Strategic marketing in global supply chains: Four challenges

Supply chain management has emerged as a critical arena in which firms can find significant cost reduction opportunities, giving them a cost advantage over competitors. When supply chain management orientations are adopted by several firms in a supply chain, together they can significantly reduce supply chain costs pitting supply chain against supply chain. However, the pursuit of cost savings opportunities is not the only objective of supply chain management. Superior supply chain management can facilitate marketing strategy and lead to the creation of superior customer value, satisfaction, and loyalty, which in turn lead to improved product profit margins, overall firm profitability, and overall corporate growth. However, marketing strategy is problematic in global supply chains. Specifically, four significant strategic marketing challenges exist that relate to the development and execution of marketing strategy in global supply chains. This article draws attention to these challenges to stimulate managerial and research efforts that will move marketing strategy through the 21st century.     

Supply chain scheduling and coordination with dual delivery modes and inventory storage cost

We study a two-echelon supply chain scheduling problem in which a manufacturer acquires supplies from an upstream supplier and processes orders from the downstream retailers. The supply chain sells a single short-life product in a single season. We consider the scenario where the manufacturer can only accept some of the orders from the retailers due to its supplier's common production time window and its own two common production and delivery time windows. The upstream supplier processes materials and delivers the semi-finished products to the manufacturer within its time window. Then the manufacturer further processes these products to produce finished products and delivers them to the retailers within its two time windows, where one window is for production and normal delivery, and the other is for production and express delivery. Having to store the materials before processing them, the supplier incurs a storage cost, which depends on the order size and storage time. The manufacturer pays the transportation cost for delivering the finished products to the retailers. Due to double marginalization, the performance of the supply chain is sub-optimal. We model the supply chain problem as a flow shop scheduling problem with multiple common time windows. We derive some dominance properties and establish some theorems that help solve the sequencing problems for the orders and eliminate the idle time among the orders. Based on these results, we develop fast pseudo-polynomial dynamic algorithms to optimally solve the problem. We prove that the problem is NP-hard in the ordinary sense only. We develop two practically relevant and robust methods for the supply chain to achieve optimal profit-making performance through channel coordination.     

An analysis of the main factors affecting bullwhip in reverse supply chains

The bullwhip effect has drawn the attention of supply chains researchers due to the inefficiencies that this phenomenon generates upstream in the supply chain. Various factors that facilitate its appearance have been identified in the literature. However, in spite of current practices and new environmental regulations having increased the importance of returned material chains, this phenomenon has not been studied in detail in the context of closed loop networks. Here we present an analysis of the influence of factors identified as significant with regard to the bullwhip effect in forward chains on the appearance of the bullwhip effect in environments of reverse logistics and its pattern of evolution along the chain. We do so by using a simulator that extends the logic of the Beer Game to this type of environment. The results confirm the influence of the majority of the factors considered, especially the stock and WIP adjustment controllers, as well as the forecasting technique used, the sharing of information among the links, and the final customer demand variability. With respect to specific reverse supply chains factors, the only significant one identified is the percentage of units returned. We have also studied the factors that in this closed loop environment give rise to the classical upstream growing pattern of the bullwhip effect, observing that an increase in the percentage of material returned reduces the likelihood of finding a growing bullwhip pattern. In addition, it is more likely for this pattern to appear when the demand variation is low.     

2019年全球石油供应回顾与2020年展望

2019年对于石油市场而言是极不平凡的一年,全球黑天鹅事件频发,但黑天鹅事件往往来得快去得也快。总体来看,在欧佩克(OPEC)减产、美国制裁伊朗与委内瑞拉、地缘政治动荡加剧的背景下,2019年全球石油供应出现多年来的首次下降,轻重质原油资源呈现结构性的不平衡。展望2020年,全球石油供应有望恢复增长,增量除了美国之外,还有相当一部分来自巴西、挪威、圭亚那等国,供应呈现百花齐放的特点。此外,轻重质原油资源失衡的结构性矛盾仍然存在,地缘政治动荡或继续加剧。受到国际海事组织(IMO)船舶燃料新规影响,预计2020年运费市场高位震荡,从而抬升全球原油运输成本。     

Power and firm profitability in supply chains: french manufacturing industry in 1993

The paper examines the relationships between the power of suppliers and buyers and the profitability of sellers who are situated in supply chains between both sets of firms. A review of the literature on power in exchange relations shows there are several power concepts which may have a different impact on seller profitability and whose impact possibly can offset each other. This may be the source of the conflicting evidence on this topic. A failure to distinguish among the concepts may also lead to an underestimation of industry effects relative to resource effects as drivers of firm profitability. The paper uses a new data base of the Banque de France on French manufacturing industry. The anlayses examine whether different power concepts may be empirically identified and what their relationships are with seller profitability. The findings point to the existence of multiple power concepts and indicate that, in the sample, industry effects are more important than firm effects (as measured by relative market share) in explaining seller profitability. The findings also suggest that buyer power explains a much larger percentage of the variance in seller profitability than supplier power. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evolution and challenges of dairy supply chains: Evidence from supermarkets,industries and consumers in Ethiopia

