Assessing Product Master Data Management Challenges in FMCG: Toward a Lifecycle Approach

Sammanfattning

This report examines the structural and procedural challenges of Product Master Data Management (MDM) within a mid-sized European healthcare distributor experiencing rapid organizational growth. I investigated the intersection of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, data governance, and the potential role of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) frameworks in enhancing data quality and process integration. Employing a qualitative case study, my research maps current product data flows at an established Swedish company. I identified systemic fragmentation, inconsistent data ownership, and limited traceability across systems. The analysis reveals that the existing ERP implementation, while central to operations, lacks the flexibility and control mechanisms necessary for effective master data governance in a multi-brand, multi-channel environment. A gap analysis highlights critical deficiencies in version control, integration protocols, and data stewardship. Two pilot interventions (standardizing product identification workflows and implementing automated change detection) demonstrate the feasibility of incremental improvements. However, the findings suggest that transitioning toward a PLM-oriented architecture is essential for long-term scalability, regulatory compliance, and cross-functional data reliability. This study contributes to the literature on data-centric process design in distributed manufacturing and distribution networks. It offers practical recommendations for aligning ERP and PLM systems to support high-quality master data management in complex organizational settings.