System Design and development of Sales & Operation Planning in Start-up Stage
Author
Nguyen, Kevin Hai Hoang
Term
10. term
Publication year
2018
Abstract
This master’s thesis examines how entrepreneurial start-ups can design their operations system and develop Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) during the start-up stage. Addressing a gap in operations literature for resource-constrained physical product start-ups, it asks three questions: which steps transform an idea into a product, what to prioritize across system design, sourcing and distribution, customer relationships and forecasting, and S&OP, and how current and future strategies shape these decisions. The study combines a literature-based framework with a single case study of Crickster, an Aalborg start-up in edible insect foods, using company visits and email correspondence to illustrate choices and constraints. The report organizes the work in a logical sequence—from business and operational strategy to product design, capacity planning, process and facility layout, work system design, sourcing and distribution, and customer and demand management—culminating in the development of S&OP and a production plan to match supply with demand. Across these areas, the thesis highlights the importance of flexibility, teamwork, and prioritization under limited resources, and clarifies the strategic implications of design and planning decisions. Specific empirical findings and performance outcomes are not detailed in the provided excerpt.
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan iværksætter-startups kan designe deres operationelle system og udvikle Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) i opstartsfasen. Med udgangspunkt i en oplevet mangel i operationslitteraturen for fysiske produktstartups med begrænsede ressourcer stilles tre spørgsmål: hvilke skridt omsætter en idé til et produkt, hvad bør prioriteres inden for systemdesign, sourcing og distribution, kundeforhold og forecasting samt S&OP, og hvordan påvirker strategi beslutninger nu og fremover. Arbejdet kombinerer et litteraturbaseret rammeværk med et enkelt case-studie af Crickster, en Aalborg-baseret startup inden for spiselige insekter, baseret på virksomhedsbesøg og e-mailkorrespondance, for at illustrere valg og begrænsninger. Rapporten strukturerer indsatsen i en logisk sekvens fra forretnings- og operationsstrategi til produktdesign, kapacitetsplanlægning, proces- og layoutvalg, design af arbejdstyper, sourcing og distribution samt kunde- og efterspørgselsstyring, og munder ud i udviklingen af S&OP og en produktionsplan til at matche udbud og efterspørgsel. På tværs af områderne fremhæves vigtigheden af fleksibilitet, teamwork og prioritering under knappe ressourcer samt de strategiske implikationer af design- og planlægningsvalg. Konkrete empiriske resultater og præstationsmålinger fremgår ikke af det tilgængelige uddrag.
[This apstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]