In developing countries the demand for products of animal origin is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years. Using data collected from 200 urban households this study examines the evolution of the dairy market in Ethiopia. In particular, this study suggests that although the Ethiopian dairy market remains extremely thin and volatile, the commercialization of processed dairy products through supermarkets is expanding and is expected to keep doing so in the foreseeable future. Increasing urbanization and corresponding changes in consumer preferences, behaviour and purchasing power are the identified causes for the rise of supermarket-processor dairy chains. This study shows also that emerging dairy chains provide new market opportunities to Ethiopian farmers, but the existence of retail-industrial monopolies and monopsonies jeopardize farmers’ economic benefits to a great extent. The study concludes with some implications for policy and further research.     

Competitive pricing decisions in a two-echelon supply chain with horizontal and vertical competition

This study investigates the pricing decisions in a non-cooperative supply chain that consists of two retailers and one common supplier. The retailers order from the common supplier and compete in the same market. We analyze six power structures that characterize exclusively horizontal competition between the retailers and vertical competition between the supplier and the retailers, leading to different sequences of moves among the chain members. We derive the analytical forms of the equilibrium quantities under each power structure and explore the effect of retail substitutability on the equilibrium quantities among all power structures. We further investigate the performances of the game models as compared with the integrated model.     

The role of free economic zones in global supply chains—a case of reverselogistics

Schengen border crossings are moving from former European borders southeastwards. These changes influence some socioeconomic positions of regions and availability of human resources in the nodes of global supply chains. Free Economic Zone (FEZ) has been considered as a tool to make the flow of goods and the flow of human resources less exposed to risk. Considering the production function in activity cells of a global supply chain, the perturbations of NPV of activities in total chain are expressed in cases, where the availability of human resources and perturbations of lead time takes place, both of which are the result of activities at border crossings. The extended MRP approach with an extension to distribution and reverse logistic part of a supply chain is used to develop the model for evaluating the influence of the lead-time perturbations and perturbations in availability of properly skilled human resources in different regions separated by Schengen borders. Tax exemption in an FEZ is presented as a compensation for the negative impact of Schengen border on the net present value of a global supply chain and consequently as the compensation for shortages and costs of properly skilled workers. The paper gives answer to the question, what is the level of reduction of tax burden in the FEZ of accession countries, which is only a compensation for the higher labour costs, additional administrative costs and the cost of risks assumed at border crossings. We have explained why we are not able to talk about an unfair competition of producers in an FEZ’s atall.     

基于消费者网络接受度的双渠道供应链补偿激励研究

线上直销渠道与线下零售渠道相结合构成的双渠道供应链是众多公司选择的销售模式,但也引发了线上渠道与线下传统零售渠道之间关于在商品定价、服务投入、信息共享之间的冲突。制造商通过对零售商提供一定的补偿能够有效协调双渠道供应链中存在于上述渠道中的冲突问题。针对这一问题,以消费者的网络接受程度变化为切入点,通过对双渠道供应链中制造商对零售商补偿激励与否的比较分析,得出结论:制造商实施补偿激励的方式能够有效协调渠道之间的冲突,激励零售商增加其销售努力程度,这种情况下存在着定价的最优解;同时,消费者的网络接受程度影响着最优定价策略、补偿激励水平、销售努力程度及供应链利润水平。此项研究为公司平衡线上直销与线下零售的双渠道销售模式提供了借鉴建议。     

浅谈母线槽的特点及应用

母线槽已广泛用于变电站、大型厂房和高层建筑等供电系统中作为电能的传输和分配设备,具有结构紧凑、通用性强、传输容量大等优点。母线槽通常采用交联热收缩绝缘套管、高强度外壳密封的方法进行绝缘、阻燃,具有可靠的防护措施、灵活多变的连接方式,使得现场安装简便易行。简单介绍了几种新型母线槽的发展现状。     

Adding value in global B2B supply chains: Strategic directions and the role of the Internet as a driver of competitive advantage

The Internet increases the likelihood of “disintermediation” in global B2B supply chains. At the same time, opportunities for intermediaries to generate incremental value for other channel members are opened up. The discussion highlights three such strategic directions — “information rich”, “relational exchange” and “joint-learning” — with the focus on the role played by the Internet in the implementation of these strategies. Particular attention is also given to the experience of a leading Hong Kong intermediary to illustrate the alignment of the Internet with each of these strategies for enhancing the competitive position of intermediaries in global supply chains.     

