This research widens the scope of the use of postponement by addressing how the generic supply chain structure and information sharing/relationship among supply chain actors affects the postponement decision, based on empirical data of Chinese manufacturers in the Pearl River Delta.
The purpose of this paper is to investigate optimal strategic decision alternatives for Finnish pulp production companies in response to rising export tariffs on Russian roundwood. Traditionally, increasing the domestic or Russian supply to pulp mills satisfied their wood requirements. However, once this conventional strategy could no longer be implemented (in 2008), the wood requirements were …
Over the last decade, multiple initiatives have been undertaken to learn how to capture the carbon footprint of a supply chain at a product level. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the process of standardization to secure consistency of product carbon footprinting (PCF) and to outline how the current developments in PCF support the need for a standardized method to measure and report env…
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of packaging design on purchasing decisions in hospitals and to identify inefficiencies in the US hospital supply chain. Recognition of inefficiencies helped to directly relate to the effects on critical factors of operation such as environment, traceability, and logistical ease which significantly add to the cost of health care.
The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine what senior supply chain executives measure and how they perceive performance measurement from a balanced scorecard (BSC) perspective.
Purpose – An underlying principle of supply chain management is to establish control of the end-to-end process in order to create a seamless flow of goods. The basic idea is that variability is detrimental to performance as it causes cost in the form of stock-outs, poor capacity utilisation, and costly buffers. This paper questions this approach and argues that in the light of increasing turb…
The paper seeks to ascertain some of the implications of the supply chain configuration for important elements of the chain's management at an automaker using the industrial condominium configuration.
To review the development of software applications and their functionalities/benefits in relation to supply chain management and present scenarios on future development.
This paper sets out to empirically analyse the integration process that firms follow to implement supply chain management (SCM). This study has been inspired by the integration model proposed by Stevens.
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the interaction of two topics: supply chain management (SCM) and the internet. Merging these two fields is a key area of concern for contemporary managers and researchers. They have realised that the internet can enhance SCM by making real time information available and enabling collaboration between trading partners.
Purpose – This paper seeks to understand the significance of the various forms of logistical and technological differentiation as prerequisites for supply networking by introducing appropriate conceptual models and illustrative cases. Design/methodology/approach – By studying the patterns of structural changes in 25 industrial companies, illustrated in four different positioning matrice…
The purpose of this paper is to use the conceptual model of the Smart Transportation Management (STM) system and analyze how the included factors change the performance of distribution activities and what management issues are at stake.
The purpose of this paper is to use the conceptual model of the Smart Transportation Management (STM) system and analyze how the included factors change the performance of distribution activities and what management issues are at stake.
Wireless sensor network (WSN) technologies are now available to implement real time temperature monitoring systems in food supply chains. The aim of this paper is to examine different types of methods and criteria to establish alerts in decision support systems in perishable food supply chains.
The performance of service supply chains in terms of service levels and cost efficiency depends not only on the effort of service providers but also on the inputs of sub-contractors and the customer. In this sense, performance-based contracting (PBC) entails increased financial risk for providers. Allocating and managing risk through contractual relationships along the service supply chain is a…
Supply chain risk management (SCRM) is of growing importance, as the vulnerability of supply chains increases. The main thrust of this article is to describe how Ericsson, after a fire at a sub-supplier, with a huge impact on Ericsson, has implemented a new organization, and new processes and tools for SCRM. The approach described tries to analyze, assess and manage risk sources along the suppl…
Both logisticians and tax lawyers design global supply chains – but based on different logics. If they do not align each other’s perspectives, problems might occur in different areas. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the impact the tax system could have on supply chain design, reflect (from both perspectives) on how the rules function, and propose a common communication platform f…
Both logisticians and tax lawyers design global supply chains – but based on different logics. If they do not align each other's perspectives, problems might occur in different areas. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the impact the tax system could have on supply chain design, reflect (from both perspectives) on how the rules function, and propose a common communication platform for…
A multi-agent system (MAS) for supporting the planning of transhipments of imported finished vehicles via a seaport is presented. The focus is on storage allocation, i.e. the allocation of parking areas for the temporary storage of vehicles, and on deployment scheduling, i.e. the allocation of drivers to the vehicles that have to be moved in the terminal area. These planning tasks, which in pra…
Considering the importance of supply chain integration (SCI) in literature and the increasing outsourcing of logistics, this paper aims to study the role of logistics service providers (LSPs) in supporting SCI and clients’ performance.
Distribution arrangements are becoming increasingly complex and dynamic in business as well as in consumer markets. The purpose of the present paper is to explore and discuss the theoretical frameworks available to interpret these distribution arrangements, to uncover how they are interrelated and to suggest extensions.
The purpose of this paper is to advance understanding of international differences in supply chain management (SCM) perspectives and practices, by comparing perceptions of Scandinavian and American supply chain managers.
The purpose of the paper is to examine the impact of supply chain management (SCM) on the HRM practice of suppliers. The paper argues that the performance requirement in an SCM system requires that suppliers develop specific HRM practices.
The purpose of this paper is to investigate supply chain management practices related to flexibility, value chain and capabilities. It describes an exploratory study to examine the interrelated factors to propose a research framework.
