Agility,adaptability, and alignment: new capabilities for PSM in a post-pandemic world

Purchasing and Supply Management (PSM) was overwhelmed by a perfect storm during the Covid-19 emergency, in both the public and private sectors. Many organizations were caught unprepared, and it became evident that they did not have the capabilities needed to quickly react and respond to changes caused by the pandemic. This poses the questions of where and how PSM systems should evolve to better contribute to organizational responsiveness to crisis events in the future. In this Editorial, which introduces the “PSM learning from the pandemic: transforming for better crisis management” Notes and Debates special issue, the six contributions included in this issue are discussed. We relate the evidence included in the contribution to three critical capabilities of supply chains in the post-Covid-19 business environment – agility, adaptability, and alignment – and, in this editorial, we discuss how they can be conceptualized from a PSM perspective. From a theoretical perspective, we provide a starting point for future studies that want to focus on how these capabilities can be deployed in PSM, and how they impact the supply network design. From a managerial perspective, these definitions provide preliminary points of discussion on what organizations can do to enhance these capabilities in the future.     

《采购与供应管理》课程教学改革研究

随着企业对采购认识的逐步深入,企业越来越重视采购的战略地位,对采购人才也提出了更多专业性要求。《采购与供应管理》课程重在培养学生对采购基础理论知识以及相关策略和技能的掌握和应用能力,基于该课程实践性强的特点以及社会对采购专业人才实践能力的要求,结合实际,在分析该课程教学中存在的问题基础上,有针对性地提出了以业务流程为主线优化课程体系等解决方案。     

Achieving efficiency and effectiveness in Purchasing and Supply Management: Organization design and outsourcing

As a function with a strategic role, Purchasing and Supply Management (PSM) needs to continuously find ways to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. One potential way to specifically addressing efficiency targets is to outsource parts of the purchasing process. While outsourcing remains one of the most prevalent business practices in various areas, many businesses fail to realize the benefits anticipated from their outsourcing initiatives. Research reports that one major reason for these outsourcing challenges lies in the design of the focal organization. In this paper, we take an organization design view to outsourcing in the PSM context. Based on a multi-year case study from 2010 to 2013 at a global chemical and pharmaceutical company, we elaborate how the organizational design of the PSM function relates to outsourcing opportunities in order to increase efficiency and effectiveness by allocating internal resources to more value-adding activities. The case illustrates how an activity-based organizational design of PSM can support outsourcing of some parts of the purchasing process.     

Reflections on longitudinal action research with the English National Health Service

This paper reflects on a longitudinal collaborative action research programme between the Centre for Research in Strategic Purchasing and Supply and the UK National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency that has operated since 1995. During the collaboration, research has changed practice and practice has changed research. A framework for analysing change is introduced as a means of examining how supply strategy has changed during the course of the research. The framework is applied to three supply strategy cases of prosthetics, clinical waste and cardiology, illustrating how practice and research have changed and influenced the production of knowledge over time. The methodological, theoretical and managerial implications of such longitudinal action research programmes are reflected on.     

Guest Editorial: A purchasing and supply management view of supply resilience for better crisis response

Purchasing and supply management (PSM) has been under great pressure since the COVID-19 pandemic first shook the world. Companies and public organizations faced new kinds of supply disruptions, and at a scale never seen before. New response abilities were required from PSM to address these challenges and disruptions. This Editorial introduces four articles in the Special Issue on “PSM learning from the pandemic: transforming for better crisis management.” These empirical contributions show how companies could build resilience to survive and be competitive during the COVID-19 pandemic. This Editorial discusses how supply resilience should be conceptualized in post-pandemic supply chains adopting a PSM perspective. We suggest that supply resilience practices should be developed and planned according to whether they strengthen existing supply chain relationships (bridging) or establish new ones (buffering) and whether they are short-term (temporary) or long-term (permanent) orientated. Furthermore, three supply resilience capabilities, absorbing, responding and capitalizing, should be prioritized in supply chains for responding to and recovering from global crises and disruptions. Supply resilience is key to crisis response and recovery, and PSM has an essential role in building and sustaining that resilience.     

Utilizing e-business technologies in supply chains: The impact of firm characteristics and teams

This paper presents findings from an exploratory study that analyzes the drivers and outcomes of e-business technology use in the supply chain. Using a combination of case studies and survey data from a diverse sample of industries, the research examines how industry context, firm characteristics and firm-level strategic resources, such as purchasing teams, influence the exploitation of e-business technologies and the relationship between e-business technology use and firm performance. Based on a synthesis of related literatures from transaction cost economics and the relational view of the supply chain, a two-dimensional framework for e-business technology is proposed with transactional and relational dimensions. However, empirical analysis indicated that transactional technologies can be further subdivided into two factors: dyadic cooperation and price determination. Significant differences were found between the two dimensions in terms of their overall levels of adoption, with dyadic coordination being the most widely adopted. In addition, the development of strategic resources expanded, in particular internal and customer teams, the use of e-business technologies expanded. Purchasing organizational structure and firm size also were positively related to the adoption of transactional e-business technologies. Finally, of particular importance to practitioners, e-business technologies targeted at reducing dyadic coordination costs lead to improved financial performance.     

