Four supply chain management systems: From supply chain strategies to human resource management

This article develops a conceptual model that supports and aligns supply chain strategies with organizational culture and leadership styles. We examine various supply chain theories and organizational behavior concepts to develop an integrated supply chain: the human factor model. Based on the underlying dimensions of environmental uncertainty and product complexity, we propose a 2x2 typology to identify four different supply chain systems that can be used by organization leaders to identify suitable supply chain strategies and compatible people management practices. We provide a useful and practical framework to analyze the alignment between the external environment and the internal organization of a supply chain system.     

Understanding supply chain improvement

This article sets out to explore one particular aspect of partnership sourcing: how suppliers cope with the demands of multiple customers, each of whom has a different style of partnership. The article begins by describing the rationale behind the move to customer-supplier partnership. It then moves on to present and discuss a case study of how one supplier transformed itself to cope with the competitive pressures of the modern business environment and, in so doing, developed the ability to deal effectively with the differing purchasing styles and needs of its customers. The article then proposes three complementary models of supply chain improvement which, taken together, allow for a more differentiated analysis of the phenomenon, and provide a more robust basis for theoretical development. The article concludes that those suppliers who seek/achieve world class status are not only in a position to accomodate the differing approaches of their customers but can also, to a limited extent, choose which customers to supply.     

价值链分析在供应链成本管理中的应用探讨

随着经济的发展、市场环境的变化,现在的竞争已经从单个企业之间的竞争发展成为供应链与供应链之间的竞争.如何进行供应链成本管理成为值得探讨的问题,本文通过对价值链与供应链之间的关联性,探索价值链分析方法应用于供应链成本管理的可行性,并进一步对具体的实施过程展开探讨.     

An integrated approach to managing extended supply chain networks

In an effort to improve their competitive position in a rapidly changing marketplace, many companies have replaced their traditional supply chains with extended supply chain networks built on a foundation of supply chain collaboration. These extended networks require the use of decision support tools and technologies to improve both operating efficiencies and customer service, but many companies have struggled to realize the expected benefits of these tools and the increased collaboration. This article recommends that companies adopt an integrated strategy of people, processes, and technology to achieve their competitive supply chain goals. Our recommendation is backed by the results of a survey we conducted of senior-level practitioners concerning the importance and challenges of supply chain collaboration. The article concludes with a set of managerial recommendations to improve a company’s collaborative efforts within its supply chain.     

The relationship of strategic purchasing to supply chain management

This research tested four hypotheses on the relationship of strategic purchasing to supply chain management. The hypotheses were tested with a survey of purchasing executives and the results were analyzed using a regression analysis. All of the hypothesized relationships were supported. The results indicate that strategic purchasing is positively related to supplier responsiveness, changes in the supplier market, supplier communication and the firm’s performance. Managerial and research implications are discussed.     

Managing successful total quality relationships in the supply chain

The importance of relationships between organizations is becoming increasingly recognized as firms try to adapt to an uncertain and turbulent environment. Emphasis is shifting from approaches based upon confrontation towards those that imply greater cooperation and collaboration. Despite the extensive rhetoric that surrounds such models, however, relatively little work has been done on their detailed characteristics, nor on mechanisms for their development and maintenance. One desirable characteristic of such relationships is likely to be the set of values and behaviours associated with Total Quality Management (TQM), especially those involving the development of continuous improvement practices. This paper reviews the possible role of TQM within the supply chain or network of relationships and suggests some early throughts on the emerging patterns of development towards such models. The conclusions draw upon the authors' case study research within the supply network of a major UK purchaser in which eight specific relationships were studied in depth, and point to some directions for further exploration.     

