scholarly journals Practitioners' learning about healthcare supply chain management in the COVID-19 pandemic: a public procurement perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (13) ◽  
pp. 178-189
Author(s):  
Christine Mary Harland ◽  
Louise Knight ◽  
Andrea S. Patrucco ◽  
Jane Lynch ◽  
Jan Telgen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Professional Organizations ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Organizational Capability ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
System Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Procurement System

PurposeThe procurement and supply of crucial healthcare products in the early stages of the COVID-19 emergency were chaotic. To prepare for future crises, we must be able to describe what went wrong, and why, and map out ways to build agility and resilience. How can this be done effectively, given the highly complex and diverse network of actors across governments, care providers and supply chains, and the extreme uncertainty and dynamism in the procurement system and supplier markets? The purpose of this study was to capture learning from practitioners in “real time” in a way that could frame and inform capacity building across healthcare systems with varying procurement and supply management maturity.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory study involved interviews with 58 senior public procurement practitioners in central and regional governments, NGOs and leaders of professional organizations from 23 countries, very early in the COVID crisis. Following the first, inductive phase of analysis leading to five descriptive dimensions, the awareness-motivation-capability (A-M-C) framework was applied in a further round of coding, to understand immediate challenges faced by procurement practitioners, how the complex, multi-level procurement system that shaped their motivations to respond and critical capabilities required to face these challenges.FindingsDevelopments across 23 countries and practitioners' learning about procurement and supply in the pandemic crisis can be captured in five overarching themes: governance and organization, knowledge and skills, information systems, regulation and supply base issues. Together these themes cover the strengths and gaps in procurement and supply capability encountered by procurement leaders and front-line personnel. They highlight the various facets of structure, resource and process which constitute organizational capability. However, to account better for the highly dynamic situation characterized by both unprecedented rivalry and cooperation, analysts must also pay attention to actors' emerging awareness of the situation and their rapidly changing motivations.Originality/valueThe application of the A-M-C framework is unique in the healthcare supply chain and disaster management literature. It enables a comprehensive overview of healthcare procurement from a system perspective. This study shows how increasing system preparedness for future emergencies depends both on developing critical capabilities and understanding how awareness and motivation influence the effective deployment of those capabilities.

scholarly journals Framework for successful supply chain implementation in healthcare area from provider’s prospective

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ik-Whan Kwon ◽  
Sung-Ho Kim
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Inventory Management ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cost Of Care ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Financial Health ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supply Chain Finance

Purpose This paper aims to explore avenue where suppliers and manufacturers are aligned with health-care providers to improve supply chain visibility. Supply chain finance is explored to link suppliers/manufacturers with health-care providers. Design/methodology/approach Existing literature on supply chain visibility in health care forms a basis to achieve the study purpose. Alignment calls also for financial health where supply chain partners’ working capital is readily available to execute joint supply chain plan. Findings There is a disjoint in supply chain alliance between suppliers/manufacturers and providers where providers are unable to trace the origin of supplies. Quality care suffers and cost of care rises as providers search for supplies on an emergency basis. This paper provides a framework where solution can be formulated. Research limitations/implications Suppliers/manufactures form a direct strategic alliance with providers where product visibility enables health-care providers with a better patient management with lower cost of supplies. Inventory management and logistics cost will be lowered as better planning/forecasting is in place. This paper does not call for testing any hypothesis. Perhaps, next move along this line will be to investigate financial health of supply chain partners based on supplier relationship management practices. Originality/value This paper proposes health-care supply chain as an alternative solution to achieve the following twin purposes: controlling the cost while improving quality of care through supply chain finance. As far as we know, this study is the first attempt to achieve the goals.

scholarly journals Reading on and between the lines: risk identification in collaborative and adversarial buyer–supplier relationships

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiyi Fan ◽  
Mark Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Risk Identification ◽  
Social Capital Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Supplier Relationships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Signalling Theory ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to investigate how supply chain risks can be identified in both collaborative and adversarial buyer–supplier relationships (BSRs). Design/methodology/approach This research includes a multiple-case study involving ten Chinese manufacturers with two informants per organisation. Data have been interpreted from a multi-level social capital perspective (i.e. from both an individual and organisational level), supplemented by signalling theory. Findings Buyers use different risk identification strategies or apply the same strategy in different ways according to the BSR type. The impact of organisational social capital on risk identification is contingent upon the degree to which individual social capital is deployed in a way that benefits an individual’s own agenda versus that of the organisation. Signalling theory generally complements social capital theory and helps further understand how buyers can identify risks, especially in adversarial BSRs, e.g. by using indirect signals from suppliers or other supply chain actors to “read between the lines” and anticipate risks. Research limitations/implications Data collection is focussed on China and is from the buyer side only. Future research could explore other contexts and include the supplier perspective. Practical implications The types of relationships that are developed by buyers with their supply chain partners at an organisational and an individual level have implications for risk exposure and how risks can be identified. The multi-level analysis highlights how strategies such as employee rotation and retention can be deployed to support risk identification. Originality/value Much of the extant literature on supply chain risk management is focussed on risk mitigation, whereas risk identification is under-represented. A unique case-based insight is provided into risk identification in different types of BSRs by using a multi-level social capital approach complemented by signalling theory.

