The Struggle is Real: Insights from a Supply Chain Blockchain Case

Despite the anticipated benefits and the numerous announcements of pilot cases, we have seen very few successful implementations of blockchain technology (BCT) solutions in supply chains. Little is empirically known about the obstacles to blockchain adoption, particularly in a supply chain's interorganizational setting. In supply chains, blockchains' benefits, for example, BCT‐based tracking and tracing, are dependent on a critical mass of supply chain actors adopting the technology. While previous research has mainly been conceptual and has lacked both theory and empirical data, we propose a theory‐based model for interorganizational adoption of BCT. We use the proposed model to analyze a unique in‐depth revelatory case study. Our case study confirms previous conceptual work and reveals a paradox as well as several tensions between drivers for and against (positive and negative determining factors, respectively) of BCT adoption that must be managed in an interorganizational setting. In this vertical context, the adoption and integration decision of one supply chain actor recursively affects the adoption and integration decisions of the other supply chain actors. This paper contributes midrange theory on BCT in supply chain management (SCM), future research directions, and managerial insights on BCT adoption in supply chains.     

Beyond Bitcoin: What blockchain and distributed ledger technologies mean for firms

Blockchain technologies are benefiting from significant interest in both societal and business contexts. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have grown rapidly in user adoption over the past 8 years. However, blockchain technologies, which fuel cryptocurrencies, have the potential to extend to other business applications even more profoundly. Blockchain can be leveraged to drive innovation and increase efficiencies in new domains—including digital arts management, supply chains, and healthcare—but there remain technical, organizational, and regulatory headwinds that must be overcome before mass adoption can occur. In this article, we provide a brief history of blockchain and identify some of the key features that have enabled its popular uptake in the world of cryptocurrencies. We discuss how blockchain technologies have evolved from traditional software and web technologies and then examine their underlying strengths and evaluate new, noncryptocurrency use cases. We conclude with a look at the limitations of blockchain and present several important factors for managers considering blockchain implementation within their organizations.     

Tortoise,not the hare: Digital transformation of supply chain business processes

With the rapid development of digital technologies, many supply chain professionals are wondering how to move forward. Three technologies are poised to change supply chain business processes: robotic process automation (RPA), artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) and blockchain. Based on interviews with supply chain professionals in 14 large, mature manufacturing and service organizations, we outline the promise of each technology and forecast their broad-scale adoption potential. Organizations should take the following measures to ensure their readiness to adopt and effectively use one or more of these technologies: (1) identify a supply chain technology visionary who can lead through the maze of technologies and the changing digital landscape, (2) develop a digital technology roadmap for their supply chain processes, and (3) update foundational information systems.     

Blockchain Applications in Supply Chain Transactions

Blockchains, a disruptive technology with potentially many applications in modern‐day supply chain (SC) transactions, have not been adequately reflected by theory. Researchers and business managers must understand where and when blockchains’ application may be expected and investigated. The present study clarifies the discussion about blockchain application areas (BAAs) in SC transactions and their relevance for businesses. This study combines the findings from three methodological approaches: an extant literature review, a Delphi study, and a survey of 151 German machinery and equipment sector business managers. The results further our understanding of blockchains’ business opportunities among SC transactions and verify and extend Iansiti and Lakhani’s (Harvard Business Review 2017; 95: 118) blockchain adoption framework. Verified customer reviews and product quality certification are identified as the most relevant blockchain usages in SC transactions. Interestingly, we anticipate the least likely adoption of blockchains to occur for document‐signing processes despite arguments within the literature that suggest otherwise. Two newly identified BAAs—logistics and delivery systems—and token‐curated registries rank among the top four most relevant. The present study’s valuation of BAAs advances theory and will likely affect business strategies by indicating where, when, and why businesses should participate in blockchain networks.     

Understanding Managers’ Reactions to Blockchain Technologies in the Supply Chain: The Reliable and Unbiased Software Agent

Organizations investing in supply chain information systems struggle to ensure successful adoption and implementation. Projects fail because of technical caveats, inability to meet business needs, and poor management of implementation. Implementation of blockchain technologies across a network of supply chain partners is more complex than internally focused technologies. It is necessary for partner firms to implement, contribute, and share information, and employees to actively use the capabilities of the technology to realize potential. Blockchain technologies can substitute for traditional interfirm intermediaries acting as an unbiased software agent embedded in the supply chain network. Understanding managers’ perceptions of and willingness to use blockchain technologies is crucial for successful implementation. Integrating design theory with classic diffusion processes, we conducted a scenario‐based role‐playing experiment with industry professionals to examine managers’ perceptions of blockchain technologies and willingness to use. We find that trustworthiness with regard to competence and perceived distributive justice is the focal drivers of managers’ willingness to use the technology. Additionally, both risk and interactional justice are not drivers of willingness to use blockchain technology despite significant claims to that effect. We provide implications for how managers can leverage these drivers to influence supply chain partners’ willingness to use the technology.     

