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The purpose of this paper is to address the question: how are members of the value chain aligned to a common goal? It attempts to demonstrate that the brand is the one mechanism that unites both the supply and demand sides of the value chain.

Mission, vision and transaction models are critically evaluated as aligning mechanisms to the value chain. Illustrating that transaction model with an e‐procurement example it is argued that all approaches are deficient in aligning stakeholders, particularly customers. In stressing the sociotechnical qualities of the supply chain, it is argued the brand is the only common element to the entire demand chain.

Brand strategy management should be both a demand and supply chain priority, in contrast to its general demand chain focus.

There needs to be empirical demonstration of the role that the brand plays in value chain dynamics, particularly the behaviour of participants in the supply chain.

The responsibilities of marketing management become more focussed on to the requirements of the supply chain.

While the role of the brand in the consumer and customer markets has been widely discussed its importance as a value chain coordinating mechanism is highlighted in this paper.

Defines ideology and examines its role in organisations in the East and West. Looks at different factors involved, including family structure and emotion, and relates them to organisational culture. These were then tested in two medium‐sized pharmaceutical companies, one in Sydney, Australia, the other in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia. In‐depth interviews were followed up by questionnaires, not only for staff but also for external parties such as suppliers. The resultant data were analysed by Kamen’s “quick clustering” procedure, to allow a representation of the way variables hang together. It concludes that social organisation affects organisational and employee performance, but suggests that the role of gender within these groups was less clear.

Cultures can be said to be an ostensive concept, reflected by visible manifestations rather than abstract definitions. Organisation cultures are underpinned not only by imposed procedures and structures, leadership example and environmental considerations, but by social and economic ideologies also. The sociology of relationships can indeed be a major driving force behind an organisation′s culture being what it is. The way people feel in an organisation may be able to be designed by avoiding structures inimical to emotional well‐being, and embracing those which seem to be sympathetic.

The purpose of this research is to understand the value a fourth‐party logistics provider (4PL) can create within an organisation and to identify an appropriate measure of such value creation.

The paper presents a conceptual model that is based on research of 4PL implementations within the alcoholic beverage industry.

This paper presents a framework by which contribution by 4PL's to organisations might be valued.

Future research may be widened to include financial and service measures within customers and suppliers thereby considering the wider value chain for a given commodity where a 4PL is involved in facilitating delivery of the goods or services.

The paper assumes that 4PL providers have the requisite skill set to manage and deliver added value versus an in‐house solution.

This paper offers insights into the pre‐requisite conditions for a company to consider outsourcing to a 4PL provider, the conditions/attributes that contribute to securing a 4PL relationship, the value that can be created through use of a 4PL and a method by which to assess the creation of value.

Argues that much management terminology is, in George Orwell’s words, “duckspeak”, nonsensical noises which have nothing to do with business issues, and which debase and block out useful thought. Illustrates with examples such as shareholder value management, TQM and benchmarking.

Corporate and marketing strategists have begun seriously to address the problems of adapting to turbulent environments. Discusses concepts of adaptation and turbulence and describes some of the difficulties with both notions. Concludes that strategic advantage rests with creating turbulence or changing the rules.

Business operates everywhere in an environment that is both dynamic and challenging: markets have globalised (supply markets and customer markets); technology has become all embracing (this includes product and process technology) and relationships with suppliers, customers and competitors are undergoing constant change (often influenced by external forces such as technology). A new business model is emerging, one in which competitive advantage is based upon managing processes that facilitate rapid and flexible responses to ‘market’ change and one in which new capabilities are based upon developing unique relationships with partners (suppliers, customers, employees, shareholders, government and, often, with competitors), an understanding of, and the ability to use and to manage the new technology and to understand the impact of knowledge creation and its distribution.

Discusses some of the limitations of virtual reality (VR) with reference to socio‐technical systems ‐ the interaction of people with technology. Argues that VR has potential applications but that these applications may prove to be more limited than some proponents would suggest. Points to a significant opportunity for VR technology to be used in strategic partnership marketing and supply chain management.

This paper attempts to answer the questions raised in a previous paper by the authors (“Creating value in the ‘new economy”’, Management Decision, Vol. 40 No. 8) which dealt with how business has had to reevaluate the importance of its assets in the “new economy”. The present paper now addresses the questions of how these changes affect traditional marketing delivery structures and mechanisms and, more importantly, how these changes affect the cost of marketing and the estimation of value that marketing delivers. The disciplines of marketing are such that a major role can be played in exploring the likely scenarios that will optimise competitive advantage.