Systematic complaint data analysis in a supply chain network context to recognise the quality targets of welding production

Abstract

The network context has moved into a focus of discussions on enhancing productivity and profitability of manufacturing in welding production. At the same time, the quality of manufacturing is taken under consideration in both internal and external functions of manufacturing. The advantages of network structure in production are not fully exploited in supply development, relationship and intercommunication management, or perceiving surroundings with the aim of increasing profit outcome. This thesis discusses welding production in a supply chain network context with the aim to comprise the state of welding production in the supply chain context and concretise quality issues on production in light of a supplier network. The research establishes a relationship between complaints to the supplier network and intercommunication in the supply chain network context with a systematic complaint data analysis. The methodology of the study is based on combined research methods with the nature of the research context. The case study method and mixed method approach with quantitative and qualitative approach is used. In this research, an overall picture of the welding supply chain network, its actors, and their relationships with each other as well as their intercommunication activities is composed. Information share is found lacking and results in discrepancies in production. To establish the goals to decrease complaints to the supplier network, a systematic model is created. Future research is needed to extend the perspective of research to the supplier network and to find the effect of complaints with complaint management perspective on financial benefits in the production chain and the end product.