David Dahan Thesis defense

This thesis questions the management of supply chains. Within this context, it focuses on the requirements for setting up and sustaining a collaborative subcontractor relationship. The issue is even more crucial for high hazard industries, marked by a major tension between reliability and efficiency. We focus on the relationship’s control processes and practices, which can impact value for both parties. To do so, we develop a conceptual framework, combining agency theory and pragmatist valuation theory.
We mobilize an ethnographically inspired intervention research to study actors of a shipbuilder and their practical activities. It comprises several cycles of observation, interviews, document study, feedback meetings, and design of applicable recommendations.
Our results show that evolving a subcontractor relationship into a partnership involves transforming the contractor’s organization and management system. Specifically, managers should focus on the equipment, the conduct, and the connection of the relationship’s agency relationships’ valuation practices: these practices generate inquiries, which resolution impacts value formation. Such an approach amounts to enabling articulation between strategic and operational management of business relationships, and hinges on use of a subsidiary authority.
The thesis questions agency theory, IOR value formation, as well as word debate places’ theoretical frameworks. To develop such a business relationship management, we offer a guide to engineer relevant agency relationships’ valuation practices.