Search results

The purpose of this paper is to examine the value chain processes that represent the “black box” between supply logistics integration and competitive operational performance in firms. To realize this objective, the authors develop a research model which comprises a series of linkages from supply logistics integration to operational outcomes using Porter’s concept of value chain and the relational view of resource-based theory as theoretical lenses.

The data set for testing the hypothesized relationships in this study was drawn from 232 Australian manufacturing firms.

The findings show that there is no significant direct relationship between supply logistics integration and competitive operational performance; rather, the relationship is fully mediated by inbound supply performance and internal lean production processes. Further, lean production processes have a positive effect on inbound supply performance.

The study shows the importance of managing both internal (production processes) and external processes (logistics and supply chain) of firms’ operations in an integrated manner in which supply logistics integration act through key internal processes to impact competitive performance which the end customers actually experience.

This is the first study which uncovers what happens “in between” the incoming materials and the end outputs delivered by firms into the market. This “in between black box” is important in improving our understanding of how inbound supply activities are translated into outbound competitive performance outcomes.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of supply logistics integration (SLI) on inbound supply performance (ISP) and competitive performance (CP) in firms, in addition to examining the effect of ISP on CP.

To demonstrate the effect of SLI on ISP and CP, different techniques such as factor analysis, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling were used to verify the validity of the proposed conceptual model and to test the suggested hypotheses. This was accomplished by using data collected from 192 companies in the Saudi food industry (representing a response rate of 75.6 percent).

According to the study’s findings, ISP is positively affected by SLI. Moreover, CP is directly affected by SLI and ISP.

Due to the specific nature of the sample, the findings of the current research are applicable only to the food industry.

The current research introduced a conceptual model, which has been tested and verified in the Saudi food industry. The findings recommend that both SLI as well as ISP will contribute to improving the CP. In addition, SLI will improve the ISP.

Managing supply risk is gaining in importance in the tightly interconnected global economy. Identifying the relevant risks is the foundation of any risk management process. Therefore, the purpose of this paper first is to provide a short introduction to supply risk management, before focussing on the identification of such risks in more detail. A holistic framework of the identified supply risks, which distinguishes between risk dimensions and risk factors in manufacturing upstream supply networks, is proposed.

This study applies a mixed methods research approach. Data are collected based on a structured literature review in combination with the analysis of company-specific documents and semi-structured expert interviews. Subsequently, a deductive content analysis is carried out to derive a holistic framework of supply risks, adapted to the manufacturing industry. For the external validation of the conceptual supply risk framework, additional experts from several manufacturing companies were consulted.

Based on the definition and delimitation of supply risk, a categorization of supply risks is developed. The relevant literature, as well as expert interviews, lead to the distinction of six supply risk dimensions: quality, delivery, collaboration, economic, ambience and compliance. A total of 27 risk factors can be assigned to these dimensions. A holistic foundation for the management of supply risk is thus created.

This study provides a holistic framework of relevant supply risks in the context of the manufacturing industry. This overview of identified risks offers a novel perspective on risk in manufacturing supply networks that can be helpful in researching assessment and mitigation strategies. Despite the high relevance and popularity of this field of research, such an overview with a focus on manufacturing had not yet been made available in the literature. Building thereon, management approaches can now be developed to handle the risk arising from the upstream of the supply network.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the mediating effect of supply chain risk management integration (RMI) on the relationship between supply chain logistics performance (LP) and supply chain cost performance (CP), as well as on the relationship between LP and supply chain service performance (SP). The impact of CP and SP on overall firm performance (FP) is also explored. ISO 9001-certified firms and non-certified firms are assessed to determine whether superior risk-based thinking, as required in the latest ISO 9001 standard, has a positive impact on the different relationships.

A theoretical model is developed and tested based on the participation of 140 supply chain managers. The proposed structural equation model positively relates LP, RMI, CP and SP. RMI is positively linked to CP and SP, while CP and SP are positively related to overall FP. Two subsamples (a group of 63 ISO 9001-certified firms and a group of 77 non-certified firms) are used to evaluate the model.

For certified and non-certified firms, LP is positively related to RMI, CP and SP, and SP and CP are positively related to FP. However, for certified firms, RMI partially mediates the relationship of LP with both CP and SP, while for non-certified firms, RMI does not mediate these relationships. The findings suggest that ISO 9001-certified firms are able to leverage RMI efforts to impact positively on supply chain performance, whereas non-certified firms are not.

The study findings are based on the perceptions of managers. Even though the majority of the 63 certified firms included in this study were ISO 9001:2015 certified, the model results do not differentiate between companies certified to the 2008 version of the standard and the 2015 version (which specifically requires demonstration of risk-based thinking).