基于CVaR的第三方回收闭环供应链的优化与协调

利用条件风险值理论研究了第三方回收闭环供应链的优化与协调问题。在随机需求与收益共享———费用共担契约下,建立了由单个风险规避零售商、单个风险规避制造商和单个风险中性第三方回收商组成的三阶闭环供应链的条件风险值模型和基于条件风险值的最优订购与定价决策模型。在对模型进行分析的基础上,揭示了制造商和零售商的风险规避水平对最优订购量、最优定价、条件风险值及闭环供应链协调性的影响。最后通过一个算例验证了研究结论。     

The impact of coercive and non-coercive forms of influence on trust, commitment, and compliance in supply chains

A major premise in managing channel relationships is encouraging cooperation to achieve the aims of the relational partners. This often requires a balancing act between utilization of influence across the supply chain to motivate decisions, while employing tactics that do not damage the future of the relationship. This paper builds and tests a model of how influence strategies affect relational elements, specifically trust and commitment, which both promote strong inter-firm relationships and act as mediators of joint action, specifically cooperation and compliance across channel partners. Results suggest that coercive strategies are counterproductive in encouraging cooperation and compliance either directly or through relational intermediaries, while non-coercive influence produces positive outcomes and effects on intermediaries. Low levels of coercive influence do appear to generate positive outcomes. Managerial implications and future research based on these results conclude the paper.     

A dynamic model for the optimization of decoupling point and production planning in a supply chain

In this paper, we propose a dynamic model to simultaneously determine the optimal position of the decoupling point and production-inventory plan in a supply chain such that the total cost of the deviation from the target production rate and the target inventory level is minimized. Using the optimal control theory, we derive the closed form of the optimal solution when the production smoothing policy and the zero-inventory policy are applied. The result indicates that under the production smoothing policy, the overestimation of demand rate during the pre-decoupling stage guarantees the existence of the optimal decoupling point; meanwhile the optimal decoupling point exists under zero-inventory policy when the demand rate is underestimated. Also we perform mathematical analysis on the behavior of the optimal production rate and the inventory level and the effect of problem parameters such as the length of the product life cycle and the forecast error on the performance.     

The value of relational learning in global buyer‐supplier exchanges: a dyadic perspective and test of the pie‐sharing premise

Research in collaborative interorganizational relationships has typically focused on the value of these relationships to a specific supply chain partner. Furthermore, the phenomenon has rarely been explored in a global setting. Using primary data from 126 cross‐border dyads, we investigate the influence of relational learning on the relationship performance of both the buyer and the supplier, testing the contention that both members (1) benefit from relational learning efforts and (2) enjoy equal pieces of the benefits pie. We find that three specific types of relational learning (information sharing, joint sensemaking, and knowledge integration) influence relationship performance, and that these dimensions of relational learning affect supply chain partners in different ways. We draw conclusions regarding the relative value of relational learning for both buyers and suppliers. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inventory control in a two-echelon dual-channel supply chain with setup of production and delivery

This paper considers a two-echelon dual-channel supply chain model with setup of production and delivery and develops a new inventory control policy for the supply chain. Previously, a two-echelon supply chain model without setup of production and delivery is considered and a one-for-one inventory control policy is applied to the supply chain. In the inventory control policy, production is stopped when the warehouse inventory reaches the upper limit and is started again immediately after the inventory drops below the limit. Moreover, delivery to the retailer is stopped when the store inventory reaches the upper limit and is started again immediately after the inventory drops below the limit. The total cost that consists of inventory holding costs and lost sales cost is considered, and setup costs are not considered in the total cost. Once setup costs are introduced, the one-for-one inventory control policy is no longer appropriate. Then, this paper develops a new control policy for the two-echelon dual-channel supply chain with setup of production and delivery. As performance measure, the total cost that consists of inventory holding costs, lost sales cost, and production and delivery setup costs is considered, and the total cost calculated on the basis of Markov analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed control policy.     

‘You monitor performance at every hour’: labour and the management of performance in the supermarket supply chain

With reference to the performance management research agenda, this article focuses on the politics of production in food manufacturing and distribution companies in the supermarket supply chain. Burawoy's concept of ‘factory regimes’ is utilised to explore the broader context of labour process change in inter‐linked organisations in the retail supply chain. The article examines the extent to which new despotic or coercive regime characteristics are emerging that weakens the power of both suppliers and labour. In revealing changes in the nature and dynamics of performance regimes within these organisations, the article exposes the connections and linkages between workplaces as distinct moments in the integrated circuit of capital.     

随机需求下横向并购供应链网络整合优化策略研究

本文从系统优化视角,针对增设集散中心的横向并购供应链网络整合策略,利用变分不等式建立了随机需求下的整合优化模型。以市场链为主线,以供应链网络均衡理论为基 础,构建了以横向并购供应链网络活动总成本最小为目标的数学模型,通过转换成变分不等式采用改进的欧拉算法进行模型求解。通过数值算例进一步说明了模型的适用性和灵活性,得出了增设集散中心的并购整合策略能够降低供应链网络的平均运营成本的结论,通过对比不同市场紧密程度下产生的供应链网络平均成本协同效应,发现随着市场紧密程度的增加其协同效应更明显,为横向并购供应链网络整合优化提供理论依据与方法。