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1 – 10 of 197
Article
Publication date: 11 September 2020

Alexander E. Ellinger, Frank G. Adams, George R. Franke, Gregory D. Herrin, Tyler E. deCoster and Karli E. Filips

Supply chain management (SCM) proficiency is generally associated with superior business performance. Yet, SCM research continues to focus predominantly on the performance of…

Abstract

Purpose

Supply chain management (SCM) proficiency is generally associated with superior business performance. Yet, SCM research continues to focus predominantly on the performance of individual firms, rather than on the collective performance of multiple supply chain participants as espoused by the extended enterprise (EE) concept. In response to calls for quantitative studies that examine the collective performance of multiple supply chain participants, this research study compares the combined performance of triads comprising focal firms recognized for their relative SCM proficiency and their upstream (supplier) and downstream (customer) supply chain partners with that of their close industry competitors' triads.

Design/methodology/approach

The triadic, longitudinal examination of multiple supply chain participants' collective performance utilized archival financial data of the period 2007–2017 from the Compustat database and the supply chain (SPLC) function of Bloomberg.

Findings

Findings of this study indicated that supply chain triads that included focal firms recognized for their relative SCM proficiency experienced significantly lower sales and general administrative expenses and significantly higher productivity, return on assets and profitability over time than their close industry competitors' triads. However, contrary to expectations, the performance advantages identified did not extend to revenue growth.

Research limitations/implications

Supply chain triads cannot fully represent entire supply chains or EEs. However, this study’s triadic analysis can be viewed as a practically achievable proxy for further validating the EE concept. Moreover, based on assertions that triadic studies are suitable for SCM research and on empirical studies that consistently show individual firms recognized for their relative SCM proficiency outperform competitors, the authors contend that the study’s findings appropriately corroborate the value of the EE concept.

Practical implications

Because such empirical evidence is so rare, the consistent, collective performance advantages identified in this study should be highly significant to managers.

Originality/value

Robust, longitudinal evidence that supply chain triads which include focal firms recognized for relative SCM proficiency collectively outperform their close industry competitors' triads extends generally accepted associations between SCM proficiency and business performance, suggesting that the application of extended resource-based view (ERBV) in supply chain contexts warrants further examination and further substantiates the efficacy of the EE concept.

Details

International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, vol. 50 no. 7/8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0960-0035

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 June 2016

Trish Gibson, Donald Kerr and Ron Fisher

There is an acknowledged need to advance the supply chain management (SCM) learning agenda, with an emphasis on integration. This paper discuss an Australian university–industry…

1564

Abstract

Purpose

There is an acknowledged need to advance the supply chain management (SCM) learning agenda, with an emphasis on integration. This paper discuss an Australian university–industry collaboration aimed at accelerating SCM learning and offers some insight into models for building a forward-looking SCM.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is an exploratory case study of the industry–university collaboration, using grounded theory procedures. The primary data involved 25 interviews with key participants from the university and industry partners, and from the first cohort of students in the undergraduate program developed within the collaboration.

Findings

A theoretical framework for accelerating SCM learning was developed from the case study data; it comprises six constructs that influence, at strategic and operational levels, the acceleration of SCM learning. Four cross-construct concepts from the framework that form the cornerstones of accelerated learning are discussed in some detail.

Research limitations/implications

The framework facilitates an examination of successes and shortfalls in the case study collaboration and generates a deeper understanding of critical elements for progressing the SCM learning agenda, and expanding SCM education. As with all qualitative research, the results may not be generalisable; testing the relevance and usefulness of the framework with the field will be an important next step.

Practical implications

As the framework identifies conditions, characteristics and capacities of organisations and individuals that support the acceleration of SCM learning, it can provide assistance in designing future university–industry collaborations for advancing SCM learning.

Originality/value

The framework identifies critical success factors for alliances and partnerships aimed at accelerating learning in an emerging body of knowledge such as SCM.

