Analyzing the supply chain sustainability of an internet service provider in Thailand

. This paper aims to comprehensively analyze the supply chain activities of an Internet Service Provider company in Thailand, focusing on sustainability. The company utilizes the SCOR model and IDEF0 methodology to analyze the supply chain and offer rental equipment services. The major issues identified include inventory management, insufficient data in demand planning, supply chain planning, renewal contact planning, the role of suppliers, and last-minute changes during the installation process. To address these challenges, the paper suggests improvements such as optimizing equipment flow, improving communication with teams, implementing demand forecasting models, considering alternative suppliers, and clarifying technical requirements with customers. By implementing these recommendations, ISPs can enhance the sustainability of their supply chains, reducing environmental impacts, optimizing resource utilization, and meeting customer expectations for sustainable practices. This study highlights the importance of sustainable supply chain practices in the telecommunications industry and offers valuable insights for companies seeking to improve their operations in a more environmentally responsible manner.


Introduction
Nowadays, communication is an essential requirement, and with the onset of globalization, communication methods have evolved and continue to improve.Telecommunication technology and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) offer notable environmental advantages.The ability to work remotely facilitated by these technologies reduces carbon emissions associated with commuting to physical offices.Furthermore, ICT plays a crucial role in reducing information asymmetry by lowering the costs of accessing CO 2 emissions data and empowering individuals and organizations to make well-informed decisions regarding environmental sustainability.The adoption of cloud systems encourages resource sharing, eliminating the need for energy-intensive standalone private servers.Additionally, the utilization of electronic signatures (e-signatures) replaces traditional paper-based document signing, leading to waste reduction and the promotion of sustainability.This resear centers scatter crucial to cost in the past, lea costs and inven using the Sup Definition for transfer costs.chain processe variables, as ex  The study uses the IDEF0 and SCOR models to map the input, output, control or constraint, and mechanism of the targeted processes, to identify flaws and suggests improvements.The IDEF0 model is a supply chain analysis tool that finds use in several industries, including a container depot service provider in Thailand [5], a small-sized manufacturer's analysis of the blue crab supply chain during COVID-19 [6], Business Process Analysis and Improvement for a Third Party Logistics Provider in Indonesian Cold Chain Logistics [7], The study of a small-sized Thai chili paste supply chain [8], the analysis of a chilled beef supply chain for developing strategic improvement [9] and The analysis of a vertically integrated organic rice company: a case study in Thailand [10].IDEF0 level 0 can describe the whole working process but cannot specific details of each process.So an author applies a deeper level to focus on the problem process.The process in question is layered, with Layer A 0 representing the top level and including all variables.To identify the precise process elements, Layer A 0 must be further subdivided based on specific industry details.
A 0 encompasses several processes, namely A l to An, all of which are linked to more specific elements.These processes are sub-processes of A 0 , with Al to An being further broken down into new sub-processes.For example, Value Process A comprises subprocesses A l to A 1n , with each process linked to even more precise elements.A ij can be further broken down into sub-processes A ijl … A ijn , and so on.It is necessary to break down every process in this model until sufficiently precise value process elements are identified [11].In addition, the SCOR model helps to break down all processes of the supply chain and consists of 5 primary processes; Plan, Source, Make, Deliver, and Return [12].
1 Plan.Planning processes involve identifying resources, requirements, and communication channels necessary for a process to align with business objectives.This entails establishing optimal practices that enhance supply chain efficiency while factoring in compliance, transportation, inventory, and other essential aspects of supply chain management [13].
2 Source.Source processes encompass acquiring goods and services to fulfill anticipated or actual market demand.This entails activities such as procurement, receipt, evaluation, and supply of incoming materials, as well as managing supplier agreements.
3 Make.The company, being an ISP, does not engage in manufacturing activities.Rather, it concentrates on developing service offerings that align with customer requirements.This involves various tasks, such as creating a customer database by collecting relevant parameters and equipment specifications for each client, along with managing orders, transportation, and distribution.4 Deliver.Under this category, any processes related to delivering final services to fulfill anticipated or actual demand are included.These may comprise configuration deployment into the network, equipment installation, and testing services to ensure service quality.The quality of network performance has a bearing on both attitudinal and behavioral loyalty.ISPs must effectively manage and regularly evaluate service quality.Higher service quality is associated with a greater customer inclination to maintain a positive attitude and remain loyal over time [14].5 Return.Return processes refer to activities related to the return or receipt of products, whether from customers or suppliers.This may involve managing customer returns, processing supplier returns, and handling repair equipment.Additionally, it includes providing post-delivery customer support processes, which mark the end of the service.

