The impact of bullwhip on supply chains: Performance pathways,control mechanisms,and managerial levers

Even though few empirical studies have tried to actually explicate the relationship between the bullwhip effect and performance of the supplier firm, there exists a common perception for over 30 years among both practitioners and academics that the bullwhip effect naturally results in decreased firm profitability. Anecdotal evidence further suggests that this decline in profitability arises from a decline in operational performance. However, the results of our study, which empirically examines the bullwhip effect across supply chain partners through an analysis of 383 actual customer base-supplier dyads, challenge this commonly held position by suggesting that while traditional bullwhip often yields reduced ROA, it ultimately has no relationship with the firm's operating margin. Additionally, our results also call into question whether or not production coordination between customers and suppliers can minimize the need for inventory and capacity buffers, which are the two commonly utilized methods for battling the bullwhip effect. Thus the relationship between bullwhip and firm performance is far more nuanced and complicated than previously believed. We also show how the managerial bullwhip levers of coordinating production across supply chain partners, or deploying inventory and capacity buffer control mechanisms, can help maximize a firm's performance along different dimensions.     

The boundary spanning capabilities of purchasing agents in buyer-supplier trust development

This study examines how individual purchasing agents function as boundary spanners with suppliers to influence trust development in themselves and the buying firms that employ them. Building upon boundary theory and supply chain cooperation research, we identify three boundary spanning capabilities of purchasing agents and empirically test how these capabilities shape buyer-supplier trust development. Using two samples of data collected from suppliers in the automotive industry and food industry, we found that a purchasing agent's effectiveness in strategic communication with suppliers affects a supplier's trust in the buying firm, while an agent's professional knowledge and ability toreach compromises with suppliers affect a supplier's trust in the purchasing agent representing the firm. Trust in the purchasing agent in turn affects trust in the buying firm. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.     

Supplier selection-order allocation: A two-stage multiple criteria dynamic programming approach

This paper proposes a two-stage multiple criteria dynamic programming approach for two of the most critical tasks in supply chain management, namely, supplier selection and order allocation. In the first stage, to address multiple decision criteria in supplier ranking, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is employed. In the second stage, supplier ranks are fed into an order allocation model that aims at maximizing a utility function for the firm as well as minimizing the total supply chain costs, subject to constraints on demand, capacity, and inventory levels. A dynamic programming approach is crafted to solve the proposed bi-objective model.     

A two-stage model for the design of supply chain networks

This research aims to develop an analytical model of the supplier selection process in designing a supply chain network. The constraints on the capacity of each potential supplier are considered in the process. The assumed objective of the supply chain is to minimize the level of customer dissatisfaction, which is evaluated by two performance criteria: (i) price and (ii) delivery lead time. The overall model operates at two levels of decision-making: the operational level and the chain level. The operational level concerns decisions related to optimizing the manufacturing and logistical activities of each potential supplier in order to meet the customer's requirements. At the chain level, all the bids from potential suppliers are evaluated and the final configuration of the supply chain is determined. The structure of the chain depends on the product specifications and on the customer's order size. An optimal solution in terms of the models for the two levels can be obtained by using a mixed-integer programming technique.     

基于效能评价的创新型产业集群成长模式研究

创新型产业集群发展是推动区域创新的重要途径,集群效能影响区域产业转型升级路径。通过三阶段DEA测度创新型产业集群效率,运用基于突变级数法的三力模型评价创新型产业集群效率。结果表明,传统DEA模型凸显创新型产业集群性,三阶段DEA更侧重于创新型产业集群创新性,集群效率存在空间分异,南部沿海地区各项效率值较高。创新型产业集群自主创新力与国际竞争力同步发展,但因各创新型产业集群行业异质性,效益贡献力与同步发展的其它两力非均衡异化。创新型产业集群效能由沿海到内陆层级递减,效能模式呈现强能强效、强能弱效、弱能强效、弱能弱效4类。     

The relationship between supplier management and firm's operational performance: A multi-dimensional perspective

This paper presents an empirical study on the multidimensional relationships between supplier management practices and firm operational performance. Specifically, we focus on three supplier management practices, namely strategic long-term relationship, supplier assessment, and logistics integration, and test their effects on four operations performance measures, namely quality, delivery, flexibility, and cost. We use data collected from 232 manufacturing firms in Australia to conduct the study. Ten hypotheses were tested simultaneously using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique. The results show that different supplier management practices have different unique effects on different operations performance measures. Supplier assessment has a positive relationship with quality performance. Both strategic long-term relationship and logistics integration have positive relationships with delivery, flexibility, and cost performance. From a theoretical perspective, this study demonstrates the relative contributions of different kinds of resources (i.e., supplier management practices in our case) to different performance measures. Our research findings provide practical insights for managers to understand the effectiveness, as well as the limitations, of different supplier management practices in enhancing different operations performance measures of firms.     

供应商参与技术创新的效能提升机制研究

整合供应商开展技术创新具有低风险和快速成功的优势,但由于供应商未必会全力以赴地面向制造企业需求实施创新,供应商参与技术创新的效能往往难以达到预期效果。使用供应商创新性反映供应商参与技术创新的实际效能,从社会资本理论视角,探究制造企业通过结构、关系和认知形式的社会资本获取供应商授予的优先客户地位,进而激发供应商创新性的规律。基于186个中国制造业样本的实证研究表明,制造企业获取供应商授予的优先客户地位对激发供应商创新性的效果显著;制造企业与供应商之间的社会资本积累能够促使供应商授予其优先客户地位,但由于结构、关系和认知维度社会资本之间存在内在差异,作用机制有所不同。     

如何使供应商参与绿色产品创新更有效——参与模式及治理形式适配的作用

供应商参与作为一种供应链企业间的价值共创活动,对制造企业绿色产品创新意义重大。基于交易成本理论和社会交换理论,在揭示供应商参与模式与供应商治理形式间的适配对供应商参与绿色产品创新效能影响的基础上,引入供应商关系专用型投资,揭示参与模式—治理形式间适配与供应商参与效能间的转换机制。来自246家制造业企业样本的实证研究表明,当对外包型供应商参与采用正式化控制、协作型供应商参与采用社会化控制、咨询型供应商参与采用互补双元控制时,有助于供应商参与效能提高;供应商关系专用型投资在供应商参与模式—治理形式适配和供应商参与效能的关系间起不同程度的桥梁作用。     

基于Kraljic模型的石化企业供应商关系分类研究

对供应商关系进行分类管理,发展与供应商的"增值"关系,是现代企业经营管理的焦点.通过分析石化企业供应商关系管理演变,以L炼油厂为例,基于Krabic模型将石化企业采购物资按照战略重要性和市场供给风险两个维度进行分类,并以此确定石化企业供应商关系的三种类型:战略合作型关系、逆向拍卖型和反向营销型.     

基于模糊粗糙集的供应商绿色评价体系研究

随着可持续发展战略意识的深入人心,对供应商进行绿色评价将成为绿色供应链管理的核心之一.文章运用模糊粗糙集理论构建了一个三维供应商绿色评价体系,在该理论指导下对贯穿于供应商评价与选择全过程的评价指标进行"绿化",从中进行数据挖掘,实现了对供应商的科学评价和正确选择.