e. the discretization point for the object type, mode interface point for the mode type and customer order decoupling point for the driver type – and represents a hybrid situation since different production environments are required before and after each transition point. The typology aims to illustrate how each dimension affects the planning and control issues as well as how the dimensions are interrelated and how this combination influence the managerial decisions. The typology integrates the concepts from both process industries and discrete industries and thus, is applicable for both.Thereafter the typology is applied to the S&OP process and an integrated framework is suggested based on the three dimensions with specific focus on process industries. In this framework, the effects of hybridities within each dimension and cross-hybridities between the dimensions on the S&OP process are also considered. The importance of hybridities and cross-hybridities lies in the fact that the planning of the hybrid systems is a complex task due to the varying managerial decisions before and after the transition points. Finally, implementation steps for the suggested S&OP framework are outlined for the process industries in order to position themselves in the framework, identify the implementing procedures, and obtain potential benefits based on the differentiated S&OP process.
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| 5. |
- Waldemarsson, Martin
(författare)
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Energy and Production Planning for Process Industry Supply Chains
- 2012
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis addresses industrial energy issues from a production economic perspective. During the past decade, the energy issue has become more important, partly due to rising energy prices in general, but also from a political pressure on environmental awareness concerning the problems with climate change. As a large user of energy the industry sector is most likely responsible for a lot of these problems. Things need to change and are most likely to do so considering current and assumed future governmental regulations. Thus, the energy intensive process industries studied and focused on in this thesis exemplify the importance of introducing a strategic perspective on energy, an appropriate approach for planning, as well as the possibilities of including energy issues in a production and supply chain planning model.The thesis aims to provide models, methods and decision support tools for energy related production and supply chain planning issues of relevance for process industries as well as for other energy intensive industries. The overall objectives are to analyze the strategic importance of energy management, production and supply chain planning, and the opportunities provided when energy is included in a production and supply chain planning model. Three different studies are carried out, analyzed, and presented as in this thesis.The first study is a case study at a specialty chemicals company and resulted in the first paper. Since the energy issue is not only a cost issue driven by supply and demand, but also a political issue due to its environmental aspects, it is likely to believe that political influence and especially continuity will have escalating effect on the energy intensive process industry sector. Thus, the strategic dimension of energy is highly relevant in this thesis. The importance of organizational integration, having a main responsible person, locating core business, and political continuity are addressed as prerequisites for including energy into the corporate strategy. Regarding long term profitability, the importance of correctly utilizing the energy system by appropriate energy planning and with respect to energy efficiency and effectiveness in both flexibility and investment issues are addressed. Further on, the quest of finding alternative revenue while striving for a proper exergy usage is addressed.The second study is a multiple case study with four different case companies involved; pulp, specialty chemicals, specialty oils, as well as a pulp and paper company. The need for improved production and supply chain planning is also addressed where for instance the lack of planning support for process industries is still an area of improvement. The production and supply chain planning in process industries is found to be rather poor compared to regular manufacturing companies. The planning methods found are often tailor made and adapted to the individual characteristics that are typical for many process industries. It has further on been difficult to distinguish similarities and differences among process industries regarding these planning issues and thus hard to generalize.The third study focuses on mathematical modelling and programming developing a combined supply chain and energy optimization model for a pulp company. Taking the first papers together there are reasons to believe that a planning and optimization model that take energy aspects in consideration, as a previously missing link, will contribute to improve the operations in process industries. A clear impact of involving energy issues into the supply chain planning is shown. The results show that a different production schedule is optimal when the energy issues are applied, and depend on, for instance, variations in energy prices such as the one for electricity. This is shown by using a model for a supply chain where the energy flow, and especially the utilization of by-products, also is involved.
