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Today′s changing global business environment requires firms to develop a better approach to global manufacturing operations. Of particular importance is the interaction between logistics and manufacturing activities. A survey of 101 senior manufacturing and materials managers revealed both important insight into the global co‐production decision and interesting comparative data for key value‐added activities. This research also evaluated the rationale behind, and overall benefit of, global manufacturing strategies. Presents key findings.

Key components of the logistics mix are described in an effort to create an understanding of the total logistics concept. Chapters include an introduction to logistics; the strategic role of logistics, customer service levels, channel relationships, facilities location, transport, inventory management, materials handling, interface with production, purchasing and materials management, estimating demand, order processing, systems performance, leadership and team building, business resource management.

Maquiladora operations have become increasingly popular during the past 10 years. The driving force behind this popularity has been the dramatic devaluation of the Mexican peso, which has made Mexican labour among the lowest cost in the world. However to take full advantage of maquiladora operations additional logistics costs are incurred in supporting the Mexican production/assembly facilities. The logistics/manufacturing cost trade‐offs inherent in maquiladora operations are explored empirically. While logistics costs were found to increase and logistics performance decreased, most of the firms involved in maquiladora operations considered their operations to be highly successful based on product cost savings.

Investigates performance relationships for interfunctional process integration and specific logistics interface capabilities. The results indicate that competitive advantage is more likely to emanate from interfunctional process integration than individual function (sub) optimization. Also identifies logistics’ unique role as a boundary‐spanning interface between marketing, production, and new product development, as a potential source of competitive advantage. In terms of overall business performance, logistics followed by new product development are shown to have the greatest impact on profitability and growth. Further, logistics interface capabilities of customer service and logistics quality have the greatest independent impacts on business performance. In total these results imply that logistics, new product development, and demand‐management capabilities may provide firms with that extra competitive edge which shows up in “bottom line” performance. States that the relatively neglected areas of logistics boundary spanning and production customer service also deserve attention.

Investigates performance relationships for interfunctional process integration and specific logistics interface capabilities. The results indicate that competitive advantage is more likely to emanate from interfunctional process integration rather than individual function (sub) optimization. Logistics’ unique role as a boundary spanning interface between marketing, production, and new product development, is also identified as a potential source of competitive advantage. In terms of overall business performance, logistics followed by new product development are shown to have the greatest impact on profitability and growth. Further, logistics interface capabilities of customer service and logistics quality have the greatest independent impacts on business performance. In total, these results imply that logistics, new product development, and demand‐management capabilities may provide firms with that extra competitive edge which shows up in “bottom‐line” performance. States that the relatively neglected areas of logistics boundary spanning and production customer service also deserve attention.

Discusses the growth of inter‐firm logistics networks. Inter‐firm network denotes a complex arrangement of reciprocal, cooperative rather than competitive, relationships between legally independent but economically interdependent firms. Asserts that the organisation of the inter‐firm logistics network is influenced by the organisation of the network itself. Analyses the respective requirements of the inter‐organisational logistics system. Focuses on the question of which specific logistics‐related capabilities firms operating in production networks have to develop depending on the respective network type. Presents a qualitative study of a production network of a German car manufacturer to identify organisational capabilities and describe possible systemic development.

With support from the dynamic capabilities theory, this paper examines the role of Cloud Computing technology use in logistics (Cloud-Supported Logistics) and its effect on business results in Lean manufacturing management (Lean Production implementation) and Supply Chain Integration contexts.

Using the survey method, a random sample of 260 companies in intermediate positions in their supply chains was gathered from a population of 1,717 Spanish companies and used to test five hypotheses. The data were collected by telephone survey using a computerised system with a response rate of 15.6% (260 valid questionnaires). Structural equation modelling was used to test the five proposed hypotheses.

The findings indicate that Cloud-Supported Logistics use plays an important role in achieving better business results in Lean Production environments. Lean Production has been found to have both a direct effect and an even more powerful indirect effect on performance through the Cloud-Supported Logistics and Supply Chain Integration that these technologies produce. Supply Chain Integration is also found to have a mediating effect in the Cloud-Supported Logistics–performance relationship.

