A global supply chain framework

The relationship between supply chain competencies and performance has been somewhat elusive. The 21st Century Logistics framework, developed at Michigan State University is currently assessed as to its global relevance, particularly relating to performance. A sample of U.S. firms is compared to a sample of Australian and New Zealand firms to assess the robustness of the framework across different business environments as well as to better understand the supply chain competencies/performance relationship. Results suggest that the framework is reasonably robust across environments, although some improvements in future versions of the framework are suggested. Additionally, results confirm that supply chain competencies do lead to improved performance. Interestingly, supply chain competencies appear to be employed in different ways to create different performance advantages across the various business environments.     

Supply chain integration and performance: The effects of long-term relationships, information technology and sharing, and logistics integration

Supply chain integration is widely considered by both practitioners and researchers a vital contributor to supply chain performance. The two key flows in such relationships are material and information. Previous studies have addressed information integration and material (logistics) integration in separate studies. In this paper, we investigate the integrations of both information and material flows between supply chain partners and their effect on operational performance. Specifically, we examine the role of long-term supplier relationship as the driver of the integration. Using data from 232 Australian firms, we find that logistics integration has a significant effect on operations performance. Information technology capabilities and information sharing both have significant effects on logistics integration. Furthermore, long-term supplier relationships have both direct and indirect significant effects on performance; the indirect effect via the effect on information integration and logistics integration.     

Demand choices of high-tech industry for logistics service providers—an empirical case of an offshore science park in Taiwan

This study presents a methodological framework for analyzing factors that influence market share of third-party logistics (TPL) in high-tech industry. An emerging science park located in Southern Taiwan was chosen as the empirical case for the study. Confirmatory factor analysis was first conducted to examine the reliability and validity of the census data (136 outsourcing cases from 68 high-tech manufacturers). This was followed by calibrations of a binary logit model that examines the demand choices of the manufacturers in selecting two types of TPLs, express and forwarder. Results indicate that the strongest determinant of industrial demand choices is the service performance of the TPL, followed by service cost, and added value. In improving these service factors, the market share effect of express-based TPL is found to be slightly greater than that of forwarder-based. The analysis indicates that high-tech manufacturers with larger annual sales or smaller shipments favor express services over forwarding services.     

On the design of performance measurement plans in the telecommunications industry

This paper analyzes the design of performance measurement and remedy plans that have been implemented in the telecommunications industry to ensure competitive local exchange carriers are afforded a meaningful opportunity to compete in the provision of local exchange services. It demonstrates that the plans can impose penalties on incumbent local exchange carriers even when the incumbents provide the same or higher level of wholesale service quality to their competitors than they provide to themselves. Simulations are employed to illustrate the magnitude of these penalties.     

The performance implications of “grow or buy” decisions in the wine industry

This paper investigates how wineries’ decisions to grow or buy their provisions of grape affect their viticultural performance. While previous literature in agrarian economics suggests a direct association between vertical integration and performance, this research largely neglects the impact of transaction cost variables on governance mode choice and firm performance. This paper first demonstrates that neither outsourcing nor vertical integration per se result in superior performance; rather, a winery’s viticultural performance is contingent upon the alignment of winery’s governance decisions with the predictions of transaction cost theory.     

A CRM performance measurement framework: Its development process and application

We suggest a performance measurement framework called a customer relationship management (CRM) scorecard to diagnose and assess a firm's CRM practice. The CRM scorecard was developed through a rigorous and stepwise development process collaborated with a number of firms in a variety of industries. During the development process, we conducted an extensive literature review to build a theoretical causal map, in-depth interviews with practitioners to extract a hierarchical map from industrial perspectives, feasibility tests to check whether or not Key Performance Indicators (KPI) could be measured, and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis to prioritize the evaluation factors on the CRM scorecard. The CRM scorecard contains antecedent/subsequent and objective/perceptual evaluation factors in four different perspectives to comprehensively measure corporate CRM capability and readiness. To illustrate the applicability of the proposed CRM scorecard, we apply the framework to a retail bank in Korea well-known for its exemplary CRM strategy.     

Outsourcing, performance, and the role of e-commerce: A dynamic perspective

In a highly competitive global environment, many manufacturers respond by setting up outsourcing relations for components and finished products with lower-cost producers on a contractual OEM (original equipment manufacture) basis. In the last decade, we have witnessed a spectacular growth in outsourcing activities led primarily by U.S. and Japanese companies, although their approaches to outsourcing strategy and supplier relations are different. However, outsourcing strategy is not without drawbacks. We offer a dynamic perspective of outsourcing strategy and its performance implications, in which we argue that there is an optimal degree of outsourcing. The outsourcing-performance relationship takes on an inverted-U shape, implying that as firms deviate further from their optimal degree of outsourcing, by either insourcing or outsourcing too much, their performance will suffer disproportionately. We then discuss how e-commerce affects where the optimal point of any particular firm is located, hence explicitly linking developments in e-commerce to changing outsourcing levels. We provide implications for the practice and study of outsourcing and e-commerce.     

