Creating a Business Intelligence Tool for Improving Production Performance in a Logistics Company : Case Company X
Kautiainen, Niklas (2024)
2024
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024062423808
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024062423808
Tiivistelmä
The purpose of this thesis project is the implementation of a business intelligence (BI) tool for third party logistics to improve efficiency and quality. The thesis was commissioned by the case company, Company X, who requested to remain anonymous for this thesis report.
The study was conducted using a mixed method consisting of both qualitative and quantitative parts. The empirical section of this thesis is qualitative and is based on product testing, feedback surveys, personal observations, and related theory. The product testing and feedback surveys were carried out on the users of the product, and alongside personal knowledge of the researcher and related literature review on managing performance, a BI tool was developed. A quantitative review part was added to the feedback surveys to provide an indicative measure on the success of the tool developed in this study.
The results of the review part of the surveys revealed that the development of the BI tool from a prototype to a final product was successful on all measured sections. Shortly after the implemen-tation of the tool to production, the overall work efficiency of the warehouse had already seen improvement. This study also highlights the importance of implementing a performance manage-ment system for a BI tool to be utilized to its full potential.
Even though this research was done for a single warehouse within a single third-party logistics company in Finland, the researcher believes the results are applicable for other logistics compa-nies who either do not have any BI tools in use or have not invested sufficiently in the develop-ment or implementation of such tools. As shown in this work, by identifying key performance metrics, providing staff with clear targets to aim for, monitoring these metrics in well-developed user-tested dashboards, and by incorporating even a few components from a performance man-agement system, the efficiency of operations within a logistics warehouse can be improved.
The study was conducted using a mixed method consisting of both qualitative and quantitative parts. The empirical section of this thesis is qualitative and is based on product testing, feedback surveys, personal observations, and related theory. The product testing and feedback surveys were carried out on the users of the product, and alongside personal knowledge of the researcher and related literature review on managing performance, a BI tool was developed. A quantitative review part was added to the feedback surveys to provide an indicative measure on the success of the tool developed in this study.
The results of the review part of the surveys revealed that the development of the BI tool from a prototype to a final product was successful on all measured sections. Shortly after the implemen-tation of the tool to production, the overall work efficiency of the warehouse had already seen improvement. This study also highlights the importance of implementing a performance manage-ment system for a BI tool to be utilized to its full potential.
Even though this research was done for a single warehouse within a single third-party logistics company in Finland, the researcher believes the results are applicable for other logistics compa-nies who either do not have any BI tools in use or have not invested sufficiently in the develop-ment or implementation of such tools. As shown in this work, by identifying key performance metrics, providing staff with clear targets to aim for, monitoring these metrics in well-developed user-tested dashboards, and by incorporating even a few components from a performance man-agement system, the efficiency of operations within a logistics warehouse can be improved.