Challenges with Industralization in a Supply Chain Network: A Supplier Perspective

The purpose of this study is to explore the challenges with industrialization across a supply chain network, from a supplier perspective. The study focuses on identifying the challenges encountered by the supplier, when working with industrialization alongside the customer’s industrialization process, the reasons for and the effects of these challenges, as well as how these challenges can be managed. These issues have been examined through a single case study including a Swedish company from the polymer systems and components industry. Empirical data has been collected through in-depth and semi-structured interviews. This study has identified fourteen challenges as well as their main reasons and effects. In addition, solutions to the challenges have been identified. The challenges can be classified as internal or external. An internal challenge originates from inside the supplier’s own organization, while an external challenge originates from the customer’s organization or from the collaboration between the two organizations. This study is explorative in nature and is limited to one supplier located in Sweden. Thus, empirical data from similar and other research settings should be gathered to reinforce the validity of the findings.