A framework of E-SCM multi-agent systems in the fashion industry

The fashion industry's supply chain is full of uncertainty and unpredictability. Thus, building an intelligent system to effectively capture the requirements of customers and help manage the supply chain is very important. Typical quick response (QR) systems have been broadly used in the fashion industry to serve as a way of maintaining an efficient supply chain management (SCM). The original functions of a QR system cannot, however, completely overcome the challenge of quickly satisfying the requirements of customers with effective customer relationship and quality of service. In this paper, we have integrated the typical management information system (MIS) development procedure with that of an e-fashion SCM multi-agent system. Some related research and reports from different countries have been thoroughly surveyed in order to find possible IT and non-IT methods for use in the SCM of fashion retailers. This paper thus provides an electronic fashion SCM system by adopting the techniques of the Semantic Web and multiple agents. The proposed system can integrate different information technologies to make its behavior more intelligent and to catch more useful information from customers. Its implementation also considers some practical issues in the fashion retailing SCM.     

Examining sustainability performance in the supply chain: The case of the Greek dairy sector

This paper evaluates the sustainability performance of the Greek dairy chain and the performance of its individual members by using key indicators in relation to efficiency, flexibility, responsiveness and product quality. We assessed the importance of these indicators based on the relevant perceptions of key members of this chain. A structured questionnaire was developed where nineteen sustainability-related issues were examined. Two hundred and fifty three members of the Greek dairy supply chain responded including breeders, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and catering companies. Our findings illustrate the immediate need for improvement in many key sustainability performance indicators. They also show the critical role of large dairy manufacturers who are the “sustainability performance champions” in this chain and are the driving force for the implementation of many sustainability initiatives.     

Supply chain management in the luxury industry: A first classification of companies and their strategies

This paper aims at analysing the supply management strategies in the luxury industry in order to find out (1) whether different clusters of companies could be identified within the luxury industry, on the base of a set of contingent variables derived from previous research, and (2) which supply chain strategy is currently applied within each cluster. Case study methodology is used. A sample of 15 Italian luxury companies, belonging to different industrial sectors, was taken into account.On the basis of five classification variables (company size, selling volume, product complexity, product fashionableness and brand reputation) four clusters are identified; these clusters present differences in terms of Supply Chain strategy, as well as in terms of practices for managing manufacturing, sourcing and distribution processes.     

The effects of GSCM drivers and institutional pressures on GSCM practices in Taiwan’s textile and apparel industry

This empirical study of Taiwan’s textile and apparel manufacturers investigates the relationships between green supply chain management (GSCM) drivers (organizational support, social capital and government involvement) and GSCM practices (green purchasing, cooperation with customers, eco-design and investment recovery). It also studies moderating effects by institutional market, regulatory and competitive pressures. Through hierarchical moderated regression analysis, the results of this research show that (1) except for investment recovery, the other three GSCM practices are positively affected by GSCM drivers; (2) investment recovery is positively affected only by organizational support; (3) market pressure has no moderating effects on most of the relationships between GSCM drivers and GSCM practices; (4) regulatory pressure has positive moderating effects on most of the relationships between GSCM drivers and GSCM practices; and (5) competitive pressure has negative moderating effects on most of the relationships between GSCM drivers and GSCM practices. Finally, the implications of this study and future research are discussed.     

Assessing resources, logistics service capabilities, innovation capabilities and the performance of container shipping services in Taiwan

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between resource, logistics service capability, innovation capability and the performance of Taiwanese container shipping service firms based on the resource-based view (RBV). A structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was employed to test the research hypotheses. Results indicated that resource had a significant positive effect on logistics service capabilities and innovation capabilities. In addition, the findings indicated that logistics service capability had a positive effect on the performance of container shipping service firms. However, resource and innovation capability were not found to have significantly positive effects on firms’ performance. Theoretical and managerial implications of the research findings for container shipping service firms are discussed.     

A model for R&D performance measurement

R&D activities are increasingly costly and risky and, as a consequence, measuring their performance and contribution to value becomes critical. This paper illustrates a formal model for measuring R&D performance, based upon a balanced and synthetic evaluation of quantitative indicators from five different perspectives of performance: financial, customer, innovation and learning, internal business, alliances, and networks. The model is built in coherence with the suggestions coming from the theory of measurement in soft systems, which gives relevant guidelines for ensuring validity, objectivity and inter-subjectivity of the model. Then, an application in a real R&D setting is described, which helps to understand the model and to enlighten its main advantages and limits.     

