E-business Logistics: case studies of collaborative supply
chain management within companies in Hong Kong

Abstract: Logistics issues have always been a critical fact for companies to
streamline business costs. With the help of e-business, companies can make
revolutionary changes by integrating database systems with each other. The
result will strengthen existing partnerships, increase faster response to
market changes, provide information to understand buying patterns, increase
collaboration, result in economies of scale, make opportunities to wider a
range of available products and services, create possibilities to reduce
transaction costs with automation and improve inventory management. The
term e-business logistics is frequently used in the world today, but how is
it in reality? Do Swedish subsidiaries take advantage of the new technology
to benefit oneself? The purpose with this thesis has been to investigate
how Swedish subsidiaries in Hong Kong are using e-business logistics to
improve its operations. This study is based on a descriptive research with
a blend of exploratory characteristics, further on it is a qualitative
approach chosen and case study is used as the research strategy.

The finding indicated those Swedish companies who are taking benefits of e-
business logistics is generally multinational and medium size enterprises,
while small enterprises are unenthusiastic due to the doubt of benefits.
Intranet is the system that is used to integrate internal
suppliers/customers, subsequently part of the intranet information can be
reached by external suppliers and customers via the extranet. An
alternative solution is to use a web portal, where a total integration
occurs between internal and external suppliers and customers.