When Global Supplier Quality Standards Meet Local Practice : A Case Study of Supplier Performance Evaluation and Deviation Handling

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines how global supplier quality processes are applied in a local product development context and how quality performance indicators can support supplier evaluation and deviation handling. The study was conducted as a single-case study at SKF’s development center in Luleå and adopts an Operations Management perspective. The purpose was to identify improvement opportunities by relating the local application of global supplier quality management processes to supplier-related quality performance. The study combined process understanding from quality management system documentation and local process familiarization with quantitative analysis of supplier-related deviation data. Return authorization records, corrective action reports, and delivery volume data were used to construct and analyze three main indicators: Customer PPM, Supplier Responsible PPM, and deviation lead time. The findings indicate that global supplier quality processes provide an important structure, but that they are not fully applicable in a local context. Many deviations are handled before they reach the formal corrective action report process, which suggests that a local pre-escalation stage exists in practice. The results also show that Customer PPM and Supplier Responsible PPM capture different aspects of supplier-related quality performance. A high Customer PPM does not necessarily indicate verified supplier responsibility, as some customer-experienced issues may be related to design, internal handling, or shared responsibility. Combining Supplier Responsible PPM with deviation lead time provided a more focused basis for identifying suppliers requiring follow-up. Based on the findings, the study proposes several improvement opportunities: introducing a local pre-escalation guideline, defining clearer criteria for corrective action report initiation, separating Customer PPM and Supplier Responsible PPM in supplier evaluation, using a supplier performance matrix for follow-up, and creating a local QMS support document. The study concludes that the main issue is not the absence of global supplier quality processes, but the need for clearer local translation of these processes in a development-oriented context.