Research Areas
Production & Logistics Management
The research domain of Production & Logistics Management consists of the management and optimization of all processes from product development to the planning and control of production, as well as quality management and internal logistics support.
Mastering internal processes is a prerequisite for a successful collaboration in production and logistics networks. Only through lean processes, while at the same time minimizing emerging risks, can companies remain competitive in today's climate.
Through the close collaboration with industry and research partners, we endeavor to identify existing research gaps in the area of production management and develop innovative solutions (e.g. modularization, management of product variety).
Supply Chain Management
In the domain of Supply Chain Management (SCM), we focus on the creation of efficient and effective value-added networks spanning across companies, in particular in terms of global procurement and production.
As the arrangement and governance of collaboration brings with it new challenges, SCM represents an important research discipline for the preservation and strengthening of Switzerland as a seat of industry and science.
The goals of the SCM research include:
- Optimizing existing processes and structures
- Designing supply chains
- Highlighting opportunities with regard to the further internationalization of development and production
- Knowledge transfer of the current state of research - in particular for SMEs
In the framework of an intensive collaboration with our partners from research and industry, we can support you in terms of process analysis, designing solutions, and the development of recommendations for action in terms of the creation and control of your cross-company supply chain.
Services
In the research focus Services, we examine the production of downstream, supporting processes of the capital goods industry also called After-Sales-Services.
In the industrial environment, services enable a differentiation of suppliers, e.g. as a "hybrid product". In this way, higher margins can be achieved than with the item of capital expenditure itself, and consequently they represent a substantial source of income for manufacturing companies.
We develop methods and concepts for the design and control of individual services as well as comprehensive networks for providing these offers. In this process, we take into account the specific demands that result from the intangible nature of the services.