Search results
1 – 10 of over 2000Jagjit Singh Srai, Gary Graham, Remko Van Hoek, Nitin Joglekar and Harri Lorentz
The new geopolitical context being created by the Ukraine–Russia war highlights the need for structured approaches to planning and implementing unhooking strategies and developing…
Abstract
Purpose
The new geopolitical context being created by the Ukraine–Russia war highlights the need for structured approaches to planning and implementing unhooking strategies and developing associated supply chain reconfigurations.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors have interviewed six supply chain executives to begin the investigation of the key supply chain risks and disruptions caused by the Ukraine–Russia war.
Findings
Initial corporate responses to the Ukraine–Russia conflict were significant, perhaps unprecedented. However, as institutional, corporate and consumer sentiment influence reconfiguration responses, the authors have identified three supply chain pathways that underpin unhooking actions.
Research limitations/implications
The authors selected respondents from each different type of supply chain interaction with the conflict zone (inbound, outbound and within), covering both components/intermediate products and finished goods. Therefore the sample size was small and designed to fit in with the spirit of the pathway initiative.
Practical implications
The authors reinforce the key role of procurement and supply chain management in not just supply but also in downstream markets that can accelerate decoupling and mitigate the associated supply chain disruptions.
Social implications
The authors observe that supply chains are increasingly being weaponized, as external institutional and consumer influences necessitate companies to unhook from conflict zones, countries, or regimes. They are becoming increasingly intertwined with foreign policy.
Originality/value
The novelty of the contribution to the associated discourse is the perspective that after decades of increasing globalization and geographic dispersion of supply chains, the unhooking effort is not limited to a firm and its internal operations but involves multiple stakeholders. For instance, the full extent of the complex linkages of supply chains, networks and relationships that touch conflict zone geographies must be considered, particularly those that are incompatible with the firm's values and aims, including those of their stakeholders.
Details
Keywords
Maryam Al Naimi, Mohd Nishat Faisal, Rana Sobh and S.M. Fatah Uddin
The purpose of this paper is twofold: to investigate the antecedents of resilience and to highlight the importance of resilience in achieving reconfiguration in supply chains.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold: to investigate the antecedents of resilience and to highlight the importance of resilience in achieving reconfiguration in supply chains.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper draws on literature on supply chain resilience and collects data from 253 companies in Qatar to understand the influence of the antecedents of supply chain resilience and the impact of resilience on reconfiguration using partial least squares structural equation modeling.
Findings
The findings show that antecedents like risk management culture, agility and collaboration positively affect the supply chain resilience. Further, the study establishes that companies can leverage their supply chain resilience to reconfigure supply chain in case of disruptions.
Practical implications
This study is important for supply chain managers in Qatar, as the country faced major disruption of supply chains in wake of the blockade imposed by its neighbors with which it had the only land route and maximum trade. The findings from this study should aid mangers in developing resilient supply chains.
Originality/value
This paper highlights the role of supply chain resilience in achieving reconfiguration. Further, novelty of the work reported in this paper lies in its context where supply chains recently faced actual disruptions.
Details
Keywords
Hua Liu and Shaobo Wei
Drawing upon resource dependence theory, this study aims to examine how a firm’s information technology (IT) capabilities (i.e. IT integration and IT reconfiguration) influence…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing upon resource dependence theory, this study aims to examine how a firm’s information technology (IT) capabilities (i.e. IT integration and IT reconfiguration) influence its responses to disruptions – bridging with a current supplier and buffering with an alternative supplier. We further examine how such relationships are moderated by the firm–supplier relative dependence (i.e. firm dependence advantage and supplier dependence advantage).
Design/methodology/approach
Based on data from 141 match-paired surveys of firms in China, we test our model.
Findings
Our study finds that IT integration positively influences bridging and IT reconfiguration positively influences buffering. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the positive impact of IT integration on bridging is negatively influenced by the firm’s dependence (FD) advantage but positively moderated by the supplier’s dependence advantage. By contrast, the positive impact of IT reconfiguration on buffering is negatively influenced by the FD advantage.
