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This book takes as its starting point the need to improve sustainability performance across the triple bottom line and reach global sustainable development goals. As such, it places sustainability at the heart of developing and explaining relevant theory, concepts and models in operations and supply chain management. Whereas previous textbooks on operations and supply chain management have focused on augmenting existing models of operations and supply chain management by simply adding on selected sustainability issues, this textbook places sustainability at the heart of operations and supply chain management. Sustainable Operations and Supply Chain Management consolidates the tools, concepts and methods of operations and supply chain management relevant for reaching sustainable development goals. This book includes not only descriptions of the theories and models but also practical cases based on the most recent developments in different industry sectors, including user electronics, healthcare, fashion and energy. Relevant student exercises are also included for use in the classroom or in personal study. This book provides an ideal introduction for Bachelor or Masters-level students, whether they are on general management and business degrees, or are focused on areas such as engineering management, technology management or sustainability management. Furthermore, university-level teachers and lecturers will find the material presented in this book a valuable basis for structuring their courses on operations and supply chain management in the context of sustainability.

Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- 1 Introduction -- PART I: Sustainable products -- 2 Sustainable product design -- Case 1: Sustainable product design at Ambu A/S -- PART II: Sustainability and operations -- 3 Sustainable production -- 4 Lean management -- 5 Servitization -- Case 2: Sustainable energy production with Burmeister & -- Wain Scandinavian Contractor (BWSC) -- PART III: Sustainability and supply chains -- 6 Collaborative supply chains -- 7 Sustainable sourcing and procurement -- 8 Sustainable transport and logistics -- 9 Reverse supply chains -- 10 Circular economy -- Case 3: Novo Nordisk - Environmental and social sustainability in supply chains -- Index.

PurposeTo increase the global competitiveness of their service business, servitized manufacturers transition towards global services. Yet, the literature has not addressed this development. This study is one of the first to investigate how servitized manufacturers can manage the globalisation of their service business.Design/methodology/approachThe study explores two cases of servitized manufacturers that transitioned from a local organisation of multi-domestic international services to a global-service organisation. The data were collected via semi-structured interviews, observations, and secondary sources.FindingsThe authors identify four elements of global service provision: operating model, global performance management, relationship governance, and staffing and employee development. The authors discuss each element and the connections between them, which the authors summarise in a proposed framework for global service provision.Originality/valueThe contributions of this research relate to the proposed framework of global service provision, which extends current conceptualisation of globalisation of routine services. The authors show the unique elements of global service provision of servitized manufacturers and discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the work.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how the complexity of the service offering (service complexity) affects the uncertainty during service operations in engineering services. Specifically, the authors compare the existence of organisational, relational, environmental and technological uncertainty in maintenance services and performance-based services.Design/methodology/approachThe authors present insights from four cases – two each for maintenance services and performance-based services. The in-depth data were based on 56 semi-structured interviews, multiple site visits, meeting notes, service contracts and other secondary data.FindingsThe case findings indicate that organisational and relational uncertainty were not linked to service complexity, while observations of environmental and technological uncertainty were higher and more varied for performance-based services. Based on these findings, the authors formulate four propositions regarding the relationship between service complexity and uncertainty in service operations.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the OM literature by suggesting that external sources of uncertainty increase with increasing service complexity, while internal sources of uncertainty remain unchanged.

PurposeServitization increases the uncertainty exposure of provider firms due to the operational differences between services and production which is further increased when operations are set in triads. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the uncertainty exposure in servitized triads and explore suitable organisational responses.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual frame is defined detailing three uncertainty types (environmental, organisational and relational uncertainty) and suitable organisational responses to these. This frame guided the analysis of in-depth case evidence from a cross-national servitized triad in a European-North African set-up which was collected through 29 semi-structured interviews and secondary data.FindingsThe empirical study identified the existence of the three uncertainty types and directional knock-on effects between them. Specifically, environmental uncertainty created organisational uncertainty which in turn created relational uncertainty. The uncertainty types were reduced through targeted organisational responses where formal relational governance reduced environmental uncertainty, service capabilities reduced organisational uncertainty and informal relational governance reduced relational uncertainty. The knock-on effects were reduced through organisational and relational responses.Originality/valueThis paper makes two contributions. First, a structured analysis of the uncertainty exposure in servitized triads is presented which shows the existence of three individual uncertainty types and the knock-on effects between them. Second, organisational responses to reduce the three uncertainty types individually and the knock-on effects between them are presented.

PurposeRelational uncertainty determines how relationships develop because it enables the building of trust and commitment. However, relational uncertainty has not been explored in an inter-organisational setting. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how organisations experience relational uncertainty in service dyads and how they resolve it through suitable organisational responses to increase the level of service quality.Design/methodology/approachThe author applies the overall logic of organisational information-processing theory and presents empirical insights from two industrial case studies collected via semi-structured interviews and secondary data.FindingsThe findings suggest that relational uncertainty is caused by the partner's unresolved organisational uncertainty, i.e. their lacking capabilities to deliver or receive (parts of) the service. Furthermore, the author found that resolving the relational uncertainty increased the functional quality while resolving the partner's organisational uncertainty increased the technical quality of the delivered service.Originality/valueThe author makes two contributions: first,the author introduces relational uncertainty to the OM literature as the inability to predict and explain the actions of a partnering organisation due to a lack of knowledge about their abilities and intentions; and second, the author presents suitable organisational responses to relational uncertainty and their effect on service quality.

PurposeEngineering-service (ES) development is characterised by high uncertainty, the management of which is crucial for the success of the offering during the provision of ESs. This paper studies suitable organisational capabilities to address different uncertainty types.Design/methodology/approachBased on conceptualisation of individual uncertainty types and organisational capabilities, this study investigated their empirical links through six case studies of ES development projects. The data consisted of 64 semi-structured interviews, 10 weeks of observational data and 166 supporting documents describing the projects.FindingsThe findings provide empirical evidence for four distinct uncertainty types (environmental, organisational, technical and relational uncertainty) and the organisational capabilities needed for addressing them. The authors identified unique dominant capabilities for each uncertainty type (commercialisation for environmental uncertainty, coordination for organisational and technical uncertainty, and relational capabilities for relational uncertainty), which were complemented with supporting capabilities, including project management and integration.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the service operations literature by merging previously separate research streams on uncertainty and organisational capabilities in ESs and servitization. Through this merge, this study offers a more coherent understanding by extending previously sporadic insights into specific links between individual uncertainty types and individual capabilities.

PurposeTo increase sustainability of their products and enable new business opportunities, manufacturers explore servitization in consumer markets. Yet, the literature has not addressed this development. This study is one of the first to investigate the challenges and benefits for manufacturers and their supply chains when engaging in business-to-consumer (B2C) servitization.Design/methodology/approachThe study explores two unique cases of manufacturers of complex consumer products that aim to extend their service offerings to the end-users. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews, observations and secondary data.FindingsFirst, the authors identify two factors as prerequisites for a servitized set-up: internal collaboration within the manufacturer and product characteristics (e.g. product complexity). Second, the authors identify the network as an important factor for B2C servitization, which includes the triadic set-up between manufacturer, installer and consumer. Third, the authors identify moderating institutional settings, such as regulations and consumer needs.Originality/valueThis research elaborates existing B2B servitization theory into an empirically informed theoretical framework for B2C contexts. It expands the view on servitization by introducing the network perspective to service a large number of geographically dispersed customers.