Making Design Matter for Smaller Automotive Suppliers

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 18-24
Author(s):  
Ricardo Cameira Santos ◽  
José Ferro Camacho ◽  
José Rui Marcelino
Keyword(s):  
Automotive Suppliers

The interplay between digital transformation and governance mechanisms in supply chains: evidence from the Italian automotive industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilio Paolucci ◽  
Elena Pessot ◽  
Riccardo Ricci
Keyword(s):  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Development Effort ◽  
Governance Mechanisms ◽  
Relational Governance ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Digital Interface ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Automotive Suppliers ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the effect of specific subsets of digital technologies and governance mechanisms (i.e. relational and contractual) on the efficiency of the automotive supply chain (SC).Design/methodology/approachBuilding on the Transaction Costs Economic (TCE) theory, and on the literatures on the governance and Digital Transformation of SCs, the research employs a multi-respondent survey on a sample of 101 Italian automotive suppliers. It analyses the interplay between investments in network and physical–digital interface technologies and buyer–supplier relationship governance models in a joint product development effort. The related effects on costs, from the automotive suppliers' perspective, are considered.FindingsThe results confirm the TCE assumptions on governance mechanisms being appropriate to enhance cost performance, but in particular show that digital technologies shape the governance of buyer–supplier relationships with different patterns. The features of synchronisation and accessibility, as ensured by network technologies, are found to strengthen the impact of contractual governance, while the adoption of physical–digital interface technologies, and their enhanced features of virtualisation and traceability, further enhance the impact of relational governance on the efficiency improvements of suppliers.Practical implicationsSC actors need to recognise the importance of long-term collaboration and superior coordination through investments in specific subsets of digital technologies, to ensure a higher product and production data codifiability, transparency and thus integration at both an intra- and an inter-firm level.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to have considered Digital Transformation in SCs from the suppliers' perspective and its implications on the efficiency of relationship governance with buyers.

Lean manufacturing practices, ISO 14001, and environmental performance in Malaysian automotive suppliers

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurul Fadly Habidin ◽  
Siti Norhafizan Hibadullah ◽  
Nursyazwani Mohd Fuzi ◽  
Mad Ithnin Salleh ◽  
Nor Azrin Md Latip
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Lean Manufacturing ◽  
Iso 14001 ◽  
Automotive Suppliers

Achieving automotive suppliers’ mass customization through modularity

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 306-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qun Wu ◽  
Kun Liao ◽  
Xiaodong Deng ◽  
Erika Marsillac
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Information Sharing ◽  
Mass Customization ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Automotive Suppliers ◽  
Product And Process ◽  
Role Of Information

Purpose Previous literature tends to combine postponement and modularity or view them as parallel factors to achieve mass customization (MC) while ignoring the sequence of a firm to design and implement operations and supply chain strategy. Based on a customer-oriented strategy and theories of organizational information processing theory, three-dimensional (3D) concurrent engineering and resource dependency, the purpose of this paper is to propose a sequential model reflecting the sequence of practices as well as an overview picture for a firm to achieve MC. Design/methodology/approach The model links three company antecedents – postponement orientation, operational alignment and information sharing, to three company supply chain practices – product and process modularity and supplier segmentation. These practices, in turn, lead to the company’s MC capabilities. The proposed model is tested with a data set collected from automotive suppliers in China and in the USA. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze the data and test the model. Findings The results suggest that, for suppliers to achieve MC, postponement orientation and operational alignment are vital antecedents. The results also reveal the important responsibility and role of information sharing practices in coordinating suppliers’ modularity practices. Originality/value This research provides three findings that are of value to both academicians and practitioners of supply chain management. First, this study originally proposed and empirically tested that a postponement orientation is an antecedent of product and process modularity and supplier segmentation to achieve MC in the automotive sector, contrary to the traditional view of parallel relationships for both. Second, it developed and verified measures of operational alignment and supplier segmentation for future research use. Third, the vital role of information sharing to coordinate internal and external supply chain practices to achieve MC is empirically supported.

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