University of Edinburgh Business School
University home Privacy & CookiesResearch partnerships
Collaboration is key to good research. Working in partnership with many types of organisations and individual researchers, we collaborate on major international research projects, debate ideas, set research agendas, secure funding and publish findings.
Case study
A recent example of how we work in research partnerships with business is exemplified by our work with Capgemini.
Capgemini approached the Business School to help conduct research into the 'Best-in-Class Global Manufacturing Value Chain’. This was in response to the impact on manufacturing of the broadening global economic crisis. Reduced consumer demand has led to swift production cuts at factories in many markets, whilst the credit crunch has prompted some companies to hoard cash.
As companies face shrinking consumption, slowing production and declining prices, they will need to assess their entire value chain as they look for ways to keep costs low and improve efficiencies while continuing to innovate.
Gapgemini wanted to build on findings contained in their 2008 study report ‘Manufacturing in 2020’ and identified academics from the School who they felt had the expertise and capability to conduct a further investigation.
The specific objectives were to:
-
Identify the key components of the global manufacturing value chain in the world now, and see if the shape, nature and content of the value chain needs to be changed or adapted if it is going to be used as a management tool for assessing or benchmarking capabilities.
-
Identify the lessons of experience of some top-performing companies in different manufacturing industries concerning how they effectively manage different elements of their 'best-in-class' global value chains.
-
Derive benchmarks for good practice within different elements of the manufacturing value chains from top-performing companies within different segments of manufacturing industry.
The final report was presented worldwide to Capgemini clients at a series of events in Spring 2009.