Estimation of procurement costs incurred by public customers: a case study of a Russian region

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-87
Author(s):  
Andrei Yakovlev ◽  
Olga Balaeva ◽  
Andrey Tkachenko
Keyword(s):  
Public Procurement ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Cost Evaluation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Russian Region ◽  
Procurement Cost ◽  
Procurement System ◽  
The Cost

Purpose This paper aims to measure the cost of procurement because public procurement procedures prescribed by legislation not only enhance transparency and competition but also entail certain transaction costs for both customers and suppliers. Design/methodology/approach These costs are important to the efficiency of the procurement system. However, very few previous studies have focused on estimating procurement costs. This paper proposes a methodology for public procurement cost evaluation. Findings This paper shows how procurement costs can be calculated using a formalized survey of public customers. This methodology was tested with a representative group of public customers operating in one region of the Russian Federation. Originality/value The authors formulate the policy implications of this paper, as they relate to the improvement of public procurement regulations and argue that this methodological approach can be applied in other developing and transitioning economies.

scholarly journals The human factor in SCM

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 238-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timm Schorsch ◽  
Carl Marcus Wallenburg ◽  
Andreas Wieland
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Opportunities ◽  
Meta Theory

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to advance supply chain management by describing the current state of behavioral supply chain management (BSCM) research and paving the way for future contributions by developing a meta-theory for this important field. Design/methodology/approach The results are generated by applying the systematic literature review methodology and an iterative theory-building approach involving a panel of academics. Findings This review provides a comprehensive overview of the BSCM research landscape. Additionally, a meta-theory of BSCM is presented that encompasses all central elements of the research field and introduces the concept of emergence to the field of BSCM. Furthermore, five promising future research opportunities are formulated. Research limitations/implications The critical discussions and the formulated research opportunities will help scholars in positioning their research to enhance its contribution. Practical implications Results from this research indicate that supply chain decisions benefit from explicit consideration for cognitive and social phenomena. Originality/value This review is the first to provide a comprehensive overview of the field of BSCM research and facilitates BSCM in advancing further.

Supply chain flexibility

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 964-1026 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorieke H.M. Manders ◽  
Marjolein C.J. Caniëls ◽  
Paul W.Th. Ghijsen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Studies ◽  
Supply Chain Flexibility ◽  
State Of Research ◽  
Number Of Publications

Purpose The conceptualization of flexibility in organizations historically emerged from three views which relate to economic, to organizational and to manufacturing perspectives. Despite the growing number of publications about supply chain flexibility in the area of supply chain management, there is a lack of consensus on how to define and to conceptualize supply chain flexibility from a management point of view. The purpose of this paper is to present a comprehensive overview of the literature on the supply chain flexibility perspective and contributes to our understanding of the current state of research and its future development. Design/methodology/approach The research methodology used is the systematic literature review. In total 92 articles were selected from databases of well-known journal publishers in the field of economics, business studies and management sciences as well as grey literature to cover the topic of supply chain flexibility. Findings A limited number of studies in the field of supply chain flexibility apply theories and define the term supply chain flexibility. Instead they focus on a particular part or dimension of the supply chain. Based on the analysis, a distinction is made between flexibility in the supply chain and supply chain flexibility. Based on the function and characteristics of the supply chain, the authors selected 30 flexibility dimensions that cover supply chain flexibility by concentrating on the different business areas involved. Research limitations/implications The results support researchers and practitioners by identifying relevant trends and gaps in the field of supply chain flexibility. Originality/value The authors review the dimensions and aspects of supply chain flexibility that are currently taken into account in the literature. In this way, the authors provide an overarching perspective on the flexibility literature relating to supply chains.