This study suggests that ISO 9001 provides a framework for risk management processes and collaboration with supply chain partners to positively impact the relationship of LP with cost and SP.

This is one of the first studies to characterize the benefits of using a structured approach for risk-based thinking that is associated with ISO 9001.

The purpose of this study is to apply value stream mapping (VSM) in Malaysian pharmaceutical production warehouse. A current and future state value stream map from the raw material receiving end to the production unit was developed to find out waste and unwanted lead time. It was very much essential to cut down the supply chain lead time at the initial phase as the raw material unloading, sorting, temporary storage and dispatch to production were seen contributing to a huge lead time build-up.

The study was initiated with the selection of a product family, construction of the current state map, identification of various wastes and the development of future state map.

The expected outcomes of the study include the quantification of wastes, improvement in value-added percentage and lead time reduction.

The study was carried out in a single pharmaceutical company. The results of the study are deployable and can be functional in similar production organizations. Contrary to common VSMs that capture core production processes, this study provides strong insights that shall help design lean supply chains, especially in the pharmaceutical domain. This paper has also addressed the viability of the lean in the pharmaceutical warehouse and the reduction in lead time to improve demand forecasting, marketing and sales.

The results of this study have indicated that a significant reduction in pharmaceutical warehouse supply chain lead time is possible as a result of the implementation of VSM from the supply chain’s perspective.

The insights from this study help in understanding the pharmaceutical supply chain risks and their outcomes.

The paper reports a real-time study conducted in a warehouse of a pharmaceutical organization. Hence, the contributions are original.

The purpose of this paper is to study the relationships between the capabilities and performance characteristics of logistic service providers (LSPs) in the Caribbean region. The study considers the organization’s process improvement (PI) performance as it relates to their innovation capabilities, their efforts into information sharing and collaboration with customers, their planning for contingencies and considering the uncertainty of their customer’s technology.

A survey was applied to 88 LSP firms with operations in the Caribbean region. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the hypothesized relationships.

The results indicate that the PI performance of LSPs is significantly related to their innovation capabilities, and that these capabilities are positively related to collaboration and exchange of relevant information. Furthermore, they indicate that information sharing between LSPs and their customers significantly improves the quality of contingency planning. However, the study showed that innovation capabilities are not directly related to the LSPs’ focus on contingency planning and that customers’ technology uncertainty does not have a significant effect on the LSPs’ innovation capabilities.

The sample of LSP firms is limited to three countries of the Caribbean region. Further examination of the model in additional countries and across multiple industrial contexts would increase the validity of the findings and expand to settings such as manufacturing and services.

This study measures operational performance of LSPs from a different perspective: its PI performance, and considers how multiple factors affect this performance.

El propósito de este trabajo es estudiar las relaciones entre las capacidades y características de ejecutoria de los proveedores de servicios de logística (LSP) en la región del Caribe. El estudio considera la ejecutoria en la mejora de los procesos de la organización en relación con sus capacidades de innovación, sus esfuerzos en el intercambio de información y colaboración con los clientes, la planificación de contingencias y teniendo en cuenta la incertidumbre de la tecnología de sus clientes.

Se aplicó una encuesta a 88 empresas de servicios logísticos con operaciones en la región del Caribe. Un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales se utilizó para analizar las hipótesis propuestas.

Los resultados indican que la ejecutoria en la mejora de procesos de los LSP se relaciona significativamente a sus capacidades de innovación, y que estas capacidades se relacionan positivamente con la colaboración y el intercambio de información. Además, los resultados indican que el intercambio de información entre los LSP y sus clientes significativamente mejora la calidad de la planificación de contingencia. Sin embargo, el estudio demostró que las capacidades de innovación no están relacionadas directamente a la planificación de contingencia y que incertidumbre relacionada con la tecnología de los clientes, no tiene un efecto significativo en las capacidades de innovación de las LSP.

La muestra de empresas LSP se limita a tres países de la región del Caribe. La examinación en otros países y en otros contextos industriales aumentaría la validez de los resultados y ampliaría este a otras áreas como la manufactura y los servicios.

Este estudio mide la ejecutoria operacional de los LSP desde una perspectiva diferente: su ejecutoria en la mejora de procesos y considera cómo múltiples factores afectan esta ejecutoria.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the knowledge existing in the literature on supply chain resilience for identifying the supply chain practices adopted for securing resilience in given uncertain event.

A systematic literature review is conducted to identify 84 conceptual and empirical studies. The research findings are synthesized in categories of uncertain events, supply chain practices and outcomes.

