Critical success factors of potential CPFR implementations : Two manufacturing case studies in Sweden based on a pre-CPFR stage from the perspective of a buyer – seller relationship

Sammanfattning: Background: Higher global competition and more demanding customers force manufacturing companies to develop and adopt new collaborative strategies; the collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment concept allows stronger supply chain cooperation, cost saving, improved efficiency and performance. Purpose: Exploratory, to study the criticality of factors that can affect the feasibility of a potential a CPFR implementation in Sweden, from the perspective of a manufacturer in a pre-CPFR implementation stage.Method: Qualitative research, using a multiple case method of two manufacturing firms operating in Sweden. Using content analysis, it revolves around studying factor criticality, all the while showing differences and commonalities in terms capabilities, and future feasibility of CPFR between the two case studies. Findings: High degree of interconnectivity between the factors; the critical success factors for Sweden are relationship and trust, goal alignment, KPI’s and costs, with very important factors such as cross-functional communication, top management support, and lower impacting factors such as IT infrastructure and change management. Relationship and trust, cross-functional communication and change management are developed factors that the Swedish manufacturing firms possess. Implications: The study’s contributions are related to the criticality of factors that can affect CPFR implementations in Sweden’s manufacturing sector, showing the importance of each, contributing academically in attempting to fill in the gap related to CPFR in Sweden, and practically by allowing better strategic decision-making in relation to future implementations. This is even more relevant due to a thorough lack of research in this area.