Digital supply chain model in Industry 4.0

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 887-933 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Lizette Garay-Rondero ◽  
Jose Luis Martinez-Flores ◽  
Neale R. Smith ◽  
Santiago Omar Caballero Morales ◽  
Alejandra Aldrette-Malacara
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Chain Model ◽  
Conceptual Approach ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
Main Components

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual model that defines the essential components shaping the new Digital Supply Chains (DSCs) through the implementation and acceleration of Industry 4.0. Design/methodology/approach The scope of the present work exposes a conceptual approach and review of the key literature from 1989 to 2019, concerning the evolution and transformation of the actors and constructs in logistics and Supply Chain Management (SCM) by means of examining different conceptual models and a state-of-the-art review of Industry 4.0’s concepts and elements, with a focus on digitization in supply chain (SC) processes. A detailed study of the constructs and components of SCM, as defined by their authors, resulted in the development of a referential and systematic model that fuses the inherent concepts and roles of SCM, with the new technological trends directed toward digitization, automation, and the increasing use of information and communication technologies across logistics global value chains. Findings Having achieved an exploration of the different conceptual frameworks, there is no compelling evidence of the existence of a conceptual SCM that incorporates the basic theoretical constructs and the new roles and elements of Industry 4.0. Therefore, the main components of Industry 4.0 and their impact on DSC Management are described, driving the proposal for a new conceptual model which addresses and accelerates a vision of the future of the interconnectivity between different DSCs, grouped in clusters in order to add value, through new forms of cooperation and digital integration. Originality/value This research explores the gap in the current SCM models leading into Industry 4.0. The proposed model provides a novel and comprehensive overview of the new concepts and components driving the nascent and current DSCs. This conceptual framework will further aid researchers in the exploration of knowledge regarding the variables and components presented, as well as the verification of the newly revealed roles and constructs to understand the new forms of cooperation and implementation of Industry 4.0 in digitalized SCs.

Ways to improve the project management efficiency in a centralized public procurement system

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 168-185
Author(s):  
Yang Wang ◽  
Jing Liu ◽  
Jian Zuo ◽  
Raufdeen Rameezdeen
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Efficiency ◽  
Procurement System

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate driving factors that improve the project management efficiency (PME) in centralized public procurement systems. Design/methodology/approach Employees in four public-sector organizations in China were surveyed. The structural equation modeling was employed to examine the relationship amongst those variables. Findings Organizational culture (OC) is an effective method to improve PME, and employee quality is the most critical factor of OC in this system. Job satisfaction (JS) is another significant contributor to PME and satisfaction with fairness of salary in this system being the key factor of JS. Job analysis (JA) has indirect influence on PME through JS and OC, whereas the job structure in this system is the most critical factor for JA. Practical implications An operational way to improve PME is to implement it from the perspectives of employee, organization and technique. At the organizational level, it is imperative to strengthen the OC by a well-structured recruitment system and to improve PME via well-design training. At the person level, both financial (i.e. income and welfare) and career incentives (i.e. promotion opportunities and a sense of belonging) are proposed to achieve employees’ JS to improve PME. At the technique level, JA approach (i.e. job rotation) is recommended to enlarge the positive influence of OC and JS on PME. These can not only ensure the management professionalism in a centralized public procurement system but can also motivate employees and maximize PME. Originality/value PME in a centralized public procurement system will be improved by addressing these key factors and their interrelationships. This provides detailed pathways for the centralized public procurement system to achieve better PME via optimal OC and JS and reasonable JA in China. In addition, the institutional and administrative traditions may vary significantly across cities, regions and countries. Therefore, such contextual differences should be taken into consideration for the improvement of PME in a centralized public procurement system.

Conceptualizing the relative openness of supply chain and its impact on organizational performance

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 1264-1285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamel A. Fantazy ◽  
Syed Awais Ahmad Tipu ◽  
Vinod Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Open System ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Organizational System ◽  
System Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Best Value ◽  
Research Propositions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework conceptualizing the relative openness of a supply chain and its impact on organizational performance. Design/methodology/approach – The literature on system theory and the attributes of supply chain management are used to develop a framework describing the relative openness of a supply chain. Findings – Different supply chain terminologies – such as adaptive supply chain network, best value supply chain, and open inter-organizational system – partially draw upon the basic premises of an open system. The relative openness of a supply chain and, consequently, the dynamics of different supply chain attributes remain understudied. This supports the idea that an open system perspective of the supply chain is imperative to improve the understanding of the influence of supply chain openness on organizational performance. Originality/value – The conceptual framework posits that different supply chain attributes affect the openness of supply chain to a varying degree which ultimately influences the organizational performance. The proposed framework and research propositions will serve as a springboard for conducting future empirical studies.