Identifying supply chain solutions in the UK house building sector

This paper identifies the problems of the UK housing industry and offers solutions to improving its overall performance and competitiveness. The terrain scanning methodology, which is a supply chain diagnostic, is used to gain an in-depth understanding of various business participants and supply chain processes. A quasi-Delphi study is used to identify areas for improving business and supply chain processes. The findings reveal that a change of “mind-set”, a shift toward process orientation and improved communications, are essential actions that need to be addressed by the UK housing sector to improve its performance and competitiveness. The paper concludes by suggesting that these three actions will assist UK housing companies in their move towards implementing supply chain management strategies.     

卡夫公司的物流与供应链策略分析

引言 在市场竞争愈演愈烈的当今社会,如何降低成本、提高效率对任何一家企业来说都显得尤为重要.事实上,随着价格战的持续,很多企业发现自身残存的可降低的产品成本空间已经很小了.于是很多企业将注意力转向生产成本的降低,物流与供应链管理应运而生.根据大卫·辛奇-利维在<供应链设计与管理>[1]一书中提出的概念,供应链管理就是指"对整个供应链系统进行计划、协调、操作、控制和优化的各种活动和过程",其目标是要将顾客所需的"正确的产品(Right Product)能够在正确的时间(Right Time)、按照正确的数量(Right Quantity)、正确的质量(Right Quality)和正确的状态(Right Status)送到正确的地点(Right Place)",并使总成本达到最佳化.     

The supply chain implications of recycling

Until recently, end-of-life (EOL) product management was the purview of a small number of firms that could make money out of recycling and/or remanufacturing. Now, changing customer expectations and stringent product take-back regulations are forcing many goods producing organizations to confront EOL product management, even in cases in which there is no clear economic incentive for doing so. This article presents a framework that highlights the supply chain implications for firms forced into EOL product management where recycling is the only viable option. Discussed are the various recycling options available to managers, as well as the strategic implications of each of these choices.     

2005国际供应链管理峰会召开在即

由本刊和美国派克欧哈尔集团公司联合主办,中国贸促会上海市分会、上海国际经贸研究所、《中国国际物流》杂志等协办的2005国际供应链管理峰会将于5月12日在上海科技馆隆重举行。     

Wildlife trafficking: Focusing on the entire supply chain

Fueled by her first-hand experiences with caring for wildlife, and the realization that efforts at fighting crimes against wildlife have hitherto been focused mainly on the supply side of wildlife trafficking, the author makes a case for a renewed focus on both the supply and the demand sides as well as the intervening link between them that facilitates such trafficking. After an engaging introduction, she discusses each of the above three parts in detail and concludes that a strategy involving the same intense focus on each of the three parts is sorely needed to eradicate crimes against wildlife. In the process, she argues that the adoption of the “carrot” approach would be far superior to the “stick” approach in achieving long-term success, and offers specific tactics pertaining to each of the three parts as actionable recommendations.     

Developing strategic partnerships in the supply chain: a practitioner perspective

The idea of managing supply chain partnerships for competitive advantage is receiving considerable interest amongst both academic researchers and industry executives. This article describes some current practices in several industries with respect to managing supply chain relationships. Focus group interviews and multiple case studies were conducted to gain insights into practitioners’ experiences. Six salient content themes are identified and structured into a managerial framework, to provide guidance to the increasing number of organisations that are now seeking to manage integrated supply chains.     

Purchasing materials in the supply chain: managing a multi-objective task

Purchasing materials that has long been recognized as a multi-objective problem gained in importance in the present “Lean Supply” management environment. The authors discuss one of the “user-friendly” alternative multiple criteria decision support systems—visual interactive goal programming (VIG). The personal computer-based technique is applied to an original equipment manufacturer's multiple-replenishment purchasing problem and assists in selecting suppliers and allocating orders among them. The authors conclude with the benefits of VIG and contributions of the analysts.     

