Remote control and maintenance outsourcing networks and its applications in supply chain management

The paper analyzes the impact of e-business technologies on maintenance management and supply chain operations. The aim of this work is to investigate the network organization level of supply chains in case of remote maintenance application and to understand how maintenance policies are coupled with information technology (IT) solutions. To this purpose two literature reviews are presented: firstly, on the supply chain and network integration, and then on the evolution of maintenance using information technology. Following this, the paper present four specific industrial case-studies of eMRO network organisation. They have been chosen as reference models from a set of practical applications and pilot tests performed by the authors in different production sectors in the last 5 years. Technology complexity environments, maintenance outsourcing level, and supply chain integration context are discussed for each case-studies with particular regards to the profitable forms of collaboration provided by the introduction of IT and the Web. This analysis work toward the development of a framework useful to: (1) classify different e-maintenance systems and understand the relationships between the different members of the network, and (2) identify the variables which can influence the introduction and development of the systems.     

Supply chain practice and information sharing

Effective supply chain practice and information sharing enhances the current supply chain management environment. The purpose of this study is to investigate the integration of information sharing and supply chain practice in supply chain management. Data from 125 North American manufacturing firms were collected. The results show that (1) effective information sharing significantly enhances effective supply chain practice; (2) supply chain dynamism has significant positive influence on effective information sharing as well as effective supply chain practice. Supply chain dynamism has more influence on information sharing than supply chain practice; (3) and effective supply chain practice becomes more important when the level of information sharing increases. The findings show that both effective information sharing and effective supply chain practice are critical in achieving good supply chain performance.     

供应链管理中供应商广告成本策略博弈分析

文中运用博弈建模理论方法,就供应链供应商广告策略对供应链成员企业的影响进行探讨分析,给出了供应商最优的广告策略,指出了供应链中广告成本对供应商最优战略的影响,为供应链中的供应商广告决策提供理论依据。     

基于RFID技术的信息采集模式在供应链管理中的应用

在分析现有供应链中由于落后的信息采集模式而增加成本的基础上,首先介绍射频识别(RFID)技术,然后从底层硬件结构开始,采用由下到上的构建方式,论述了如何在供应链管理中应用这种先进的信息采集技术。以此为基础,并与互联网进行整合,提出了实时一体化供应链管理的构想。最后详细分析了这种新的供应链管理模式所具有的优势和在具体应用可能遇到的问题。     

电子化物流协同作业信息交换平台构建及经济分析

结合实际应用系统的开发,给出了该信息交换平台的框架结构、信息处理的流程以及所使用的技术;通过分析该信息交换平台所提供的应用服务,结合交易费用经济学的有关理论,阐明了该信息交换平台可有效地降低物流业务参与各方的交易费用。     

论CALS在供应链管理中的应用

在分析供应链管理存在的问题的基础上，提出了用CALS及相关技术用来解决供应链这些问题的可能性。这些技术包括信息支撑技术、标准化技术、业务流程重组技术及集成数据环境技术。     

属性论在供应链牛鞭效应防范中的应用

提高预测的准确性是缓解供应链牛鞭效应的关键。运用属性论方法,就制造商-零售商-客户三级供应链,建立了零售商的下游产品订购量的基本预测模型,同时提出两个拓展模型来预测零售商向上游的订货点,以及制造商的生产量。在三个模型信息整合的基础上提高了预测的准确性,由此可防范牛鞭效应的发生。     

供应链中库存管理存在的问题及对策分析

存货管理是企业资产管理的重要组成部分,但仅仅对单一企业存货管理进行优化远远不能满足当前全球经济发展的趋势.在供应链条件下,企业必须综合考虑与供应链上的合作伙伴间跨企业的存货协同问题.本文主要阐述基于供应链条件下库存管理存在的普遍问题,并探讨其应对措施.     