Feel free to feel comfortable—An empirical analysis of ergonomics in the German automotive industry

The purpose of this paper is to examine ways to improve ergonomics on the manufacturing shop floor. In particular, the impact of certain ergonomic practices on companies' economic and social objectives is investigated empirically. In order to do so, a survey has been conducted among manufacturing managers of 55 companies in the German automotive industry. The managers have been asked about their estimations on harmful tasks within the production process and on the effectiveness of various practices in the context of ergonomics and health. Worker-oriented and work-oriented practices of ergonomics are operationalized using factor analysis. By means of a cluster analysis, companies with a high degree of implementation of ergonomic practices are identified. The analysis shows that plants with a higher implementation degree of ergonomic practices show a better performance in terms of economic and social objectives. Furthermore, the results reveal that work-oriented practices lead to better performance with respect to the investigated economic and social objectives, whereas worker-oriented practices play a supporting role only. Finally recommendations for manufacturing companies with regard to the field of ergonomics are derived from the empirical results.     

Strategizing industry structure: the case of open systems in a low‐tech industry

Open systems strategy enables a sponsor to diffuse its technology and promotes standardization in an industry. However, this strategy has been studied in high‐tech settings. We hypothesize that, in a non‐high‐tech industry, a sponsor giving access to its technical knowledge may impact industry structure. Based on a survey of the U.S. tabletop role‐playing game (RPG) industry, our results highlight that the introduction of an open system in a sector creates an entry induction phenomenon and that these new entrants adopt more readily the open system than incumbents. Moreover, the average size of the firms in the industry decreases due to vertical specialization. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

国内烟草产业的供应链竞争战略

烟草作为特殊商品，在特殊的管理体制下，其供应链呈现与一般产品不同的特殊性。由于各个利益团体的冲突，导致供应链的断裂，从本质上削弱了供应链的竞争力。本文从烟草供应链的特征和结构分析出发，构建了烟草供应链的竞争力结构，提出在现有体制模式下，以核心企业为中心对烟草供应链进行集成，实施供应链竞争战略可以在一定程度上弥补断裂的供应链。     

Assessing the relational benefits of logistics services perceived by manufacturers in supply chain

The growing importance of logistics activities that span the boundaries of supply chain firms has put an emphasis on supply chain relationship management. Based on the existing marketing concept on relational benefits and the supply chain management literature on consumer satisfaction, this research evaluates logistics service performance from the eyes of manufacturers. Using data collected from US manufacturing firms, the study has identified the factors that influence manufacturer's satisfaction, as well as the key to understanding the benefits-satisfaction-loyalty triads in supply chain relationships. The contribution of the paper includes developing a conceptual model, adding new theoretical insights into benefits-satisfaction-loyalty triad that has been applied by manufacturers and LSPs, and providing some meaningful perspective on how to strategically assess the use of logistics providers so as to transform a logistics firm from a tactical service provider to a hand-in-glove strategic partner.     

Complexity in the telecommunications industry: When integrating infrastructure and services backfires

The emergence of pure Internet-based service providers has put many integrated telecommunications firms - industry incumbents that provide services on their own infrastructure - under massive pressure. While various pure service providers enjoy high performance, the products offered by the incumbents often cannot compete on either price or user experience. Conventional wisdom, however, might suggest the opposite: that coordinating both infrastructure and services might allow the incumbents to reap synergy effects and create superior products. To address this issue, this paper applies a complex systems perspective to the telecommunications industry. It conceptualizes telecommunications firms to be searching for good configurations of interdependent service and infrastructure activities that need to fit together to achieve high-performing product systems. Using a simulation model, the paper shows that integrated operators can indeed take advantage of the interdependencies between the infrastructure and the service domain, resulting in superior product performance. Integrating infrastructure and services, however, can backfire: because learning about both domains and their interdependence requires more time, performance in the short run will be lower than that of pure service providers that can focus on adapting their service-related activities to an infrastructure that is beyond their control. The paper characterizes the conditions under which these effects can arise and concludes with implications for management and policy.     

全球价值链与中国地方产业集群的供应链式整合--以苏浙粤纺织服装产业集群为例

地方产业集群的发展不仅需要全球价值链嵌入和耦合的推动,同时集群的供应链式整合(即地方产业集群在同一地域形成完整或近乎完整的价值链)也是地方产业集群升级的关键,这样才能保证地方产业集群在与全球价值链耦合时获取价值链中高附加值、核心战略环节的竞争优势。文章阐述了全球价值链与地方产业集群的供应链整合的三种模式,并以中国纺织服装产业为实例,通过苏(横扇镇)、浙(织里镇)、粤(沙溪镇)三地的纺织服装产业集群,来分析在面对纺织服装产业“后配额时代”的到来,如何将全球价值链与进行集群供应链式整合并实现产业升级;在此基础上说明中国纺织服装产业集群在供应链式整合和嵌入全球价值链过程中所面临的障碍;最后提出地方产业集群的升级思路和途径。