Background of the company
The company is a medium-sized organization with a workforce of over 300 employees across its headquarters and 19 provincial service centers.Its core services include dark fiber, private links, and direct internet links.The company has been a finalist in the "Asia-Pacific Carrier Ethernet Service Provider of the Year Contest" for four consecutive years, from 2007 to 2010, and was one of four finalists.In June 2009, the company received the MEF Certificate as an Ethernet provider from the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF), in compliance with MEF9 and MEF14 standards.The company has received several awards and recognitions, including the "Quality Persons of the Year 2011" award from the Foundation of Science and Technology Council of Thailand (FSTT) in the Information and Communication Technology sector at the Chulabhorn Research Institute (CRI).In 2013, the company received an "Excellence" Corporate Governance Rating in the Corporate Governance Report of Thai Listed Companies 2013, which was surveyed and assessed by the Thai Institute of Directors Association (IOD), the Securities and Exchange Commission, and The Stock Exchange of Thailand.The company won the Best Investor Relations Award of SET Awards 2017 in 2017.In 2020, the company was certified as a member of CAC by the Council of Thai Collective Action Coalition against Corruption (CAC).Furthermore, the company has achieved ISO/IEC 27001:2013 and CSA STAR certifications, ensuring the provision of superior quality services [15].The company's warehouse is located within the same building as its Bangkok headquarters, while the provincial service centers serve as both offices and warehouses.Providing comprehensive coverage is a critical factor, and to achieve this, the company has set up several provincial service centers that encompass all regions across Thailand.As enterprise customers require uninterrupted services, quick replacement of malfunctioning equipment is essential.To ensure the quality of service and the time taken to recover from potential issues, the company has put in place a SLA as a service condition.

Supply chain analysis of ISPs
In Fig. 3, the processes involving stakeholders are depicted, including inputs, outputs, controllers, and mechanisms.The first stakeholder is the supplier, whose input is limited to the order.In the sourcing team interview, it was revealed that the company reaches out to a minimum of three suppliers to obtain competitive pricing.Nevertheless, the company ultimately chooses to procure the entire order from a single supplier.
The equipment distribution process begins with the planning team utilizing historical data from the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to export data and determine the required quantity and location of equipment.The data is collected from the existing equipment at each customer site, as well as the total number of spare parts required for incidents and new links throughout the year.The planning team uses three components, namely the previous year's usage, the growth rate, and the spare parts allocated for replacement at customer sites, to arrive at the official numbers.Then, the company employs a blanket order to leverage quantity discounts and minimize stockouts, which enables large annual orders and small monthly orders.The sourcing team places orders for the necessary equipment, which the supplier delivers as planned every month.The equipment is then sent to the company's headquarters warehouse, following a pre-determined delivery plan.From there, the third-party logistics partners transport the equipment to the provincial service centers.The succes determine the delivery from clients, rangin industrial esta hotels.These c expiration date

