E-Procurement-Lösungen im B2B-Bereich: Herausforderungen im Online-Katalogmanagement aus Sicht der Lieferanten

Abstract

In view of increasing digitalization and continuous technological progress, e-procurement solutions are increasingly being used to optimize procurement processes, particularly in the business-to-business (B2B) sector. The variety of existing system solutions presents suppliers with various difficulties and challenges. Small and medium-sized enterprises in particular are significantly affected by the challenges and complexity in this context. This thesis therefore examines the challenges that suppliers face in online catalog management in connection with the implementation of e-procurement solutions for their customers. The first part of this thesis deals with the theoretical background of various e-procurement solutions, based on relevant literature. After an introductory chapter, the following three main chapters answer the relevant sub-research questions. Firstly, the basics of eprocurement are described with key terms, objectives, sub-areas, and tasks. Various eordering system solutions in e-procurement are then discussed. The next chapter takes a closer look at data quality and standards in the context of online catalog management. To answer the central research question, an empirical study was then carried out using the example of Papierexpress GmbH to evaluate the challenges faced by suppliers in online catalog management. The results of this work show that the challenges in online catalog management can be divided into five main categories from the suppliers' perspective. These five categories include the complexity of the system architecture and system integration, ensuring data quality and standard compliance, the diversity of customer requirements, existing organizational structures, and the factors of time and cost. It can be stated that small and medium-sized companies have to overcome various complex tasks and challenges in the area of online catalog management. The description of these challenges emphasizes the need for efficient cooperation between all stakeholders involved in order to achieve a sustainable improvement in the procurement process.

Date of Award	2024
Original language	German (Austria)
Supervisor	Harald Konnerth (Supervisor)