Title: Implications of customer roles in engineer-to-order service supply chain

Authors: Olaiya O. Fatodu; Javad Feizabadi

Addresses: c/o Malaysia Institute for Supply Chain Innovation, No. 2A, Persiaran Tebar Layar, Seksyen U8, Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam, 40150 Selangor, Malaysia ' Malaysia Institute for Supply Chain Innovation, No. 2A, Persiaran Tebar Layar, Seksyen U8, Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam, 40150 Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract: This study seeks to find out how knowledge-intensive service firms can improve their performance by more effective management of customer roles in their service supply chain. A single case study method is used to study drilling engineering and well services segment of a multinational oil and gas services company, code-named MISI Oil and Gas Services Company. Conceptual framework for explaining the customer roles in service supply chain is developed and validated using data. Customer as logistics service provider is newly revealed in the study. It is also discovered that through its integrated project management model, the company is able to drastically minimise variability and uncertainty that four of the customer roles introduce into its service operations. MISI Company KPIs are affected by how it manages the roles that its customers assume in its drilling engineering and well services operations.

Keywords: service supply chains; SSC; customer roles; knowledge intensive industries; logistics management; engineer-to-order; ETO; logistics service suppliers; drilling engineering; well services; multinational corporations; MNCs; oil and gas services; project management; variability; uncertainty.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLSM.2015.072287

International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management, 2015 Vol.22 No.3, pp.350 - 375

Received: 10 Mar 2014
Accepted: 27 Aug 2014

Published online: 08 Oct 2015 *

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