Originality/value
Our study provides a more nuanced insight into the effects of IT capabilities on disruption responses and a better understanding of the buyer–supplier dependence boundary conditions under which these effects vary.
Details
Keywords
Both postponement and outsourcing have been identified as important characteristics of modern and competitive supply chains. The implementation of postponement may require…
Abstract
Both postponement and outsourcing have been identified as important characteristics of modern and competitive supply chains. The implementation of postponement may require extensive (spatial) reconfiguration of the supply chain. Presents findings from interviews with managers of food, electronics, automotive and clothing manufacturers in The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Findings reveal that in food supply chains both postponement and outsourcing are applied to a lesser extent than in other industries. Reasons, which refer to the industry‐specific characteristics, are given. Ways for food companies to assure competitiveness are then described on the dimensions of postponement, outsourcing and spatial reconfiguration. A framework is developed to position chains in terms of degree of outsourcing, level of postponement and spatial configuration. The framework can help managers diagnosing and repositioning their organizations, along the dimensions mentioned.
Details
Keywords
Janet Godsell, Andy Birtwistle and Remko van Hoek
The purpose of this paper is to report on experiences from BAT's major supply chain reconfiguration program; it details practices, lessons learnt and do's and do nots. There is…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report on experiences from BAT's major supply chain reconfiguration program; it details practices, lessons learnt and do's and do nots. There is little research that reports on how to manage major supply chain reconfiguration programs, despite the fact that it is widely acknowledged that this can be challenging.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reports insights from industry, directly captured from the responsible managers in workshops and through co‐author involvement.
Findings
Seven key lessons are shared, including how to use S&OP, measurement and other specific change management tactics and practices.
Practical implications
The findings reported in this paper are “straight from the horses mouth” and are very much informed by all the experience developed inside BAT. Coupled with the focus on overall lessons, the findings will be useful for many other supply chain executives engaged in major reconfigurations.
Originality/value
This paper provieds an insight into a major supply chain design project in BAT over a six year period. This included access to senior decision makers and those actually running the change program. Case studies of this scale, scope and longitude are a rarity in supply chain strategy.
Details
Keywords
Maciel M. Queiroz, Samuel Fosso Wamba and Regina M. Branski
Although the advances in the supply chain resilience (SCR) literature, there is a critical gap concerning this understanding in a high disruption context, such as in the case of…
Abstract
Purpose
Although the advances in the supply chain resilience (SCR) literature, there is a critical gap concerning this understanding in a high disruption context, such as in the case of the COVID-19. This paper aims to investigate some dimensions (agility, robustness, disruption orientation and resource reconfiguration) of the SCR during this unprecedented disruption in the Brazilian supply chain context.
Design/methodology/approach
Supported by the resource-based view, dynamic capabilities and the SCR literature, we developed a model, which in turn was analyzed and validated by partial least squares structural equation modelling.
Findings
The results revealed that while resource reconfiguration and supply chain disruption orientation positively affect SCR, we found a non-significant effect of supply chain robustness and agility.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that in a considerable disruption scenario, managers with their supply chain operations in emerging economies should prioritize the development of resources to support the disruption orientation and manage the scarce resources adequately by reconfiguring them.
Originality/value
Our study is one of the first that reported the dynamics of the SCR dimensions in an emerging economy during the COVID-19.
Details
Keywords
Olga W. Lemoine and Tage Skjoett‐Larsen
A large number of firms have reconfigured their supply chains. The general trends entail, among others, the reduction, centralization and re‐location of plants and distribution…
Abstract
A large number of firms have reconfigured their supply chains. The general trends entail, among others, the reduction, centralization and re‐location of plants and distribution centers, the design of new distribution systems, and the reduction of the supplier base. The analysis of the implications of such reconfiguration for freight transport has received comparatively little attention, and most of the analysis has focused on the development of different theoretical models showing how changes in logistic structures and decisions could affect the transport demand. Using empirical data from Denmark, this paper sheds some light on the implications of reconfiguration supply chains on transport. Industry mail surveys among Danish firms as well as an in‐depth case study were performed. The consequences of the reconfiguration process on the present and future demand for transport are measured and analyzed in terms of the quantity of transport units used (trucks/containers), and the transport‐work (ton/km).