知识网络结构特性对知识流动作用分析

知识主体间相互联系、相互作用构成知识网络,知识在网络中流动,网络结构对知识流动的水平、效率和范围都有重要影响。网络结构从微观层面的节点维度和宏观层面的整体维度两个层次上影响知识流动。将知识网络结构特性对知识流动的作用做深入分析,对构建和动态演化知识网络的过程中改善网络结构,提高网络内知识流动的效率有重要意义。     

Achieving purchasing competence through purchasing performance measurement system design—A multiple-case study analysis

Purchasing competence, the level of strategic integration and alignment, is a key determinant of the purchasing function's impact on overall corporate success. Previous research has revealed that the implementation of a mature purchasing performance measurement system (PPMS) can be a means to attain a high level of functional strategic integration. In this research, we develop five propositions on how PPMS should be designed to facilitate strategic integration. We challenge these propositions using data gathered from four case studies with German companies from different industrial sectors. While each of these companies pursues multiple strategic objectives within Purchasing, the PPMSs designs focus heavily on cost-related strategy and performance dimensions. Thus, our findings indicate the need to develop PPMS schemes allowing a direct linkage between financial performance and non-financial performance measures in order to incentivize the desired multiple strategic goals beyond periodical cost reduction. Moreover, such measurement systems need to be adapted at the category level of purchasing practices to obtain the desired level of pre-defined strategic performance dimensions. Hence, the level of purchasing competence is determined at category level and a PPMS must transform strategy into measurable goals at this level.     

Purchasing's strategic relevance

Recently Ramsay (Eur. J. Purchasing Supply Manage. 7 (4) (2001) 257) applied the resource-based view of the firm (RBV) to argue that purchasing is a largely irrelevant activity from a strategic management point of view. In this paper it is argued to the contrary since there is a wider theoretical base underlying strategic management, more recent developments in the RBV suggest that purchasing is indeed a strategic activity, and much empirical evidence demonstrates that purchasing and supply management contribute to sustainable competitive advantage. A systematic set of criteria is then put forward, which helps purchasing management researchers to assess whether studied phenomena have strategic impact.     

A decision framework for inventory- and equipment-based supply chain finance solutions

Supply Chain Finance (SCF) has recently gained attention and relevance in both academia and practice. Indeed, during the pandemic crisis, firms in need for liquidity have increased the adoption of SCF solutions. Within SCF, a new stream of research is Asset-Based Lending (ABL), that encompasses inventory-based and equipment-based financing solutions. This study focuses on this topic by using a theoretical framework built on previous literature review and by adopting the theoretical lens of contingency theory. The case study methodology is adopted, with 25 observations collected by interviewing 15 providers and experts. For each of the 8 ABL solutions considered, it was possible to recognize contingent factors that favours the adoption, the objectives pursued by companies through their adoption and the stemming performance, in terms of benefits and costs. Moreover, ABL solutions were clustered in three typologies – the pledged, the efficient and the leasing – according to the objectives of adoption and the contingency factors. Six propositions and nine sub-propositions that explain the different typologies of adoption have been formulated. The typologies and the propositions can be used by managers as a guideline in the decision-making process, as they provide detailed information about the relevant variables to consider when adopting ABL solutions. Moreover, this study identifies future research directions, to assess the impact of each variable through quantitative methods from the adopter perspective, thus complementing our study.     

The employer's perspective on collective bargaining centralization: an analytical framework

Despite the continuing debates about the performance implications of different degrees of collective bargaining centralization, our understanding of the determinants of bargaining structures is still limited. While recent research has largely focused on macro-level factors, the role of micro-level determinants has still not been systematically scrutinized. This article develops a multi-disciplinary framework for analysing the employer's perspective on collective bargaining centralization and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different forms and levels of collective bargaining from the perspective of management, the main focus being on the comparison between single-employer and multi-employer collective bargaining. This framework can be used for qualitative and quantitative empirical research as well as for discussions of the costs and benefits of different levels of collective bargaining.     

A contingency-configurational view of purchasing operations: The mediating role between supplier relationship and firm performance

The literature has considered purchasing and supply management activities from a strategic perspective, but the tactical role of purchasing operations has yet to be explored. Purchasing operations represent the internal modus operandi for transactions with suppliers, comprising three main activities – purchasing transactions, purchasing document management, and purchasing assessment – and supportive activities like purchasing knowledge management. Following the contingency theory, we hypothesize that these internal activities mediate between external supplier relationship management and firm performance (financial, customer and delivery performance). Complementarily, we adopt the configurational theory to hypothesize that this link between external and internal activities can be combined to increase firm performance. To test this contingency-configurational view of purchasing operations, we conducted a quantitative survey with 234 companies. The regression results of the contingency analysis show that purchasing operations activities have a full mediation role in most relationships between supplier relationship management and firm performance, while knowledge management positively moderates the association between purchasing assessment and customer performance. Moreover, the cluster analysis for the configurational analysis shows that supplier relationship management and purchasing operations follow maturity levels of joint implementation of internal and external activities. Our findings shed light on the purchasing operations by defining the activities representing this concept and showing their role in supply management. We also contribute to practice by proposing an integrative system that helps managers organize the firm's purchasing and supply management activities.     