Revenue-sharing contracts across an extended supply chain

Revenue-sharing contracts have been heavily researched and promoted in the academic literature. However, despite some well-documented examples (e.g., the way Blockbuster and film studios were able to increase availability of the latest video releases in rental shops through a revenue-sharing contract), they seem to be much less prevalent in practice. A possible reason for this gap between theory and practice is that most academic research has focused on two-party contracts involving only one buyer and one supplier, while in reality, most supply chains consist of multiple stages. When there are several stages in the chain—as is the case for many extended, global supply chains—the traditional revenue-sharing contract is no longer optimal for the two contracting parties, as every other participant in the chain is able to leverage the revenue-sharing contract to its own advantage. Put another way, a revenue-sharing contract between only two parties is not incentive-compatible across all participants. Accordingly, we suggest that a revenue-sharing contract should involve all the supply chain partners, and propose a spanning revenue-sharing contract that accomplishes coordination and incentive-compatibility across the same.     

Aligning supply chain design for boosting resilience

Many researchers have analyzed the effect of disruptive events, such as natural disasters and economic and market forces, on global supply chains. However, there is a lack of consensus on delineating a universal collection of supply chain risk management practices that will help companies operate in a global market with large-scale disruptions. In this article, we present an analysis, in conjunction with a worldwide online survey, based on successful global brands and their supply chains. We propose a framework that deploys the dynamics of building supply chain resilience, first linking the design of the supply chain portfolio (local versus global scope, as well as strategic responsiveness versus cost reduction) with supply chain vulnerabilities (external versus internal). We describe the transition between different supply chain structures as a way of coping with disruptions and thus proactively developing resilience. In this article, we introduce both a supply chain risk management approach and the reactive-by-deployment mode, as illustrated by successful global company examples.     

The role of trade and offshoring in the determination of relative wages and child labour

Incorporating family decisions in a two-period model of the world economy, we predict that trade liberalization raises the skill premium and reduces child labour in developing countries where the adult labour force is sufficiently well educated to attract production activities from abroad that will increase the demand for skilled relative to unskilled labour. Elsewhere, liberalization will reduce the skill premium, but it will not necessarily raise child labour. Our prediction is not rejected by the data, and it explains why child labour is negatively associated with trade openness in those developing countries where the labour force was relatively well educated when the liberalization took place, but not elsewhere.     

The building blocks of a supply chain management theory: Using factor market rivalry for supply chain theorizing

As the supply chain discipline matures, opportunities emerge to develop or define theories that are specific to supply chain phenomenon. The current research specifies characteristics that we offer which comprise the building blocks of supply chain theory. These characteristics include the flows of material through a supply chain network, the temporal management of these material flows, the dyadic and triadic interactions of firms within the supply chain network, and the outward focus on supply chain management (SCM), in other words a supply chain orientation, of firms in a supply chain. Further, recognizing that supply chain theories must contain the previously identified characteristics, we offer Factor Market Rivalry (FMR) as a theory of SCM. FMR refers to intense battles for resource positions that are needed to manufacture, provide, or deliver firm products or services. We argue that FMR only occurs within supply chain phenomena. The piece concludes with a future research agenda based upon the practical implications of further developing FMR as a theory of SCM.     

A supply chain management framework for services

While services represent the largest sector of the global economy, 86.8% in the United States, most supply chain management (SCM) research is focused on product flows. Executives in manufacturing firms have benefited from frameworks created to implement SCM processes, but this is not the case for their counterparts in service companies. The two most cited SCM frameworks for services have methodological and conceptual deficiencies. Drawing upon the service-dominant logic of marketing and using an empirical research approach, we developed supply chain structure maps for nine service firms. Our findings indicate that the supply chain structure maps of service companies are comparable to those in the product-based literature, which supports the service-dominant logic. Then, we identified the six key processes that constitute a framework to manage service supply chains. The customer relationship management and the supplier relationship management processes form the critical links in the supply chain, and the other four processes are coordinated through this linkage. The SCM framework for services provides direction for executives in service firms who need to increase cross-functional integration within their firms and with other members of the supply chain. For academics, 12 avenues for future research are identified.