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The purpose of this paper is to explore the dynamics and stability of switched supply system considering the influence of the retailer competition and deteriorating items.

A discrete dynamic switched model is developed to analyze the evolution process of the switched supply chain. The existence and the local stability of the switched supply chain are analyzed using an analytical method and a parameter plot basin.

The author finds the switched supply chain will exhibit stable, periodic, and divergent behaviors with different parameters due to the system’s switching mechanism and the switched supply chain presents complex dynamics when the stable and unstable subsystem coexist.

The originality and value of the research rests on this paper considering the influence of the retailers’ competition and deteriorating items on the supply chain dynamics under stock-dependent demand. The obtained results provide the decision maker with some guidelines on how to make stable designs for the switched supply chain design according to the parameter values.

This study statistically examines the shifting distribution channels in the American wine industry based on the growth trajectory of sales, seasonality and disruption due to consumers switching to online platforms. The purpose of this paper is to design a model that will have general applicability beyond the wine industry.

The research uses regression-based additive decomposition of time series data to predict the trajectory of the market share for the digital distribution channel. The study develops a statistical prediction model using time series data between 2007 and 2020, inclusive, sourced from US Annual Wine Reports and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms databases.

The results show an increasing trajectory of wine sales through the online distribution channel with predictable seasonality. The disruptive effects of consumer switching behavior point to a steady increase in sales due both to increasing demand and accelerating switching. Nevertheless, the model shows that bricks and mortar purchases will remain strong and continue to account for the bulk of wine sales. COVID-19 has caused a step function increase in online sales but this should moderate after the crisis subsides and can be tested further.

This study is original in developing a model for an industry where bricks and mortar sales are growing and are expected to remain strong while there is still identifiable switching to online sales. The wine industry presents a classic case of accelerating switching behavior where there is still a strong franchise for in-store purchases. The model should have general applicability to distribution channels beyond the wine industry where steady growth, marked seasonality and disruptive consumer switching are in evidence.

A traditional supply chain, all too often, is a sequence of weakly connected activities both within and outside the organization and leads to many misalignments. Tackling this inherent lack of coordination is a major value creation opportunity for supply chain managers. This paper aims to present a coordination framework, called ASCEND, to align the inventory decisions in decentralized supply chains.

The framework rests on three pillars – multi‐agent technology, coordination theory, and optimization technology. Inventory alignment is transformed into a decentralized constraint satisfaction optimization problem, which is then solved using a genetic algorithm‐based coordination process. The guiding principle of this framework is the establishment of a proper incentive alignment mechanism through cost‐sharing and service level contracts, taking into account the associated dependencies.

The results of the pilot study indicate that the coordination framework reduces the supply chain inventory‐holding cost, compared with the “as‐is” scenario. Interestingly, the results also indicate that not all the supply chain partners will experience lower inventory costs in the absence of a proper incentive alignment mechanism. Only through cost sharing and service level contracts can the value of coordination be realized by each partner in a supply chain network!

The coordination approach is applied to a pilot supply chain. The results of the case study lead to 10.4 percent (average) reduction in supply chain inventory‐holding costs, validating the efficacy of the coordination framework.

This research has resulted in the development of a supply chain coordination framework, which requires the establishment of a proper incentive alignment mechanism, based on cost‐sharing and service level contracts, and taking into account the associated dependencies.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of three important relational capabilities – absorptive capacity (AC), transactive memory systems (TMS), and organisational interoperability (OI); on the flexibility of buyer-supplier relationships and performance in retail supply chains. Drawing on the relational view of strategic management, the impact of relational capabilities on two forms of supply chain flexibility is examined – configuration flexibility (CF) for switching suppliers with minimal penalties, and planning and control flexibility (PCF) for altering supply schedules, quality, and delivery lead-time.

Strategic- and tactical-level managers from 211 retail stores in the UK were surveyed. The authors validated a measurement model with structural equation modelling and tested four hypotheses on the mediating role of relational capabilities on supply chain flexibility and retail performance, controlling for size, duration of relationship, and market segment.

Results showed that the three relational capabilities partially mediated the positive effect of CF and PCF on operational performance in big middle and niche retailers. Examining the interaction effect of the forms of flexibility on the relational capabilities and performance, the authors found positive interaction effects on TMS and OI but a non-significant effect on AC.

In addition to providing novel theoretical insights on supply chain flexibility, the findings have practical implications for supplier selection and buyer-supplier relationship management.

Overall, the study highlights the impacts of relational capabilities on adopted operational strategies such as flexibility, buyer-supplier relationships, and retail performance.

The advent of the Internet and electronic communications has enabled companies to be more responsive to their customers. However, the same technological advancements are changing the marketplace and providing an impetus for changes in strategic alliance and partnership structures. Successful leaders of the future will have to understand how to operate in the new marketplace and within the evolving organizational structures where alliances and partnerships are changing. The purpose of this article is to shed light on the current and future organizational structures in the logistics industry. Toward that end, traditional supply chain management (SCM), electronic supply chain management (eSCM), and the resulting impact on strategic alliances and partnerships will be explored. Additionally, considering the inherent ability of the eSC to be dynamic and adaptable, the new type of leader that is likely to be most successful in this new structure is discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of price adjustment speed on the stability of Bertrand–Nash equilibrium in the context of a dual-channel supply chain competition.