The impact of supply chain integration on performance: A contingency and configuration approach

This study extends the developing body of literature on supply chain integration (SCI), which is the degree to which a manufacturer strategically collaborates with its supply chain partners and collaboratively manages intra- and inter-organizational processes, in order to achieve effective and efficient flows of products and services, information, money and decisions, to provide maximum value to the customer. The previous research is inconsistent in its findings about the relationship between SCI and performance. We attribute this inconsistency to incomplete definitions of SCI, in particular, the tendency to focus on customer and supplier integration only, excluding the important central link of internal integration. We study the relationship between three dimensions of SCI, operational and business performance, from both a contingency and a configuration perspective. In applying the contingency approach, hierarchical regression was used to determine the impact of individual SCI dimensions (customer, supplier and internal integration) and their interactions on performance. In the configuration approach, cluster analysis was used to develop patterns of SCI, which were analyzed in terms of SCI strength and balance. Analysis of variance was used to examine the relationship between SCI pattern and performance. The findings of both the contingency and configuration approach indicated that SCI was related to both operational and business performance. Furthermore, the results indicated that internal and customer integration were more strongly related to improving performance than supplier integration.     

Reforming public services: does service logic have anything to offer?

ABSTRACT

This article discusses what service management and the logic of service (SL) can offer to public service management. There are no real inbuilt differences between public and private service organizations and no reasons why public service organizations (PSOs) would be less efficient and less service-focussed and oriented towards service users than private service organizations. Good service management rather than privatization is required to make a PSO more efficient and effectively outward-oriented. Service-focussed value creation management and how service logic can be applied by PSOs to enable them to transform to outward-focussed service organizations are discussed. A change framework is presented.     

Sustainable humanitarian supply chain management – exploring new theory

Disaster response operations aim at helping as many victims as possible in the shortest time, with limited consideration of the socio-economic context. During the disaster rehabilitation phase, the perspective needs to broaden and comprehensively take into account the local environment. We propose a framework of sustainable humanitarian supply chain management (SCM) that facilitates such comprehensive performance. We conceptualise the framework by combining literature from the fields of sustainable and humanitarian SCM. We test the framework through an analytic induction process by means of multiple case studies of four relief organisations. Our framework suggests that supply chain design needs to be aligned not only to relief organisations’ enablers, but also to the population's long-term requirements as well as any socio-economic and governmental contingency factors. A good fit between these dimensions leads to sustainable performance. The framework provides an instrument for relief organisations to achieve sustainable performance in the disaster rehabilitation phase.     

A portfolio approach in the e-purchasing of materials

By improving the procurement process purchasing departments are becoming more and more strategic in order to increase overall companies performances. In the last years, web-based tools have effectively supported this trend by offering to buyers useful tools in order to help their activities. Purchasing departments have now to choose the right tool for the right purchase in the right supply market; for this reason it is important for them to adopt a portfolio approach exploiting all the different solutions offered by the technology according to the different situations.In this perspective, this paper identifies four most common purchasing approaches adopted by companies, which drivers are considered to choose among these, and which level of performances companies achieve through the identified approaches.Empirical evidence is based on a survey research involving 162 US companies.     

The contingency effects of environmental uncertainty on the relationship between supply chain integration and operational performance

This paper extends prior supply chain research by building and empirically testing a theoretical model of the contingency effects of environmental uncertainty (EU) on the relationships between three dimensions of supply chain integration and four dimensions of operational performance. Based on the contingency and organizational information processing theories, we argue that under a high EU, the associations between supplier/customer integration, and delivery and flexibility performance, and those between internal integration, and product quality and production cost, will be strengthened. These theoretical propositions are largely confirmed by multi-group and structural path analyses of survey responses collected from 151 of Thailand's automotive manufacturing plants. This paper contributes to operations management contingency research and provides theory-driven and empirically proven explanations for managers to differentiate the effects of internal and external integration efforts under different environmental conditions.     

Supply chain vulnerability assessment: A network based visualization and clustering analysis approach

Supply chains are large, complex, and often unpredictable. Purchasing and supply managers and supply chain risk managers need methods and tools to enable them to quickly understand how unexpected disruptions in the supply chain start and grow and to what extent will they negatively impact the flow of goods and services. This paper introduces a methodological approach that can be used by both researchers and managers to quickly visualize a supply chain, map out the propagation path of disruptive events from the supply side to the end customer and understand potential weaknesses in the supply chain design; taking into account the structure, connectivity, and dependence within the supply chain. The approach incorporates a Petri net and Triangularization Clustering Algorithm to offer insights into a supply chain network's vulnerabilities and can be used to efficiently assess supply chain disruption mitigation strategies, especially in complex and difficulty to analyze supply chain systems.