The pressure on logistics companies to embrace green processes has increased significantly in the last few years. Within the broad concept of green supply chain management, a review of the existing literature has highlighted a need to understand how green supply chain practices (GSCP) can contribute to improving company performance from an environmental point of view, as well as economic and op…
The purpose of this paper is to examine the diffusion of ISO 14001-based environmental management system (EMS) on five key organisational functions, namely production, procurement, sales, logistics, and R&D. In examining the EMS diffusion, this paper focuses on two aspects of diffusion: the extent of diffusion of EMS and the balance of EMS diffusion across the five organisational functions.
To become or remain competitive in their markets, companies must continuously strive to gain maximum return on their investment in resources. Many companies have identified the logistics or supply chain management process as an area of opportunity to add value
The purpose of this paper is to focuss on customer driven supply chains and what this means for the management of freight transport, a key process in the supply chain as it acts as a physical link between customers and suppliers. It aims to assess whether some of the new collaborative models for transport management are delivering better optimised solutions.
Organizations realize that a strong supporting logistics or electronic logistics (e-logistics) function is an important organizational offering from both the commercial and the consumer perspective. The implications of e-logistics models and practices cover the forward and reverse logistics functions of organizations. They also have a direct and profound impact from an environmental perspective…
The purpose of this paper is to investigate theoretical perspectives in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) and contributes to understanding the current state of research in the field and its future development.
The purpose of this paper is to explain the effects of the customer-supplier relationship and of automatic forecast data communication and registration on the perceived information quality of forecasts.
This paper aims to describe the extent of supplier access to customer forecast information and the perceived quality of such information and also to explain the impact of forecast information access and forecast information quality (FIQ) on supply chain performance.
Explains the linkage of vendor development and control as an integral factor of value on demand chain logistics. Presents a comparison of the traditional purchasing function with vendor development in. Provides the missing link of value chain by demand chain. Describes the supplier integration approach as a competitive corporate strategy in a conceptual synthesis by linking demand chain with or…
The aim of this article is to provide a concise methodology for the design of a widely used class of decision supply systems (DSS) which will enable precise control of bullwhip variance and inventory variance induced within a supply chain echelon. Design/methodology/approach – The study exploits recent research that derived analytical formulae for calculating these performance metrics germane…
Real world supply chains differ not only in their current standard of performance, but also in the most effective actions required to move each towards world class supply. A generic approach for the identification of the appropriate re‐engineering programmes based on the uncertainty circle principle is presented. A total of 20 European automotive supply chains have been analysed via a “quic…
The design of distribution networks is prone to risks due to the uncertainties associated with factors that change over time. The purpose of this paper is to present a new method to identify those factors that the structure of a distribution network is most sensitive to.
This work aims to combine the perspectives of logistics-service providers (LSPs) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in the development of value-added logistics services. The purpose was to create a theory-based and initially tested framework that could help both service providers and SMEs identify new opportunities for developing their logistics.
An increasing number of companies claim to pursue international supply chain management (ISCM), but the empirical evidence of successful implementation programs is still scarce. This paper aims to contribute to theory-building in this area by presenting an exploratory causal model of goals, barriers, and enablers on the road towards effective ISCM. The model was established in a workshop with a…
The concept of supply chain agility (SCA) has been identified as one of the most important issues in supply chain management literature. However, despite the popularity of the concept, many attributes of SCA are largely unexplored. One area that is deficient in research is the antecedents of SCA. This paper aims to seek further theory development by addressing these gaps in the SCA literature.
The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for describing and analyzing misalignments in supply chain management related to changes in supply chain structures, processes and management components.
The purpose of this paper is to examine how goal achievement and goal exceedance influence the aspects of loyalty in logistics outsourcing relationships. Specifically, it aims to develop and test a model of customer loyalty across two cultures to determine if dedicated strategies for building loyalty are required.
The effects of supply chain risk management (SCRM) on the performance of a supply chain remain unexplored. It is assumed that SCRM helps supply chains to cope with vulnerabilities both proactively by supporting robustness and reactively by supporting agility. Both dimensions are assumed to have an influence on the supply chain’s customer value and on business performance. The aim of this rese…
Increasing uncertainty of supply networks, globalization of businesses, proliferation of product variety and shortening of product life cycles have forced Indian organizations to look beyond their four walls for collaboration with supply chain partners. With a gross domestic product (GDP) of over US$474.3 biilion, the Indian industry spends 14 percent of its GDP on logistics. Considering this s…
The purpose of this paper is to test the moderating effects of technological and demand uncertainties on the relationship between supply chain integration and customer delivery performance.
Innovative products usually experience highly unpredictable and variable demand. This is especially valid for the volatile and seasonal toy industry, which produces high obsolete inventory, lost sales and markdown. In such a volatile industry, what supply chain management (SCM) practices are applicable and effective? This study seeks to explore SCM practices, and identify practical and theoreti…
The role of business logistics for a water distribution company in Central Asia has become a major concern. As the marketing environment is getting more and more competitive, the company is forced to focus on the efficiency of its supply chain management operations both by improving customer service, increasing its profitability and productivity. The purpose of this paper is to report upon the …
Effective supply chain practice and information sharing enhances the current supply chain management environment. The purpose of this study is to investigate the integration of information sharing and supply chain practice in supply chain management. Data from 125 North American manufacturing firms were collected. The results show that (1) effective information sharing significantly enhances ef…