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| 6. |
- Waldemarsson, Martin, 1983-
(författare)
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Planning production and supply chain in energy intensive process industries
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- To make a difference among the energy intensive process industries, this dissertation addresses production planning and supply chain planning problems related to industrial energy management issues. The energy issue is turning more and more important from different angles, involving price as well as environmental problems due to climate change leading to political pressure on all energy users. The process industry sector is one of the largest users of energy, and thus important to analyse. Process industries are also capital intensive and operate on large and expensive process equipment, making it imperative to plan their production well in order to reach preferable capacity utilisation. Therefore this dissertation strives to locate the most important energy management issues for the long term profitability of process industries, and investigates the symbiotic effects of including energy issues in production and supply chain planning.Three different studies at three case companies are carried out, analysed, and presented in five papers. The cases represent the process industry sectors: chemicals, pulp, and steel. Both qualitative case study methodologies as well as quantitative mathematical modelling and optimisation approaches have been practiced. The research questions are analysed from both an energy system and from a production process point of view, separately as well as combined. Energy is somewhat considered to be the main workforce for process industries and this dissertation exemplifies some of its most important dimensions in this context.Several prerequisites for putting energy management on the strategic agenda are located in a specialty chemical industry where the importance of introducing a strategic perspective on energy, the way energy is used, and the possibilities of increasing alternative revenue from utilising by- and/or co-products differently are pinpointed. Approaches for including energy issues in planning processes are also suggested in terms of a MILP model for the entire supply chain of a pulp company, including decisions on purchase and transportation of raw maerials, production allocation, energy mix, and distribution. Another example is presented based on the perspectives of economics of scale and lot sizing through economic order quantity principles in a steel company. By using real company data, energy smart approaches in planning and scheduling are developed with respect to the most important intersections between the production processes and their supporting energy system. The accumulated resource intensity and embedded energy could, and probably should, hence be more fairly reflected in the product price. The research finally shows some possible impact with including energy issues in a production and supply chain planning model. By planning differently, production prioritisations can be done, and it is not only possible without any large investments, but also prosperous with savings on both energy and money within reach.To conclude, planning of production and supply chain has either a direct or an indirect impact on the energy cost-effectiveness of a company. This dissertation argues that such impact also exists in its mutual form, and is very important when the energy issues are large enough, as they often are in the energy intensive process industry sector. Decision makers should thus beware of the short end of the stick that might be devastating in the long run, but also aware of all the possibilities that can bring success and prosperity when the future begins.
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| 7. |
- Ekeskär, Andreas, 1984-
(författare)
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Exploring Third-Party Logistics and Partnering in Construction : A Supply Chain Management Perspective
- 2016
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The construction industry is associated with problems such as low productivity and high costs. This has been highlighted in several government-funded reports in both Sweden and in the UK during the course of over two decades. The construction industry is a large industry sector employing hundreds of thousands and a large contributor to a country’s GDP. The problems therefore have a large impact on society. Some of the problems are rooted in the organizational structure of the construction industry. Compared to other manufacturing industries, the construction industry is organized in temporary organizations. The temporary organizations cause temporary supply chains, fragmentation among construction industry actors and adversarial relationships between those actors. Partnering has been but forward as a solution to overcome the temporariness and the adversarial relationships in the construction. Another solution to mitigate the problems suggested in the reports is supply chain management (SCM). Both concepts have been taken from the manufacturing industries and partnering has been more successful compared to SCM in the construction industry. In the construction industry the progress towards SCM has focused on logistics. In recent years dedicated third-party logistics (TPL) solutions have emerged in the Swedish construction industry, where a company is hired to manage the logistics in a construction project.The purpose with the research presented in this licentiate thesis is to explore how client initiated TPL solutions and partnering can be facilitators for SCM in the construction industry. Being a new phenomenon in the construction industry TPL solutions provide a logistical competence not necessarily included in a traditional construction project. Therefore, TPL solutions are of particular interest when studying the realization of SCM in the construction industry. In the process of realizing SCM in the construction industry, the construction clients have been put forward as having a crucial and important role. The clients are the initiator and funder of construction projects and as such the client can influence the course of a construction project. Therefore, it is of interest to study how the client can take an active role in this process. Initiating a TPL solution in a construction project is one way for a client to take an active part in the realization of SCM in construction.However, in order to study how clients can take an active role towards the realization of SCM in the construction industry, there have to be an understanding of how SCM is to be adopted to the construction industry context. SCM that derives from the manufacturing industry is designed to be used in long-term relationships with permanent organizational structures. The construction industry on the other hand is associated with short-term relationships and a temporary organizational structure. Partnering that is designed to mitigate the temporariness and establish long-term relationships have been quite successful in the construction industry, and could therefore be used as a facilitator for SCM in construction.To study the use of client initiated TPL-solutions in construction and the realization of SCM in the construction industry the following research questions have been addressed:RQ1: To what extent can a third-party logistics solution be a facilitator for client driven SCM in the construction industry?RQ2: How will upstream and downstream tiers be affected when a thirdparty logistics provider is used in a construction project?RQ3: How can partnering be used a mean to facilitate the realization of SCM in the construction industry?To answer the research questions two main methodologies have been used; case study for the empirically grounded research and conceptual studies for the analysis of the case studies as well as for comparing the two concepts of partnering and SCM. All questions have been grounded in literature and previous research. The findings of this research is therefore grounded in both theory and in practice. The main findings of this research is that TPL solutions are not a quick fix for realizing SCM in the construction industry. However, if used right a TPL solution can be an effective tool to address logistical issues in a construction project and to establish an interface between the supply chain and the construction site. By initiating a TPL solution the client addresses the importance of logistical competence in a construction project. A TPL solution does not have a purpose of its own; a TPL solution is a service function to the construction project, providing expertise on logistics management. There are also a number of driving forces and concerns that have been identified, if they are addressed prior to a TPL solution is implemented, the likelihood of its success will increase.Furthermore, both partnering and SCM rely on high trust and share several key components and issues that have to be addressed. Partnering on strategic level with several suppliers included can even be hard to distinguish from SCM. Wherefore, partnering is considered a facilitator for the realization of SCM in construction. By addressing the necessary issues in both concepts a good foundation for SCM is established.