The paper considers a dual-channel supply chain comprising a manufacturer, a traditional retailer and an online retailer. A two-dimensional discrete dynamical system is used to examine the Bertrand competition between the retailers. The retailers are assumed to follow bounded rational expectations. Local stability of Bertrand–Nash equilibrium is investigated with respect to the price adjustment speed.

As the price adjustment speed increases, the stability of Bertrand–Nash equilibrium is lost, leading to complex chaotic dynamics. The results showed that chaotic dynamics deteriorates the profit of the retailers. The authors also found that the chaos can be controlled using an adaptive adjustment mechanism and the retailers enjoy higher profit when the chaos is controlled.

This study helps retail managers to choose an appropriate price adjustment speed to maximize profit.

The heterogeneity of the retailers is not considered in the studies involving dynamics of retailer competition. This paper contributes to the literature by considering the operational difference between a traditional retailer and an online retailer, i.e. price adjustment speed. In addition, the study establishes a link between price adjustment speed and profit.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the knowledge content on green fashion and the expectations regarding the sustainable supply chain held by consumers and shared within online communities. In sustainable and eco‐sectors, the supply chain is of outmost concern for consumers, as most benefits derived from the eco‐purchase are linked to the green and ethical credentials of the supply chain.

A netnographic approach is used. Discussions on green fashion were collected in two green fashion forums over two periods (2007‐2008 and 2010‐2011) and were content analyzed.

Results show a switch in knowledge content between the two periods, from a focus on sustainability to a focus on fashion. Also, there is an evolution in the nature of knowledge content, being initially subjective and becoming more objective and showing expertise during the last period studied. As the communities gain maturity, members are interested in sharing precise knowledge on a variety of aspects linked to the sustainable supply chain, including fabric, materials, manufacturing processes, transportation, distribution, and recycling or re‐use of fashion items. In addition, the role of the members evolves toward educating newcomers and sustaining the development of the green fashion sector.

This research contributes to the field by offering an original perspective on the green fashion supply chain and consumer vision of the industry, through the point of view of major actors and online communities. It advocates for a consumer orientation in the building of sustainable fashion supply chains.

Supply chain practitioners have made great strides in forming collaborative partnerships, yet the end consumer is often left out of these plans. Being an important member of the supply chain, we propose that supply chains need to get closer to the end consumer ‐ forming collaborative relationships that center around demand planning. Developing subscription relationships with end consumers will lead to increased planning time, which will result in dramatic cost reductions and superior consumer value and satisfaction through lower costs, increased convenience, and improved availability of supply. Being a new and unique strategy, not all consumers will adopt subscription supply chains. However, we argue that some consumer segments will receive tremendous value and satisfaction purchasing certain types of products and services through subscriptions. Tremendous opportunities await those supply chains who target the right consumers, marketing the right products and services through a subscription supply chain.

Offsite construction (OC) is an efficient method to reduce waste in the construction industry from a circular economy perspective. Yet, its uptake is subdued by the ambiguities around its supply chain. Hence, the purpose of this study is twofold: to identify the OC project delivery models, the limitations in their procurement approach to facilitate the resilience of the supply chain and interventions to promote supply chain resilience (SCR) and to identify the gaps in the existing procurement process and propose further research areas that implement strategies to improve SCR.

The study was conducted as a systematic literature review. In total, 41 peer-reviewed research papers published between 2013 and 2023 were shortlisted through the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis guidelines. A descriptive analysis was conducted, followed by a thematic analysis.

The descriptive analysis reveals that the emphasis on digitising OC has shifted to transforming the business model, procurement and supply chain with a human-centric view. In thematic analysis, the predictability of the SC partners and the probabilities of evaluating the prospects are revealed as arbitrary characteristics in the current procurement strategies. Rewarding collaborative relationships among SC partners and incorporating provisions to postpone the module delivery are some interventions to promote flexibility. Drafting comprehensive and effective contracts that address transparency issues and facilitating the need for continuous development of capabilities through procurement are among the further research avenues proposed.

This study is a precursor demonstrating the potential of the procurement process to implement the decrees of SCR for better goal congruence of the OC supply chain.

This article examines the use of target costing as a means to improve the management of supply chains. A discussion of the shortcomings of traditional and activity‐based cost management approaches to supply chain management provides the basis for exploring the use of target costing within supply chains. Customer requirements and supply chain relationships are identified as key criteria for selecting the most appropriate method of target costing for supply chains. Price‐based, value‐based, and activity‐based cost management approaches to target costing are discussed, and recommendations for their use based upon customer requirements and supply chain relationships are offered. Conclusions are provided on the use of target costing to enhance a supply chain’s ability to improve customer satisfaction.