No abstract

This study focuses on collaboration in the supply chain of technical wholesale items in the Finnish machinery industry. The research aims to explore the collaborative best practices to improve the future performance of this supply chain. In the current state, all the technical wholesale items are usually managed with the same management model, although there can be remarkable differences in demand behaviour and criticality among the items. Therefore, the item segmentation and management model for different segments are needed in the future. The collaborative effort should be focused on demand management and proactive exception management especially concerning critical items with unstable demand. Furthermore, there is development potential in the order-delivery process applied in the studied supply chain. Currently, a lack of cost knowledge and transparency makes the optimisation of this process difficult.Biographical notes: Erno Salmela works as Researcher of Supply Chain and Operations Management in Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland. His research areas of interest include strategic demand-supply chain management, decision synchronisation and service process development. He has published articles in multiple logistics and supply chain management conferences.Ari Happonen works as information technology, supply chain and operations management researcher in Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland. His research areas of interest include supply chain management, information technology solutions applied on industrial context and inventory and process management. He has published articles in multiple logistics conferences and several information technology and management oriented conferences all over the world. Best collaboration practices in supply chain of technical wholesale items17 Janne Huiskonen works as Professor of Supply Chain and Operations Management in Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland. His research areas of interest include supply chain management, service process development, and spare parts management.

No abstract

Time pressure is not usually seen as an advantage in front end innovation (subsequently referred to as “FEI”), but rather it is believed that ideas should be left to develop freely without a tight schedule. Instead of strictly formalized operations, creating ideas generally necessitates a certain level of freedom. The starting point for this research was to challenge this general view by imposing severe time pressure in FEI. The FEI process was reviewed from recognizing problems/creating ideas up until the selection of the best concept for further development. The research was executed as a qualitative in-depth investigation of a case. In the case, FEI took place over a three-week period, and the target for the FEI was to generate concepts of digital jewelry with business potential. The time pressure was seen as appropriate – with certain conditions – in FEI. The results also present the advantages and disadvantages of time pressure, combining it to the stress theory.

The purpose of this article is to examine business potential of digital smart jewelry. When jewelry has tens of thousands of years of history, it is interesting to find out what people think of jewelry that contains technology. The study was conducted as an action research, in which researchers acted as main innovators of smart jewelry. The smart jewelry can be divided into two main product groups: the esthetic light jewelry and the functional jewelry. Six different jewelry prototypes were manufactured-three pieces for both product groups, after which they were tested by potential and nonpotential users. According to study, the smart jewelry seems to have business potential, but as often with radical products and new markets, it will take time. Forty percent of potential users saw the smart jewelry as fun, cool, fantastic, and an inevitable future. On the other hand, 25% kept them as obnoxious. The functional jewelry seems to have much more potential target groups and users than the light jewelry. As wearable technology and the Internet of things become more common, the smart jewelry market will probably grow as well. The healthcare and wellness industry is a particular force for growth.

The purpose of this chapter is to understand how Metallica has utilized conflicts in creating changes in the music industry and growing as the biggest heavy metal band of the world and sustained in this position for 25 years. The study was conducted as a qualitative and longitudinal case study. The study confirmed that conflicts have been a crucial factor in Metallica's success. The interpersonal conflicts and the conflicts between the band founders have been pivotal. The duo has competed and collaborated against and with each other, and this way urging Metallica to better achievements. The same type of action has extended to collaboration with other inner circle members of Metallica. Different kinds of conflict stimulation techniques have been used to increase conflicts. Many dysfunctional outcomes have also arisen but Metallica as a band has nearly always been above them. The ways of handling conflicts have changed during the band's lifecycle. In the introduction phase, competing was emphasized; in the growth phase, collaboration increased and in the current mature phase, compromising and accommodating have strengthened. Nowadays, Metallica is still a relevant band with huge number of fans, but the best creative power has run dry.

No abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to promote decision-making structures between the customer and the supplier in a highly uncertain environment. This phenomenon of demand-supply chain synchronisation includes sharing of high-quality and timely demand and supply information in order to improve the quality and speed of decision-making. Design/methodology/approach The study was carried out as an abductive case study, which started from empirical observations that did not match the prior theoretical framework. Through abductive reasoning and empirical experiments, the prior framework was extended to a new synchronisation model and tools that better accommodate the observed need. Findings A new co-innovation toolbox was developed to create common understanding of demand-supply chain synchronisation between the customer and the supplier. The toolbox includes Demand Visibility Point-Demand Penetration Point, Supply Visibility Point–Supply Penetration Point and Integrative Synchronisation tools. Research limitations/implications The study extends the current models and tools of demand-supply chain synchronisation. With the new toolbox, the development needs of decision-making structures can be identified more comprehensively than with the current tools. Practical implications The developed visual toolbox helps partners create a common understanding of problems and development possibilities in demand-supply chain synchronisation in a highly uncertain environment. Common understanding is a starting point for changing decision-making structures to improve the overall performance of a demand-supply chain. Originality/value The new toolbox is both more comprehensive and more detailed than the previous tools.