Centralization and decentralization of public procurement

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 262-276
Author(s):  
Karem Sayed Aboelazm ◽  
Attia Afandy
Keyword(s):  
Public Procurement ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Government Procurement ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Legal Frameworks ◽  
Procurement System

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present and analyze the different concepts of centralized and decentralized procurement methods; identify the advantages and disadvantages of each method and the two methods of public procurement applied in the Arab Republic of Egypt in an attempt to overcome the disadvantages of the Egyptian system; and introduce a new framework for government procurement in Egypt. Design/methodology/approach The descriptive approach was used in the framework of the presentation and analysis of the concepts of centralized public procurement and decentralized public procurement. The comparative approach was used for presenting some of the experiences of countries in using public procurement methods. The legal approach was also used in the analysis of the legal frameworks governing the public procurement methods in the Arab Republic of Egypt. In addition, the case study methodology was used to study the role of the General Authority for Governmental Services in Egypt in the centralized public procurement processes. Findings This paper attempts to find the ideal method of public procurement in general and what is the method to be followed in the Egyptian case through the data presented and analysis of the Egyptian public procurement system. Research limitations/implications This paper attempts to present a model or a theory on how to determine the public procurement methods that should be used in a given country and give sufficient flexibility for the conformity between the two methods upon application depending on the ecological factors of each country. Practical implications This paper contributes to the development of the public procurement method in the Arab Republic of Egypt by showing the gap between the use of the centralized approach and the decentralized approach at all levels and providing solutions to bridge this gap. Social implications This paper provides implications to reduce corruption, increase transparency and give the opportunity to the largest number of private shareholders to participate in public procurement. Originality/value Although there is some literature on centralized and decentralized public procurement, there is a lack or scarcity of research and academic articles on this subject (Patrucco et al., 2017). This paper attempted to do so by filling this gap in this area of research.

Governance of projects in public procurement of innovation a multi-level perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza Talebi ◽  
Davar Rezania
Keyword(s):  
Technical Change ◽  
Support Systems ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Policy Network ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Project Participants

Purpose Governance of projects is a dynamic process that involves the interaction of agents, opportunities, rules, instruments and legitimacy. The authors conducted a case study of the governance of exploratory projects in public procurement of innovation in a local government. The authors consider both contextual aspects that impose requirements on the procurement process and procedural aspects of how the different actors interact with each other. In particular, the purpose of this study is to investigate how actors make sense of the projects and how governance evolves over their lifetime. Design/methodology/approach To engage in an open-system investigation of exploratory public procurement of innovation (PPI) projects, the authors adopted a case study approach in which they collected a variety of data including publicly available documentary evidence, interviews with project participants and project evaluation reports. The authors used transcripts of 17 interviews with project participants conducted independently to gain an initial understanding of the case. They conducted additional semi-structured interviews with projects’ participants (ten interviews in total) and used theory-driven analysis (Pawson and Tilley, 1997) based on Borrás and Edler’s (2014) model of governance. Findings The authors identified four stages – problem identification, partner selection, partnership development and evaluation and commercialization – these projects. The case demonstrates how governance changes in each stage and at the three levels of policy, network and projects. Each level has its own governance pillar. The results suggest that a multi-level perspective (MLP) can be a fruitful framework to study governance of projects in these contexts. Research limitations/implications The authors note that the number of participants in the network of this case is not very large. Other organizations that aim to adopt PPI may need to pay attention to the complementarity and the number of partners in the network. In this case, organizations were motivated to collaborate as each had its own objectives which were distinct but complementary. Practical implications Co-creation of value is currently a topic of interest for public policy reform across the globe. The case indicates that procurement for innovation requires a degree of coordinated change across governmental departments, such as planning, legal and procurement to implement the policy and related support systems. Furthermore, the authors observed that a portfolio approach to inter-organizational collaboration with different partners was effective. Each partner has its own objective, but they complement one another. A portfolio of different, though complementary, inter-organizational arrangements enables various complementary instruments and various logics to be used. Social implications The public sector is an important actor in driving innovation in products and services that fulfill societal needs. This is explored in public procurement of innovation. In this process, several partners from private and public sectors are involved. This partnership is mainly used to co-create the value and encourage innovation to benefit the citizens. However, to serve this goal, the case indicates that procurement for innovation requires a degree of coordinated change across governmental departments, such as planning, legal and procurement to implement the policy and related support systems. For this phenomenon MLP should be used as an inclusive framework to study socio-technical change. Originality/value The analysis of the case presented in this study demonstrates that even in the case of temporary public procurement of innovation projects, governance is layered. The three pillars of governance not only interact at each layer but also communicate across layers. Even though the interaction of the three pillars of governance is well established in the literature on socio-technical change, the interaction across levels in the context of temporary projects is novel. The authors contribute to the literature on governance of such projects by highlighting the stratification of governance.

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