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The purpose of this paper is to reveal the effects of different technology access modes on the successful integration of technological innovations. From the perspective of logistics service providers (LSPs), theoretical and managerial implications for the process of technology adoption are discovered.

The paper provides a structured literature review of the state-of-the-art in technology adoption by LSPs. Drawing on the innovation diffusion theory (IDT) and absorptive capacity, the explorative case study research includes systematic analyses of ten technology projects conducted by seven different LSPs.

The findings illustrate that the technology access modes (make, buy and ally) prejudge the success of the integration process in terms of technology acceptance, as well as process quality, speed and costs of integration. This relationship is moderated by technology-, firm-, environment- and relation-related factors.

The paper is limited by its qualitative research approach, only seven different LSPs were addressed. Furthermore, the scope of the investigated technologies is broad but not exhaustive.

For practitioners, research indicates that the way LSPs access technologies is highly related to a successful integration process. Therefore, the paper provides practical support for improving technology adoption.

As the link between LSPs’ technology access strategies and a successful integration process has been largely neglected thus far, this paper is the first contribution addressing this research gap. In this context, IDT and absorptive capacity are discussed for application to technology adoption in supply chain management research.

This study aims to observe different purchasing and evaluation phases during the buying of business services, thus revealing the necessity for integration of different entities during the purchasing process.

On the basis of a systematic analysis, explorative case study methods involving five Swiss multinational companies are used. In addition, the study provides a structured literature review and uses the short-term perspective of the industrial marketing and purchasing (imp) approach as a conceptual approach.

In addition to specific and business service-related difficulties, the research observes different phases “levels of integration” within the evaluation process that takes place within a company: a preparation phase, an acquisition phase and an operational phase.

The study is limited to a qualitative research approach addressing five cases from Switzerland. However, assuming the results are generalizable, future research on service evaluation should always differentiate between the different phases of an evaluation.

It is shown that for practitioners, social, financial, service and informational exchange (as per imp approach) is closely related to an adequate integration of all involved entities during the different phases of purchasing. Therefore, this research provides practical support for the purchasing process to ensure highly efficient business services.

As there has been almost no research on business service evaluation, this paper is the first work known to extend the short-term perspective of the imp approach by addressing the different purchasing phases of an integrated service evaluation.

The purpose of this paper is the analysis of reasons to involve financial service providers (FSPs) in the integrated management of supply chain flows through supply chain finance (SCF) practices. In addition, service requirements are derived for FSPs in order to respond to company needs related to SCF practices.

The selected methodology represents a multi-method approach. First, a survey with 62 companies from Switzerland and ten expert interviews were applied to analyze company needs. Second, the study was complemented with a review of gray press, online offers and 11 expert interviews on the service offer of FSPs for managing supply chain flows.

The results derive company needs for an integrated management of supply chain flows. The company needs are matched with available service offer of FSPs. Based on this match quality gaps are identified and service requirements are derived. The results describe initial measures to close the quality gaps.

This research primarily focuses on financial flows related to the working capital of companies thereby neglecting fixed assets.

The results provide companies with a structured process to analyze the value added of FSPs. FSPs can use the results to better match their service offer with company needs.

This research contributes to research on SCF by developing a structured process for analyzing the company needs for SCF practices as well as the value added of FSPs in offering these practices.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic analysis about the effects of additive manufacturing (AM) technology adoption on supply chain management (SCM) processes and SCM components in an engineer-to-order environment.

Based on two explorative case studies from the hearing systems industry, the impact of AM technology adoption on SCM processes and SCM components is investigated. General systems theory and the contingency approach serve as theoretical underpinning.

Not only the internal processes and management activities, e.g. in manufacturing and order fulfillment, of producers are affected by a changeover to AM, but also the SCM processes and components relating to the supply and demand side of a firm’s supply chain. Endogenous and AM technology-related factors are contingency factors that help to explain differing effects of AM technology adoption on SCM processes and SCM components.

It is proposed that AM’s ability to economically build custom products provides the potential to alleviate the common dilemma between product variety and scale economies.

Manufacturing firms are encouraged to consider the potential effects of AM on SCM processes and SCM components when deciding whether to adopt AM technologies in the production of industrial parts.

The research adds to the widely unexplored effects that AM technology usage in customized parts production has on SCM processes and components. Moreover, the general lack of case studies analyzing the implications of AM technology adoption from a supply chain perspective is addressed. The resulting propositions may serve as a starting point for further research on the impact of AM in engineer-to-order supply chains.

