case study

The volatility of economic conditions and rapid technological progress require production sites to be constantly adapted and improved. This needs highly qualified factory planners who can use digital planning tools efficiently. The best qualifications emerge from closely interlinking the teaching of planning methods and the application of these methods in a planning project according to the principle of “learning by doing”.

Cooperation between German and Chinese companies is rare considering the potential for growth in China. However, not only in industry but also at university barriers of intercultural cooperation occur between Germans and Chinese. Against this background, case studies can be applied in teaching not only technical knowledge, but also intercultural competences. In this context, deficiencies in intercultural cooperation can be identified and successfully overcome.

Buyer-supplier collaborative or partnerships relationships are terms that have been used to designate closer and long-term dyad relations where risks and benefits are shared implying both economic and social involvement. The relationships between a Brazilian buyer which is the world leader in the hermetic compressor market and five metal/mechanical sector suppliers are characterized in this study. Results show that relationships have become closer and many practices and characteristics of a partnership can be observed but there is no concern regarding strengthening the relationship itself. The analyzed context also shows a dyad that is mainly affected by the buyer´s perspective, i.e. keeping a broad number of suppliers for each product, the supplier´s high investment in assets to meet buyer requirements, and short-term relationships, which stress the focus on economic goals.