Analysing the Readiness of Company X Supply Chain and Legislative Framework to Transition from Micro to Small Enterprise in Confectionary Industry
Pyysalo, Reetta (2025)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025120933843
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025120933843
Tiivistelmä
This bachelor’s thesis examines the critical operational and legislative challenges faced by a micro- enterprise within the Finnish confectionery sector while anticipated transition to a small enterprise. The research was conducted as a qualitative case study in partnership with Company X, an artisanal sugar confectionery manufacturer. The primary objective was to analyse the company’s existing supply chain management processes and evaluate its compliance readiness for scalable growth. The central research question addressed how the company could design and implement efficient supply chain practices to facilitate this transition while adhering to relevant Finnish and EU legislation.
The theoretical foundation integrates core supply chain management principles, specifically procurement, warehousing, inventory management, and production efficiency, with the essential legislative framework governing food safety, labelling, and hygiene within the Finland and EU. Empirical data were gathered through a semi-structured interview with company management and supplementary observational analysis. A deductive thematic analysis was then applied to evaluate the alignment between the company’s current practices and the theoretical and legal requirements for scaling.
The findings identify vulnerabilities across key operational domains. These include a reactive compliance posture reliant on manual traceability systems, a transactional procurement strategy with high-risk single sourcing, inefficient warehousing leading to production stoppages, and a production model constrained by long changeover times. Furthermore, a heavy reliance on tacit knowledge and an informal organisational structure present substantial risk to operational continuity. Based on this analysis, a structured set of recommendations are presented, organised into four strategic pillars: embedding proactive compliance through digital systems, building resilient supplier relationships, driving operational excellence via Lean principles, formalising knowledge management.
The thesis concludes that scaling successfully requires a fundamental shift from informal, reactive micro-enterprise practices to a formalised, system-based operational frame-work capable of ensuring effective, compliance, and competitive agility.
The theoretical foundation integrates core supply chain management principles, specifically procurement, warehousing, inventory management, and production efficiency, with the essential legislative framework governing food safety, labelling, and hygiene within the Finland and EU. Empirical data were gathered through a semi-structured interview with company management and supplementary observational analysis. A deductive thematic analysis was then applied to evaluate the alignment between the company’s current practices and the theoretical and legal requirements for scaling.
The findings identify vulnerabilities across key operational domains. These include a reactive compliance posture reliant on manual traceability systems, a transactional procurement strategy with high-risk single sourcing, inefficient warehousing leading to production stoppages, and a production model constrained by long changeover times. Furthermore, a heavy reliance on tacit knowledge and an informal organisational structure present substantial risk to operational continuity. Based on this analysis, a structured set of recommendations are presented, organised into four strategic pillars: embedding proactive compliance through digital systems, building resilient supplier relationships, driving operational excellence via Lean principles, formalising knowledge management.
The thesis concludes that scaling successfully requires a fundamental shift from informal, reactive micro-enterprise practices to a formalised, system-based operational frame-work capable of ensuring effective, compliance, and competitive agility.