Re-architecting the failure analysis supply chain
Author(s)
Hebalkar, Tejaswini![Thumbnail](/bitstream/handle/1721.1/39487/174985463-MIT.pdf.jpg?sequence=5&isAllowed=y)
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Other Contributors
Leaders for Manufacturing Program.
Advisor
Deborah J. Nightingale and Sara L. Beckman.
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Show full item recordAbstract
With customer satisfaction and lifecycle product quality becoming a competitive advantage, technology companies are motivated to look beyond their historical focus on forward supply chain management. Operational excellence in customer returns management, failure analysis, and closed loop corrective action is taking on an increasingly important role as companies strive to improve their business processes, policies and supply chains to achieve a world-class leadership position in their industry. In the competitive high-tech industry, companies face a number of challenges in managing customer returns and re-architecting their failure analysis supply chains to support a closed loop corrective action approach to product quality. Supporting globally distributed customers through a diverse network of outsourced manufacturing, repair, failure analysis and logistics partners increases the complexity of the supply chain architecting problem. This thesis proposes a holistic enterprise architecting approach, including governance, process, network design, organization, enabling technology, and performance management elements that should be considered when re-architecting the failure analysis supply chain. During this process, strategic decisions need to be made regarding supply chain designs that are aligned with the vision of the enterprise. (cont.) Operations managers and leaders can use data-driven, collaborative approaches supported by decision support tools like the "Decision Model for Failure Analysis Supply Chain" to align decisions with customer value and stakeholders' needs. Implementing changes based on these strategic decisions requires understanding organizational dynamics within the enterprise. An understanding of the "frame of reference" that guides decision makers can help address implementation challenges. In addition, communication, training and alignment of incentives across functional groups to encourage collaboration can allow enterprises to make strategic decisions that are successfully implemented. The strategies proposed in this thesis are intended to aid managers in making monumental changes to their "reverse" operations and exceeding customer expectations.
Description
Thesis (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division; in conjunction with the Leaders for Manufacturing Program at MIT, 2007. This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. Includes bibliographical references.
Date issued
2007Department
Leaders for Manufacturing Program at MIT; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division; Sloan School of ManagementPublisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Sloan School of Management., Engineering Systems Division., Leaders for Manufacturing Program.