基于收入共享契约的三层供应链协调研究

构造收入共享契约模型,研究制造商-分销商-零售商组成的三层供应链利润协调问题。以利润最大化为目标,得出供应链各成员的最优订购量。研究表明,选择恰当的契约参数,可以使供应链各成员的利润大于在简单市场环境下的利润,实现收入共享、利润协调的目的。最后,通过模拟算例对结论进行验证。     

Investigating the value of information sharing in multi-echelon supply chains

Under the structure of multiple business entities, supply chain management (SCM) offers the external and internal integration of business processes in enterprises. The most important objective of SCM is to enhance the supply chain performance such as reinforcing the service level and increasing profit as well as reducing order cycle time and inventory. In recent years, due to the advancement of information technology, enterprises can manage the product flow and the information flow via economical and efficient mechanisms. The well-organized information sharing can enhance the supply chain performance and allow enterprises to refine their strategies of supply chain in order to maximize their profits. The previous studies pointed out the positive effect of information sharing on the efficiency of supply chain. However, relatively little literature focuses on the performance analysis for multi-echelon supply chain with various information sharing scenarios. By using the simulation technique, this paper models different scenarios of information sharing, and further analyzes the impacts of information quality on multi-echelon supply chain performance. In addition, this paper employs Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to integrate multiple performance measures to ensure the information sharing scenarios with enhanced performance.     

Barriers to supply chain information integration: SMEs adrift of eLands

The literature extols the potential benefits of supply chain integration and the crucial role of integrated eBusiness to deliver those benefits. However, adoption of eBusiness in supply chains has been slower than expected, particularly in small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs). This paper reports findings of a longitudinal study of four supply chains in different sectors over a 4-year period. Specifically it examines the barriers to adoption of eBusiness technologies and therefore to achievement of integrated information in supply chains. Differences between firms in supply chains and between supply chains are examined. The study reveals disparity between existing and planned use of eBusiness by larger downstream firms compared to upstream SMEs. The SMEs are cautious, only planning to invest in eBusiness if dominant downstream customers force them; however, they do not appreciate the full benefits to be gained from eBusiness adoption. The downstream larger businesses are forging ahead with eBusiness in ‘eIsolation’ and are not providing supply chain leadership. They are creating eLands with SMEs adrift of them.     

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.     

Concentrated supply chain membership and financial performance: Chain- and firm-level perspectives

This study reports evidence that concentrated 3-firm supply chains achieve superior financial performance, and that supply chains’ financial performance varies systematically with measures of chain concentration and chain duration. Results from firm-level analyses suggest that the profitability benefits of supply chain relationships are captured predominantly by downstream chain members, whereas cash cycle benefits are realized throughout the supply chain. Firm-level tests also reveal that chain members’ financial performance varies systematically with measures of downstream bargaining power, downstream relationship duration, and degree of supply consolidation. The study's chain- and firm-level analyses employ data extracted from sample firms’ publicly available financial reports, including their major customer disclosures under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Nos. 131 (1997) and 14 (1976).     

A longitudinal study of supply organizational change

This research examines the high level of change in supply organizations of large North American companies using data collected from 51 large North American supply organizations in 1987, 1995 and 2003. Analysis is supplemented by an additional 55 companies for which data were collected in 1995 and 2003. The availability of longitudinal data from individual companies over a 16-year period provided a unique opportunity to trace changes made to each company's supply organizational structure and their roles and responsibilities. Findings suggest that the respondents made major changes in supply organizational structure, supply chain responsibilities, use of purchasing teams, supply involvement in major corporate activities (MCA) and CPO reporting line, title and background.     

Towards an understanding of supply chain quality management

In this paper, we define supply chain quality management (SCQM) to operationalize and understand the effect of increased emphasis on supply chain management on the practice of quality management. We review current research in quality management and identify common themes found in the literature. Key quality management content variables identified are customer focus, quality practices, supplier relations, leadership, HR practices, business results, and safety. We use these variables to propose areas for future research in the field of supply chain quality management.