Demand forecasting is a challenging task that could benefit from additional relevant data and processes. The purpose of this paper is to examine how big data analytics (BDA) enhances forecasts’ accuracy.

A conceptual structure based on the design-science paradigm is applied to create categories for BDA. Existing approaches from the scientific literature are synthesized with industry knowledge through experience and intuition. Accordingly, a reference frame is developed using three steps: description of conceptual elements utilizing justificatory knowledge, specification of principles to explain the interplay between elements, and creation of a matching by conducting investigations within the retail industry.

The developed framework could serve as a guide for meaningful BDA initiatives in the supply chain. The paper illustrates that integration of different data sources in demand forecasting is feasible but requires data scientists to perform the job, an appropriate technological foundation, and technology investments.

So far, no scientific work has analyzed the relation of forecasting methods to BDA; previous works have described technologies, types of analytics, and forecasting methods separately. This paper, in contrast, combines insights and provides advice on how enterprises can employ BDA in their operational, tactical, or strategic demand plans.

The purpose of this paper is to summarize and analyze what is known regarding activity-based costing (ABC) applications in the context of supply chain management (SCM). The authors present a reference framework for practical implications and areas for future research in intra-firm and inter-organizational environments.

The findings underlie a systematic review methodology. Research gaps and guidance for further publications are derived from the reference framework based on ABC and SCM literature.

The review illustrates four main areas for further research: determination of the role of management accounting in SCM (including supply chain finance), integration of time-driven ABC with radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and automatic data collection, analysis of inter-organizational management tools in supply chains in multiple negotiation rounds, and standardization of cost accounting data in supply chains.

The review provides practitioners with three main recommendations: ABC applications require a solid data basis, organizational readiness, commitment from senior management, and an ABC management philosophy; open book accounting for inter-organizational cost information-sharing purposes needs institutional arrangements and economic incentive systems; and sharing costs and benefits among supply chain members requires a change of managers’ mind-set.

This paper reveals practical implications and provides new directions for research based on the reference framework. The paper contributes to the interdisciplinary topic between SCM and management accounting by providing a structured overview of 87 peer-reviewed articles from 1992 to 2016.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impacts of the ongoing freight market deregulation in the European Union (EU). Specifically, this case study focuses on cabotage penetration rates in Germany, the largest logistics market in Europe. In light of the upcoming trade barriers, we intend to move this topic forward by emphasising its interdisciplinary nature.

Based on the analysis of Eurostat data, expert interviews and a review of related literature, we elaborate and discuss four propositions related to the factors affecting cabotage penetration, future cabotage levels and the effects on modal split and empty runs.

We found that cabotage in Germany plays a more important role than officially reported and has increased drastically since 2008. Given our analysis, increased cabotage penetration seems to thwart efforts within the EU to promote a modal shift from road to rail and increased national empty runs are the future outcome of current regulations. In Germany, the cabotage share is likely to reach 16% in the next five years.

This paper highlights the need for incorporating a more contextual understanding in freight carrier selection theory development in general as well as country-specific investigations in particular.

Logistics managers and policymakers looking at future strategies are advised to take the ongoing deregulation trend into consideration. European freight movement using cabotage operators may represent significant cost savings; however, these cost savings come at an environmental and social sustainability price as the modal shift to rail and fill rates suffer.

This paper represents an empirical and unbiased point of view, in contrast to the reports of the European Commission (pro-deregulation) or the reports of the haulage associations and labour unions (anti-deregulation).

The purpose of this paper is to research the nature of supply chain strategy (SCS). It represents one stage of an on‐going research initiative aimed at providing a framework for systematic understanding of the linkages between corporate strategy (CS) making and supply chain management (SCM).

The paper explored the theory and literature related to strategic management and SCM. Four generic levels of strategy were linked to SCM, and synthesized into an explanatory SCS‐framework. Propositions for future research were presented based on the framework.

The paper shows that most of the literature on SCS relates to the functional level. Largely undiscovered are the links between corporate and business unit strategies with supply chain strategies and capabilities, especially on the network level (NL).

A fit between CS and SCM positively impacts the performance of a firm. The framework developed can be used by managers to assist in thinking through possibilities to link supply chain capabilities with the CS making processes.

By distinguishing between functional, business, corporate, and NLs, the paper provides a framework for future research to enhance knowledge related to supply chain strategies and capabilities.