Details
Keywords
Navin K. Dev, Ravi Shankar and Prasanta Kumar Dey
Short product life cycle and/or mass customization necessitate reconfiguration of operational enablers of supply chain (SC) from time to time in order to harness high levels of…
Abstract
Purpose
Short product life cycle and/or mass customization necessitate reconfiguration of operational enablers of supply chain (SC) from time to time in order to harness high levels of performance. The purpose of this paper is to identify the key operational enablers under stochastic environment on which practitioner should focus while reconfiguring a SC network.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper used interpretive structural modeling (ISM) approach that presents a hierarchy-based model and the mutual relationships among the enablers. The contextual relationship needed for developing structural self-interaction matrix (SSIM) among various enablers is realized by conducting experiments through simulation of a hypothetical SC network.
Findings
The research identifies various operational enablers having a high driving power towards assumed performance measures. In this regard, these enablers require maximum attention and of strategic importance while reconfiguring SC.
Practical implications
ISM provides a useful tool to the SC managers to strategically adopt and focus on the key enablers which have comparatively greater potential in enhancing the SC performance under given operational settings.
Originality/value
The present research realizes the importance of SC flexibility under the premise of reconfiguration of the operational units in order to harness high value of SC performance. Given the resulting digraph through ISM, the decision maker can focus the key enablers for effective reconfiguration. The study is one of the first efforts that develop contextual relations among operational enablers for SSIM matrix through integration of discrete event simulation to ISM.
Details
Keywords
Tu Lyu, Xiaorui Lyu, Hao Chen and Qiu Zhao
Based on the dynamic capability theory, our study tries to explore the mediator mechanism of service supply chain dynamic capability between market orientation and service…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on the dynamic capability theory, our study tries to explore the mediator mechanism of service supply chain dynamic capability between market orientation and service innovation performance, as well as the boundary conditions in which service supply chain dynamic capability plays a role, in order to reveal the key elements and their mechanisms for manufacturing enterprises to improve service performance.
Design/methodology/approach
With a total of 317 valid questionnaires, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the research model and hypotheses.
Findings
The empirical results confirm that the three types of service supply chain dynamic capability (environment insight capability, resource integration capability and resource reconfiguration capability) can partially mediate the relationship between firm market orientation (responsive and proactive market orientations) and service innovation performance. In addition, supply chain collaboration has different types of moderator effects on the relationship between the three types of service supply chain dynamic capability and service innovation performance.
Originality/value
This research discovers that market orientation and dynamic capability are the key factors leading to high service performance and reveals the mediating role of service supply chain dynamic capability between market orientation and service innovation performance. Moreover, this research explores the moderating role of supply chain collaboration in service supply chain resource reconfiguration capability and service innovation performance.
Details
Keywords
Xufan Zhang, Xue Fan and Mingke He
The challenges faced by China's high-end equipment manufacturing (HEEM) industry are becoming clearer in the process of global supply chain (GSC) reconfiguration. The purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
The challenges faced by China's high-end equipment manufacturing (HEEM) industry are becoming clearer in the process of global supply chain (GSC) reconfiguration. The purpose of this study is to investigate how China's HEEM industry has been affected by the GSC reconfiguration, as well as its short- and long-term strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors adopted a multi-method approach. Interviews were conducted in Phase 1, while a three-round Delphi survey was conducted in Phase 2 to reach consensus at the industry level.
Findings
The GSC reconfiguration affected China's HEEM supply chain (SC). Its direct effects include longer lead times, higher purchasing prices and inconsistent supply and inventory levels of key imported components and materials. Its indirect effects include inconsistent product quality and cash flows. In the short term, China's HEEM enterprises have sought to employ localized substitutes, while long-term strategies include continuous technological innovation, industry upgrades and developing SC resilience.
Originality/value
This study not only encourages Chinese HEEM enterprises to undertake a comprehensive examination of their respective industries but also provides practical insights for SC scholars, policymakers and international stakeholders interested in how China's HEEM industry adapts to the GSC reconfiguration and gains global market share.
Details