An Empirically Derived Framework of Global Supply Resiliency

In today’s global business environment, supply chains have increased in both length and complexity. This increase in length and complexity coupled with a focus on improving efficiency, such as lean manufacturing practices, may lead to higher levels of supply chain risk where the likelihood of a disruption severely impacting supply chain performance increases. Resilient supply chains have been touted as a means to reduce the likelihood and severity of supply chain disruptions. However, there is little empirical evidence relative to the factors that contribute to or detract from supply resiliency. Using systems theory and the resource‐based view of the firm as the theoretical underpinnings, this study provides an in‐depth systematic investigation of supply resiliency. Adopting a theory‐building approach based on a multi‐industry empirical investigation, this study derives empirical generalizations linking 19 supply chain characteristics to supply resiliency. The study culminates in a framework that could be used to assess the level of resiliency in a supply base. Building on this framework, the study also provides a supply resiliency matrix that can be utilized to classify supply chains, or supply chains segments according to the level of resiliency realized. This article concludes by proposing several future research directions and issues that may be investigated in more detail.     

辽宁省装备制造业供应链治理结构与供应链绩效关系研究

以辽宁省装备制造业为研究对象,通过对供应链治理结构与供应链绩效之间关系的分析得出:关系型和合同型两种治理结构都能对供应链绩效产生正向影响,但随着供应链合作伙伴关系进一步推进,关系型治理对供应链绩效的贡献程度更高。辽宁省装备制造企业应该根据供应链的内部特点、外部环境等积极进行相应治理,来提高供应链响应速度、顾客满意度等,最终提高供应链绩效。此外,辽宁省装备制造业应该准确识别供应链柔性程度,根据其来选择不同类型治理结构,确保能够避免过分依赖合同治理或关系治理来降低供应链合作伙伴关系中效率低下或机会主义风险。     

Readiness Assessment of the construction supply chain for concurrent engineering

There is growing interest in the adoption of concurrent engineering (CE) in the construction industry. While concurrent engineering (CE) is gaining acceptance, some implementation efforts have not realised their full potential for reducing costs, reducing time, and increasing efficiency, effectiveness and performance for product development efforts. This is due in part to insufficient planning to support the implementation. One approach that has been used successfully to improve CE implementation planning is to conduct ‘readiness assessment’ of an organisation and its supply chain participants prior to the introduction of CE. This helps to investigate the extent to which they are ready to adopt concurrent engineering practices. CE readiness assessment tools and models have been developed and used in other industries such as the manufacturing and software engineering industries. This paper discusses CE and its application to the construction, reviews and compares the existing tools and methods for CE readiness assessment, discusses supply chains generally and construction supply chain specifically, and stresses the need to assess the readiness of the construction supply chain for the adoption of CE. The paper also presents a new readiness assessment model for the construction industry supply chain, and gives examples of its use to assess construction organisations.     

Using the balanced scorecard on supply chain integration performance—a case study of service businesses

Supply chains are indispensable to corporations that seek to serve suppliers and customers better, to boost organization performance, to strengthen competitiveness, and to achieve continuous success. Currently, corporations place great emphasis on both supply chains and on balanced scorecards (BSCs) to develop effective measures to evaluate firm performance. This study discusses the integration of supply chain and performance based on the BSC measures developed by Kaplan and Norton (Harv Bus Rev 71(5):134–147, 1993; Harv Bus Rev 74(1):75–85, 1996) and Brewer and Speh (J Bus Logist 21(1): 79–93, 2000). The research applies case studies and a conceptual framework, modifying propositions accordingly. The main objectives of this study are to discuss the construction and implementation of supply chains, to determine how to handle supply chain barriers and to evaluate supply chain integration performance using the idea of a BSC. Companies at different levels in the supply chain are better served by assigning different levels of importance to different types of integration. Case studies show that supply chain integration involves supplier, internal, and customer barriers. The results of these studies have suggested that integrated supply chains can be dominated by one controlling member, which can be located either upstream or downstream in the chain. A new finding in this study is that varying degrees of supply chain integration are obtained due to corporations’ different positions in an industry. The study provides some insights for firms in the process of implementing a supply chain management system.     

区块链技术与海产品供应链耦合机理分析

随着信息技术的创新发展,区块链技术及其应用的地位愈发重要。在研究区块链技术演进和类型的基础上,剖析了区块链和海产品供应链的耦合机理,重构了基于区块链技术的海产品供应链管理平台架构,再造了海产品供应链交易运作流程。     

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT COORDINATION MECHANISMS

There is growing interest from industry and academic disciplines regarding coordination in supply chains, particularly addressing coordination mechanisms available to eliminate sub‐optimization within supply chains. However, there is a disconnect between what is known in academic research about coordination mechanisms and what mechanisms practitioners apply and consider useful. This research fills a gap in the literature by conducting an in‐depth qualitative study of supply chain coordination mechanisms, primarily price, non‐price, and flow coordination mechanisms. Results suggest that: (1) managers prefer flow coordination mechanisms over price and non‐price coordination mechanisms; (2) supply chain orientation and learning orientation are important for the implementation of flow coordination mechanisms; and (3) technology, capital, and volume are not pre‐requisites for flow coordination mechanisms.     