Process
In this section and IDEF0 le improve the pr  Then, set the forecasting models to fit the company's workflow, ensuring they are regularly updated with new data.Implement collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment (CPFR) with suppliers to improve supply chain management.Then, create a customer renewal service with the sales/marketing department to ensure customer retention.Finally, establish a cross-functional team from all departments involved in the planning process and schedule regular team meetings to facilitate communication and ensure all stakeholders are on the same page.During the sourcing process, the sourcing team relies on official data to place orders and commit to suppliers for the timely delivery of goods.The planning team assesses the availability of spare equipment parts at customer sites and requests a transfer to provincial service centers accordingly, ensuring that spare parts are readily available for use in case of equipment failures or new link orders.However, inaccurate demand forecasts can lead to ineffective equipment alignment with actual demand.The current monthly delivery process, which simply divides the yearly quantity by 12, may not effectively meet actual demand.Despite the company's efforts for timely deliveries, suppliers often fail to meet deadlines due to variations in their lead time, ranging from 1-3 weeks.Additionally, the limited number of suppliers and the absence of a supplier evaluation system pose challenges for the company.To improve the sourcing process, the following actions can be taken.Firstly, explore alternative suppliers to increase competition and reduce lead time.Secondly, implement a penalty system to ensure that suppliers meet delivery deadlines.Thirdly, establish a supplier relationship management program to build stronger partnerships with suppliers.Lastly, develop an approved vendor list and a supplier evaluation system to ensure that suppliers meet quality and service standards.
In the subsequent phase of the process, the solution, parameters, and equipment preparation are documented in a database.This phase is usually executed smoothly.In the equipment delivery process, a delayed delivery from the supplier may require staff to transfer available equipment from other service centers, leading to wasted time and additional costs.This can result in equipment shortages at provincial service centers, causing installation deadlines to be missed.To prevent such situations, it is essential to improve demand planning by regularly reviewing and updating forecast models based on changing market trends and customer behavior.Additionally, implementing strategies to reduce procurement lead time, and ensuring customer requirements are clearly defined and aligned with the equipment used can prevent unexpected changes during installation.Although the cost of transportation for each transfer is not high and the budget allows for urgent transfers to be made, this situation highlights the challenges in inventory management.During the installation process, the provisioning team deploys the configuration and parameters into the network, while the service team installs the equipment at the customer's site.However, it's not uncommon for customers to request changes to the solution during this process.These changes, if not accounted for in the planning phase, can lead to equipment availability issues.To avoid this, staff must ensure that customer requirements are clearly defined and aligned with the equipment used, to prevent unexpected changes during installation.The services are provided until the last day of the contract.
During the returning process, equipment is removed and sent back to either the headquarters' warehouse or provincial service centers, depending on its location, upon the termination of services.In the case of faulty equipment, it is replaced with a working one.However, suppliers do not commit to a specific timeline for repair, resulting in prolonged repair lead times.This can affect other customers who may face substitution effects due to the unavailability of equipment.To improve this process, it is essential to establish repair/return policies with suppliers, ensuring adequate spare parts availability, and reducing repair lead time.

Conclusions
The objective of this paper is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of ISPs' supply chain activities, with a particular focus on sustainability.Throughout the analysis, several critical issues have been identified.One of these challenges pertains to inventory management, necessitating the optimization of equipment flow and the reduction of urgent transfers.Insufficient data in demand planning, supply chain planning, and renew contact planning contribute to this problem.To address this issue, improved communication with involved teams and the implementation of demand forecasting models such as ABC analysis or the Pareto principle are recommended.These measures can prevent negative consequences in future processes and promote sustainability.Another notable concern is the role of suppliers within the supply chain.It is crucial to consider alternative suppliers and incentivize punctuality through penalties to enhance diversification and foster sustainability.Effective supplier management plays a vital role in maintaining a smooth and sustainable supply chain.Lastly, last-minute changes during the installation process can lead to additional time and resource consumption, impacting sustainability efforts.Thoroughly clarifying technical requirements with customers can help avoid unexpected changes and prevent disruptions.By addressing these challenges and implementing the suggested improvements, ISPs can enhance the sustainability of their supply chain activities.This will contribute to reducing environmental impacts, optimizing resource utilization, and meeting the expectations of customers who prioritize sustainable practices.
The authors would like to express their gratitude to the service provider company for sharing their valuable information and providing excellent support throughout the research process Furthermore, the authors acknowledge the Graduated Program in Engineering Management, Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University for partially funding this conference.

Fig. 3 .
Fig. 3.The suppThe plannin purchase relies system.Howev no forecast dem Moreover, the making proces therefore, it is problem-solvin planning proce consumer beh demand foreca

Table 1 .
Summary of current problem and improvement plan