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| 8. |
- Gholami, Yashar, 1991-
(författare)
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Investigating Adoption of Digital Technologies in Construction Projects
- 2023
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis investigates the adoption of digital technologies to improve logistics processes in construction projects. The focus is on the main contractor firms and construction projects, but first-tier suppliers, transportation firms, and technology vendors are also considered. The logistics processes that are studied are order-to-delivery processes and on-site logistics. Order-to-delivery processes and on-site logistics play a critical role in ensuring the availability of goods for the construction process, in the right amount and time, at the right location, and without damage.Inefficient logistics processes that do not support construction projects with the right resources (materials, tools, and machinery) are one reason for low construction project performance. Inefficient logistics processes cause disruptions to construction projects, such as material stockouts, material surpluses, unavailability, idle waiting and searching time, and waste (e.g., damages). On a larger scale, inefficient logistics processes cause significant project delays and cost overruns. Therefore, improving logistics processes can improve construction project performance.To address the inefficiencies of logistics processes, main contractor firms face increased pressure to adopt digital technologies. It is known that adopting digital technologies can improve communication between project stakeholders, construction automation, and data acquisition, visualization, and analytics. The adoption of digital technologies has also been reported to improve the construction process, such as design, production, logistics, and procurement of materials and services. However, the adoption of digital technologies is a complex and inter-organizational process, and the industry's decentralized, project-driven nature makes many efforts ad hoc and one-of-a-kind endeavors. Moreover, there needs to be more clarity in the path of digital technology adoption for increasing construction project performance. A knowledge gap in this context has been a lack of actionable recommendations to practitioners, such as main contractor firms.Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to formulate recommendations for the adoption of digital technologies that enable the main contractor firms to improve logistics processes. Based on this, the following research questions guide the research:RQ1: What are the drivers and barriers for the adoption of digital technologies at the project level from a main contractor perspective?RQ2: What are the effects on logistics processes when adopting digital technologies in construction projects?RQ3: What are the lessons learnt from the adoption of digital technologies in construction projects?The findings identify drivers and barriers to adopting digital technologies at the project level from a main contractor perspective, the effects of adopting digital technologies, and lessons learnt from adopting digital technologies in construction projects. Furthermore, a successful technology adoption process is driven by identifying the drivers and needs of the project and the stakeholders/individuals involved. It is also found that the effects of adopting digital technologies are: (a) re-designing the order-to-delivery processes and on-site logistics and (b) accessibility and monitorability of information. Moreover, this thesis proposes an enhanced understanding of the process undertaken by the main construction firms in adopting digital technologies. The thesis complements the knowledge of digital technology adoption by focusing on construction projects. The thesis fills in a knowledge gap by formulating actionable recommendations to main contractor firms and bringing clarity to the path of digital technology adoption for increasing construction project performance.
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| 9. |
- Haglund, Petter, 1995-
(författare)
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Logistics Organization Design for Building Contractors
- 2024
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Construction logistics management is crucial for timely and cost-effective project delivery. While studies highlight improved project performance with a strategic and long-term approach to construction logistics management, there is a tendency to pursue project-centric logistics planning, hindering long-term, strategic approaches. Building contractors often prioritize dedicated solutions for specific projects, resulting in a lack of focus on company-wide efficiency. In the context of project-oriented building construction, where the logistics organization governs the planning, coordination, and control of resource flows, there is little known about how to tailor logistics strategies for the context of building contractors. While studies highlight the potential of strategic approach to logistics on project and supply chain performance, the adaptation of logistics strategies in the construction sector, especially considering influential contextual factors, remains largely unexplored.Current logistics strategy literature predominantly draws from the repetitive manufacturing industries, often in the United States, failing to account for the distinct challenges posed by project-oriented construction. This thesis addresses how building contractors should strategically design their logistics organizations, accounting for building contractors’ specific contextual factors and subsequently proposing logistics organization design configurations that align with their unique characteristics.The purpose is to investigate building contractors’ logistics strategy content and process with a focus on how to design the logistics organization. To fulfil the purpose, the following three research questions are formulated:RQ1. What contextual factors influence the design of building contractors’ logistics organizations?RQ2. How do the identified contextual factors influence the design of building contractors’ logistics organizations?RQ3. How should building contractors design their logistics organizations in response to the contextual factors?In response to RQ1, a combination of conceptual research, case studies, and a questionnaire study were undertaken to identify contextual factors influencing building contractors' logistics organizations, including the number of strategic business units (SBUs), product characteristics, and production process characteristics. These factors influence logistics organization design elements in terms of the degree of centralization, formalization, integration, and division of labour.To answer RQ2, a mix of conceptual research, case studies, and a questionnaire study were undertaken to investigate how contextual factors influence