This study is valuable for academics and practitioners as it provides evidence of the relevant role played by Cloud-Supported Logistics in Lean Production implementation contexts. Cloud-Supported Logistics and Lean Production are strategically and operationally linked and their joint use results in Supply Chain Integration and better business performance.

This paper sets out to empirically analyse the integration process that firms follow to implement supply chain management (SCM). This study has been inspired by the integration model proposed by Stevens.

Uses the survey method.

The results show that there are companies in three different integration stages. In stage I, companies are not integrated. In stage II, companies have a medium‐high level of internal integration in the logistics‐production interface, a low level of internal integration in the logistics‐marketing interface, and a medium level of external integration. And, in stage III, companies have high levels of integration in both internal interfaces and in some of their supply chain relationships.

First, only one side of the manufacturer‐retailer relationship was considered, and, second, there was a reduced number of cases in each cluster.

As firms' survival lies on integration, a good understanding of the integration process is a key aspect. In this subject, this study has a main implication for managers: in the integration process, firms must achieve a relatively high level of collaboration among internal functions before initiating any external integration.

The contribution of this study is to describe the integration process, comparing two levels of internal integration (logistics‐marketing and logistics‐production) and analysing the relationship between these internal integration levels and the level of external integration. Many studies consider internal or external integration from the logistics point of view, but very few consider both levels of integration simultaneously. This study differs from the existing literature in the fact that it explores the sequence of integration stages in an integration process.

This paper examines the logistics‐production and logistics‐marketing interfaces and their relation with the external integration. The study also investigates the causal impact of these internal and external relationships on the company's logistical performance.

An empirical study was conducted in the Spanish FMCG sector and the theoretical model was subjected to analysis using SEM.

The generic results derived from this study are: Internal and external integration influence each other. Integration in the logistics‐marketing interface does not lead to reductions in costs, stock‐outs and lead‐times, while the integration achieved in the logistics‐production interface does improve these performance measures, if there is no external integration. The external collaboration among supply chain members does always contribute to improving firms’ logistical performance.

The study has some limitations: other important members of the grocery supply chain (such as retailers, TPL, etc.) have not been considered and the effect of inter‐firm co‐ordination has only been analyzed from the perspective of the provider (as most studies do). Further research on the logistics‐marketing impact on performance should be carried out and other important supply chain members should be considered.

The study contributes to the existing literature by showing that the impact on performance of internal integration depends on the functional areas that are being integrated and the level of external integration.

It is believed that this paper will be insightful to researchers and managers in the SCM field. For researchers, this paper has provided new lines of research. And, for managers, this paper has shown that there is a positive relationship between firms’ logistical performance and SCM.

As supply chain management has become more strategic (rather than transactional) in nature the need for a more integrated perspective of how products, and processes should be aligned with strategic decisions to enhance competitive advantage has been amplified. The purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of how this alignment should be done.

A conceptual framework was developed that emphasizes the need for alignment between the key aspects of a product and its supply chain processes and highlight, the links between supply chain processes and supply chain strategy.

Products can be produced with one of four distinct supply chain structures: make to stock, assemble to order, built to order and design to order. Each supply chain structure is appropriate for different products based on their demand characteristics. Each supply chain structure orients its production and logistics processes differently based on its strategic priorities.

High volume, low demand uncertainty products should be matched with lean supply chains enabled by efficient processes, whereas low volume, high uncertainty products should be matched with agile supply chains enabled by flexible processes. Medium volume and medium demand uncertainty products should use leagile supply chains that use a combination of efficient and flexible processes.

After thoroughly reviewing and synthesizing important findings from existing literature, an integrated framework is derived that highlights how products should be best matched with their production and logistics processes. Also, the framework is compared with two well‐known, process‐oriented supply chain frameworks: the supply chain operations reference (SCOR) and the global supply chain forum (GSCF) models.