Details

Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, vol. 21 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-8546

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 22 September 2020

Yudi Fernando and Puspita Wulansari

This study empirically examines a model that describes the direct path from perceived understanding of supply chain integration (PUSCI) to perceived understanding of supply chain…

6135

Abstract

Purpose

This study empirically examines a model that describes the direct path from perceived understanding of supply chain integration (PUSCI) to perceived understanding of supply chain responsiveness (PUSCR) to leverage supply chain manager's communication and teamwork competencies. This study also examines whether knowledge and task skill and proficiency mediate the relationship between PUSCI and PUSCR to improve the communication and teamwork competency of a supply chain manager.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected using a survey questionnaire that was mailed to the 413 supply chain managers of global manufacturing companies in Indonesia.

Findings

The result from model testing shows that PUSCR significantly and positively affected the communication and teamwork competency of supply chain manager and knowledge, task skill and proficiency as mediating variables improved communication and teamwork competency. The results found that PUSCI was related to supply chain manager's competency.

Practical implications

Supply chain managers are advised to focus on PUSCI and consistently improve effective communication and teamwork competency.

Originality/value

This study will extend the literature by utilizing the competency-based theory to investigate the perceived understanding and communication capabilities of supply chain managers.

Details

European Journal of Management and Business Economics, vol. 30 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2444-8451

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 November 2018

Christoph Flöthmann, Kai Hoberg and Andreas Wieland

This study aims to enhance the understanding of competency requirements of supply chain planners and analysts (SCP&As) and identify different personal preferences of hiring…

1902

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to enhance the understanding of competency requirements of supply chain planners and analysts (SCP&As) and identify different personal preferences of hiring managers toward job candidates’ competency profiles.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 243 supply chain managers with hiring experience participated in an adaptive choice-based conjoint experiment to uncover the relative importance of six competency attributes, namely, analytical and problem-solving ability, interpersonal skills, general management skills, computer/IT skills, supply chain management (SCM) knowledge and industry experience.

Findings

SCM knowledge and analytical and problem-solving ability were identified as the most important competencies and were considered three times more important than general management skills. Based on convergent cluster and ensemble analysis, two types of hiring managers were identified. The first group is characterized by a pronounced preference for job candidates with extensive SCM knowledge. In contrast, the second group’s members prefer candidates with a more balanced competency profile.

Originality/value

The authors’ findings help companies to facilitate a better person–job fit, a key determinant of employee performance and job satisfaction.

Details

Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, vol. 23 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-8546

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 July 2018

Andrea S. Patrucco, Davide Luzzini, Antonella Moretto and Stefano Ronchi

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the dynamics of buyer–supplier industrial relationships and the role of customer attractiveness—a requisite to obtain best efforts…

2027

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the dynamics of buyer–supplier industrial relationships and the role of customer attractiveness—a requisite to obtain best efforts from suppliers involved in collaborative initiatives.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper develops a theoretical framework tested through an international survey with a structured equation modeling approach.

Findings

Results confirm that customer attractiveness positively affects both innovation and cost performance ensured by suppliers. Moreover, several direct and indirect antecedents of customer attractiveness are identified, including characteristics of the buying firm’s procurement department (i.e. procurement knowledge and procurement status) and supply chain relationship characteristics (i.e. proficiency of supplier collaboration and visibility).

Research limitations/implications

Because of the survey approach, the research results are limited to the data collected.

Practical implications

Findings support the relevance of collaborative relationships in improving performance, and the key role procurement department could play in managing the multifaceted aspects of supplier collaboration.

Originality/value

This paper investigates, on the one hand, why customer attractiveness is relevant for supply chain management, and what are the effects on innovation and cost performance ensured by suppliers; on the other hand, antecedents of customer attractiveness are considered, with a main focus on organizational and relational procurement variables.