the logistics organization design element. The findings indicate that while product and production process characteristics influence logistics organization design, the impact of company size remains inconclusive. The findings challenge conventional understanding regarding the influence of company size on logistics organization design, emphasizing the central role of product characteristics, production processes, and the number of SBUs among building contractors.In response to RQ3, case studies were used to classify several logistics organization design configurations determined by the building contractors' product characteristics, production process characteristics, and the number of SBUs. These configurations outline responses to product characteristics, production process characteristics, and the number of SBUs. For instance, configurations reflecting single business unit contractors with high logistics predictability favour a centralized logistics organization, while those involving multiple SBUs lean towards divisional logistics function structures. Furthermore, the findings highlight the feasibility and preference for hybrid configurations in aligning logistics organization design with the unique characteristics of building contractors, contributing insights valuable for adapting organizational structures in diverse operational contexts.This thesis contributes to logistics organization design literature by explaining how contextual factors shape building contractors' logistics organizations. The focus on construction-specific contextual factors, such as the degree of pre-engineering (product characteristics) and off-site fabrication (production process characteristics), broadens the scope beyond repetitive manufacturing contexts. The suggested logistics organization structures and configurations provide a foundation for understanding logistics strategy in construction and similar engineer-to-order industries. However, generalization to other engineer-to-order sectors requires additional research.The thesis highlights a lack of formalized logistics strategies among building contractors. The identified logistics organization structures and design configurations offer practical insights for initiating a strategic logistics process, thus contributing to construction logistics practice. However, while the thesis advances logistics organization design understanding, the need for further research remains. Future research avenues include investigating the impact of company size, exploring misfit consequences, developing key performance indicators, and refining the implementation process. The methodological approach suggests the need for practice-oriented research designs to actively apply and evaluate the thesis' concepts in real-world scenarios.
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| 10. |
- Janné, Mats, 1979-
(författare)
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Construction Logistics Solutions in Urban Areas
- 2018
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- More and more people are living in, or moving to, urban areas than ever before. This attraction to urban areas means that new houses and work places are needed. Building new houses or renovating older housing stock is a natural way for a city to evolve. However, the end products of construction projects are produced at their place of consumption. This means that a multitude of materials and resources need to be delivered to, and removed from, each construction site. This leads to new transport flows being created in urban areas. In urban areas, these transports are subjected to space limitations, environmental demands, accessibility demands and noise restrictions. This has led to a situation where material deliveries to construction sites needs to be coordinated and managed in ways that reduce their impact on the urban transport system and at the same time ensuring efficient construction projects.In essence, construction in urban areas faces two problems; the urban transport problem and the problem of coordinating multiple construction stakeholders. One way to address these problems is through the use of construction logistics solutions such as terminals (e.g. construction logistics centres) and checkpoints. The aim of both types of solutions is to control and coordinate construction transports. In the construction industry, these solutions are however, still a rather new phenomenon. This means that how these solutions are perceived by different stakeholders, and the effect the solutions have on material flows and costs, needs to be explored further.The purpose of this thesis is to explore how construction logistics solutions can be used as a means to coordinate material flows to ensure efficient construction and reduce disturbances on the urban transport system. To achieve this purpose, the following research questions have been addressed:RQ1: How are different stakeholders in the construction industry affected by construction logistics solutions?RQ2: How will the use of construction logistics solutions affect material flows and costs in urban construction projects?To answer the research questions two main methodologies have been used; case study research for the empirical studies and literature reviews for the analysis of the case studies as well as for understanding how supply chain management, logistics, and third-party logistics affects the inter-organizational relationships of the construction industry.The main findings of the research are firstly that construction logistics solutions do have a role to play in the coordination of different construction stakeholders. Adding this new node will force construction stakeholders to address coordination issues in order to ensure that material deliveries arrive to construction sites on time. This also implies that new inter-organizational relationships will evolve, where communication is key. However, this may not be an easy task as it will call for an attitude adjustment towards a more open and collaborative environment.Secondly, adding a construction logistics solution can reduce some unnecessary friction between construction stakeholders and third parties. Coordinated material flows can lead to a reduction in the amount of material delivery vehicles that travels to site, thus alleviating some of the congestion in the urban transport system. This will not reduce all friction between construction projects and third parties, but it is a step in the right direction.Thirdly, a construction logistics solution must come with a set of regulations and a governance strategy from the initiator of the solution. This governance strategy must be clearly stated and communicated to the affected stakeholders. To alleviate animosity towards the solution, flexibility and stakeholder involvement is key. If the directly affected stakeholders are consulted on the function, chances are that they will be more accepting of the solution.
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