Supply Chain Game Changers—Mega,Nano, and Virtual Trends—And Forces That Impede Supply Chain Design (i.e., Building a Winning Team)

Strategic systems design is essential to structuring and governing a supply chain for competitive advantage. To effectively co‐create value, decision makers must manage the three rights of supply chain design: right players, right roles, and right relationships. Doing this well requires managers discern how the unwritten competitive rules are changing as well as determine firm readiness to compete. As part of this analysis, we briefly explore five emerging “game changers” that represent potential supply chain design inflection points: (1) Big Data and predictive analytics, (2) additive manufacturing, (3) autonomous vehicles, (4) materials science, and (5) borderless supply chains. We also consider four forces that impede transformation to higher levels of value co‐creation: (1) supply chain security, (2) failed change management, (3) lack of trust as a governance mechanism, and (4) poor understanding of the “luxury” nature of corporate social responsibility initiatives. How well managers address sociostructural and sociotechnical issues will determine firm survivability and success.     

基于供应链管理的制造业与物流业联动发展策略研究——以杭州市为例

文章首先阐述了在供应链管理背景下制造业和物流业联动的意义,然后根据调研数据分析了杭州目前制造业供应链管理现状及其与物流联动中存在的障碍,并在此基础上提出了促进两者有机融合、联动发展的策略。     

海关与跨境供应链合规领域的区块链创新

来自不同国家多方参与者的信息交互造成跨境供应链数据缺乏透明度和可视性,信息协同程度较低,增大了跨境供应链合规风险。由于区块链具有数据不可篡改、不易伪造、可追溯、可审计等特点,已有海关和企业将其创新应用于跨境供应链合规领域以实现供应链信息协同。根据该领域主要区块链试点应用情况,从主导者选择、标准化、法律问题、效率与可拓展性四个方面分析了区块链应用于跨境供应链合规领域仍需解决的问题和所面临的挑战,并提出了应用区块链创新的建议。     

流通主导型水产加工食品供应链模式与应用

水产品精深加工是国际水产业的基本发展趋势,也是我国水产业转型升级的重要战略举措。水产加工食品的安全问题已不单是现代食品加工技术和水产加工企业社会责任的问题,而是需要从供应链的整体角度予以分析和规划。鉴于水产加工食品供应链在产品、生产和流通三个维度的特殊属性,流通段落具有主导供应链管理的特殊优势,有利于突破传统的生产主导型供应链模式的应用瓶颈。流通主导型供应链在水产加工食品领域的应用模式,包括现代批发商主导的有效型供应链、大型零售商主导的反应型供应链以及第四方物流主导的虚拟供应链等。     

Are you ready for your next product recall crisis? Lessons from operations and supply chain management

Most manufacturing companies face the possibility of a product recall crisis, if not within their own firms, then certainly somewhere within their supply chains. Recall crisis management typically finds a home within literature on crisis management, public relations, communications, marketing and brand management, and related fields. However, this research seldom addresses the operations support that must be mustered behind the scenes. The tumultuous material flows that can occur during a product recall imply a supply chain disruption. An effective response during the heat of a crisis therefore requires the foundation of a well-oiled supply chain. In this article I draw on learnings from the operations and supply chain management (OSCM) literature, integrate them with important precepts from the general crisis management and product recall literature, and identify managerial best practices that will help managers better prepare for product recall crises.     

A FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPING IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES FOR A RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID) SYSTEM IN A DISTRIBUTION CENTER ENVIRONMENT

The costs and benefits of RFID adoption by supply chains have been a matter of much debate. As a result, researchers are finding a greenfield opportunity to examine how organizations might make use of the technology in a supply chain context. This paper attempts to further explore the potential contribution and limitations of RFID in a warehouse setting in two ways. First, it discusses the issues surrounding pallet‐level tagging and case‐level tagging by developing a decision making framework. Second, insights from the framework are used to define an object‐oriented modeling framework that facilitates warehouse simulation of the RFID vs. barcode interoperability. This simulation is used to explore some of the cost/performance tradeoffs associated with six implementation strategies. Important cost tradeoffs are reported for the different strategies, and the statistical significance of the differences are evaluated.     

THE STOCK PRICE REACTION TO SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT ADVERTISEMENTS AND COMPANY VALUE

The research examines the stock price reaction to the announcement of the adoption of supply chain management‐enhancing tools and technologies to determine whether there is a significant response from the capital markets. The results show that the adoption of supply chain management‐enhancement tools appears to be value creating. The strength of the stock price reaction is positively related to the degree of certainty regarding the publication date of the publication.