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 25 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 January 2020

Rashmi N. and Mrinal Sarvagya

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a proficiency for accomplishing optimal CFO and keep down the error among the received and transmitted signal. Orthogonal…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a proficiency for accomplishing optimal CFO and keep down the error among the received and transmitted signal. Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) is considered as an attractive modulation scheme that could be adopted in wireless communication systems owing to its reliability in opposition to multipath interruptions under different subchannels. Carrier frequency offset (CFO) establishes inter-carrier interference that devastates the orthogonality between the subcarriers and fluctuates the preferred signal and minimizes the effectual signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This results in corrupted system performance. For sustaining the subcarriers’ orthogonality, timing errors and CFOs have to be approximated and sufficiently compensated for. Single carrier modulation (SCM) is a major feature for efficient OFDM system.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper introduces a novel superposition coded modulation-orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (SCM-OFDM) system with optimal CFO estimation using advanced optimization algorithm. The effectiveness of SCM-OFDM is validated by correlating the transmitted and received signal. Hence, the primary objective of the current research work is to reduce the error among the transmitted and received signal. The received signal involves CFO, which has to be tuned properly to get the signal as closest as possible with transmitted signal. The optimization or tuning of CFO is done by improved grey wolf optimization (GWO) called GWO with self-adaptiveness (GWO-SA). Further, it carries the performance comparison of proposed model with state-of-the-art models with the analysis on bit error rate (BER) and mean square error (MSE), thus validating the system’s performance.

Findings

From the analysis, BER of the proposed and conventional schemes for CFO at 0.25 was determined, where the adopted scheme at 10th SNR was 99.6 per cent better than maximum likelihood, 99.6 per cent better than least mean square (LMS), 99.3 per cent better than particle swarm optimization (PSO), 75 per cent better than genetic algorithm (GA) and 25 per cent better than GWO algorithms. Moreover, MSE at 1st SNR, the proposed GWO-SA scheme, is 4.62 per cent better than LMS, 60.1 per cent better than PSO, 37.82 better than GA and 67.85 per cent better than GWO algorithms. Hence, it is confirmed that the performance of SCM-OFDM system with GWO-SA-based CFO estimation outperformed the state-of-the-art techniques.

Originality/value

This paper presents a technique for attaining optimal CFO and to minimize the error among the received and transmitted signal. This is the first work that uses GWO-SA for attaining optimal CFO.

Details

International Journal of Pervasive Computing and Communications, vol. 16 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1742-7371

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 November 2018

Elina Karttunen

Research on purchasing managers and their skills requirements supports the training and education of purchasing professionals. This paper offers an in-depth analytical review of…

1921

Abstract

Purpose

Research on purchasing managers and their skills requirements supports the training and education of purchasing professionals. This paper offers an in-depth analytical review of the purchasing skills reported in the supply chain management (SCM) literature. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the most important skills and factors that influence these skills.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper employs a systematic literature review methodology. Two databases, Scopus and Web of Science, are searched for relevant articles. The selected journal articles are used as sources to obtain a view not only on the relevant purchasing and supply management (P/SM) skills, but also on factors that emphasize certain P/SM skills. This paper also summarizes the ten skills ranked as most important (often described as the “top ten”) among the sample articles.

Findings

The paper highlights the essential skills for purchasing professionals, verified both by their frequent appearances in rankings and by citation frequency in the literature. Generic managerial skills, such as communication, cost analysis, teamwork, problem-solving, negotiation, influencing, and persuasion, as well as information technology skills, received the most attention in the literature and rankings of the “top ten” P/SM skills. This paper provides a refined categorization of purchasing skills, which have merged recently with other discussed skills, such as political and entrepreneurial ones, into this categorization. This paper identifies factors that affect purchasing managers’ skills requirements.

Originality/value

This paper presents a structured overview of 57 peer-reviewed articles from high-quality journals about purchasing skills. The review contributes to the purchasing skills literature by showing the most relevant skills and the factors that influence skills requirements. These factors also provide arenas for further research related to purchasing skills.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. 25 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 November 2023

Nadine Kafa, Salomée Ruel and Anicia Jaegler

The field of supply chain management (SCM) needs to attract and retain workers to solve the current talent shortage. The purpose of this research is to identify and evaluate…

Abstract

Purpose

The field of supply chain management (SCM) needs to attract and retain workers to solve the current talent shortage. The purpose of this research is to identify and evaluate factors that influence career advancement in SCM and compare male and female supply chain experts' perceptions of the importance of those factors.