A set of propositions linking the uncertain events, mechanisms and supply chain resilience improvement is developed. It was found that the sufficient conditions for resilience under unexpected disasters are substantially different from those required for resilience against disruptions caused by internal practices or complexity.

Practitioners can benefit from the knowledge of interventions and mechanisms to improve their supply chain resilience in the face of different unpredictable situations. The contribution of this paper is twofold: first, it develops an actionable theory of supply chain resilience by developing testable propositions in the context of supply chains exposed to uncertainties resulting from unexpected disruptions, complexity of supply chains and adoption of certain internal practice; second, the paper highlights the key shortcomings of existing literature and provides opportunities for further research and improvement.

In globalized market, organizations of all sizes are having huge opportunities for growth. However, due to various resource constraints, it has become challenging for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of growing economies to survive in this global competition. Effective supply chain management (SCM) can be a major driving factor for success of Indian SMEs in dynamic world economy. SMEs face many operational challenges while implementing effective SCM. The purpose of this paper is to study different strategic issues for successful implementation of SCM in Indian SMEs.

A survey has been conducted in Indian SMEs of different sectors. Major constructs of survey instrument are motivations, hindrances, investment priorities, supply chain practices and performance. In total, 1,500 Indian SMEs have been approached for collecting response through survey instrument. 257 complete responses were finalized. Statistical analysis of data acquired from survey is performed by using SPSS software.

It is observed that managing customers, organization resources, and inventory are main SCM practices. Major investment areas are systems for developing quick response and quality management. Currently, human resource and knowledge management have been found to be less priority areas for SMEs. The major focus of Indian SMEs is on cost and lead time reduction by having effective SCM.

Novelty of this study is that strategic issues for effective SCM in context to Indian SMEs have been analyzed. The findings of the study will help Indian SMEs in doing strategic planning for being competitive in the global market.

The purpose of this paper is to question the applicability of recent industry-derived terms such as “Big Data” (BD) and the “Internet of things” (IoT) in a supply chain managerial context. Is this labeling useful in managing the operations found in supply chains?

BD and IoT are critically discussed in the context of a complete supply chain organization. A case study of banana supply from Costa Rica to Norway is provided to empirically ground this research. Thompson’s contingency theory, Alderson’s functionalistic end-to-end “marketing channels” model, Penrose’s view of supply purpose associated with service provision, and particularities of banana supply reveal how end-to-end supply chains are complex systems, even though the product distributed is fairly simple.

Results indicate that the usefulness of BD in supply chain management discourse is limited. Instead its connectivity is facilitated by what is now becoming commonly labeled as IoT, people, devices and documents that are useful when taking an end-to-end supply chain perspective. Connectivity is critical to efficient contemporary supply chain management.

BD and IoT have emerged as a part of contemporary supply chain management discourse. This study directs attention to the importance of scrutinizing emergent and actual discourse in managing supply chains, that it is not irrelevant which words are applied, e.g., in research on information-enabled supply process development. Often the old words of professional terminology may be sufficient or even better to help manage supply.

The purpose of this paper is to present a framework for identifying various inbound supply-risk factors and analyzing its indicators considering the contextual relationship between them. This study additionally proposes a framework for developing an overall inbound supply-risk score considering a real-life case of the electronics supply chain (ESC) in the Indian context.

In total, 32 risk indicators are identified by a systematic literature review approach and are validated by supply chain practitioners/experts and further categorized into six main risk factors. A hybrid multi-criteria decision-making-based DANP (DEMATEL and ANP) framework is employed to develop the overall inbound-supply-risk score (ISRS) and to prioritize the risk indicators. Indian ESC is chosen as a viable case study to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework.

The outcomes from the study reveal that the overall ISRS in the ESC is 36 percent and additionally forewarns critical inbound-supply-risk factors such as supplier performance, product, and buyer organization. Further, the study also identifies the most significant risk indicators such as price margin, investment, on-time delivery, order fulfillment and design changes for ESC.

Supply chain practitioners can adopt this framework as a useful inbound supply-risk assessment tool. Moreover, the hybrid framework will address subjectivity and interrelations among various factors through experts’ judgments. The results will assist the managers to have better insights on the critical risk factors and their complicated interrelationships and further strategize action plans to nullify the impact of incoming risks. This study mainly focused on risk identification and assessment of electronics inbound-supply-risk indicators in the Indian context. The framework can be used for other manufacturing and service industries, albeit the results derived are in the context of a developing country.

This paper provides an effective risk assessment framework for the supply chain practitioners/managers to develop a decision-support system for inbound-supply-risk quantification and prioritization of risk factors in the context of the ESC.