Design/methodology/approach

First, 32 factors perceived as affecting career advancement in SCM were identified by conducting a literature review and consulting 36 experts. Those factors were grouped into four categories: “environmental and structural”, “human capital”, “individual” and “interpersonal”. Those factors were validated via the Delphi method, and ten factors were retained for further study. Second, the voting analytical hierarchy process was used to determine the priority weights experts assigned to these factors. The weights assigned by male and female experts were compared to determine if there were differences between the women's and men's perceptions of the factors' importance.

Findings

The findings reveal that the category of human capital factors is the most important, followed by individual factors and the least important is interpersonal factors. The experts consulted for this research emphasized “skills”, “a good fit between an individual and an organization” and “self-confidence” as important factors for career advancement. There were two unexpected results. First, the experts rejected all the environmental and structural factors. Second, no significant difference was found between the male and female groups' evaluations.

Originality/value

Prior to this study, no integrated approach to identify and evaluate the factors perceived which affect career advancement in SCM had been developed. This research is a single empirical and integrative study in France that provides valuable insights for academics and practitioners.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2005

Michael Tracey, Jeen‐Su Lim and Mark A. Vonderembse

The purpose of this article is to empirically test the impact of supply‐chain management (SCM) capabilities on business performance so as to determine to what degree…

14772

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to empirically test the impact of supply‐chain management (SCM) capabilities on business performance so as to determine to what degree customer‐oriented SCM issues influence competitive position and organizational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A rigorous methodology is employed to generate a reliable and valid measurement instrument. Responses from 474 manufacturing managers are then utilized to test a causal model using LISREL®.

Findings

The results indicate significant positive relationships exist among three types of SCM capabilities (outside‐in, inside‐out, and spanning) and business performance (perceived customer value, customer loyalty, market performance, and financial performance).

Practical implications

The article demonstrates that strategically developing SCM capabilities such as efficient inbound and outbound transportation, warehousing, and inventory control, production support, packaging, purchasing, order processing, and information dissemination enable a manufacturing firm to identify and take advantage of opportunities in the global marketplace.

Research limitations/implications

The sample was drawn from manufacturing firms in the USA across four SIC codes. Future studies could collect more extensive data to confirm, refine, and expand upon the model presented and the associated construct measures utilizing confirmatory factor analysis. Extending the research to include additional industries and firms from outside of the USA would enhance the generalizability and usefulness of the findings.

Originality/value

The paper statistically validates that managers should regard the cultivation of SCM capabilities as a proprietary resource that facilitates competitive advantage. It also contributes a concise instrument that may be used by academics interested in the areas of supply‐chain management processes and firm performance.

Details

Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, vol. 10 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-8546

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 May 2021

Sarat Kumar Jena and Abhijeet Ghadge

Human resource management (HRM) is struggling to cope with the increasingly volatile demand for skilled resources in the logistics and supply chain sector. Thus, this study…

1388

Abstract

Purpose

Human resource management (HRM) is struggling to cope with the increasingly volatile demand for skilled resources in the logistics and supply chain sector. Thus, this study discovers the possible integration of HRM and supply chain management (SCM) practices for improved supply chain performance. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of intra HRM–SCM and joint HRM–SCM decisions on the performance of the supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

An intra HRM–SCM and joint HRM–SCM model is developed following an empirical study. Survey data collected from 109 supply chain managers from Indian logistics firms are used to test the developed hypotheses. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze and validate the model.

Findings

The results suggest that supply chain performance is significantly influenced by joint HRM–SCM, compared to intra HRM–SCM practices, especially under volatile demand environments. Training and development, recruitment and selection, and performance management affect joint HRM–SCM significantly compared to the other three factors identified. Moreover, HRM and SCM show strong correlation and mutual support in identifying and fulfilling the demand of the logistics and supply chain sector.

Practical implications

With a growing trend toward globalization and digitalization, a joint HRM–SCM model will help businesses make robust and informed decisions for improved supply chain performance.

Originality/value

An empirical relationship between joint HRM–SCM, intra HRM–SCM, supply chain inhibitors and supply chain performance is established in this study. Although some part of this relationship may already exist, the study provides robust evidence to support this complex, collaborative relationship.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 32 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

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