Study of deployment of “low code no code” applications toward improving digitization of supply chain management

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Som Sekhar Bhattacharyya ◽  
Saurabh Kumar

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand the concept of “Low Code No Code” applications and study its scope of application for web designing, rapid application development (RAD) and supply chain digitization (SCD). Design/methodology/approach A qualitative exploratory study was conducted for this exploratory study. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was prepared by the authors. Based on the questionnaire in-depth interviews were conducted with subject matter experts having more than 10 years of experience in the domain of supply chain management and digitization. The study questionnaire focused on the current reach and future potential of “Low Code No Code” platforms. A total of 20 responses were collected from experts as post this point thematic saturation was reached. A non-probabilistic convenience sampling was applied to identify the experts The data was content analyzed for themes. Findings The major findings that emerged from the study was that “Low Code No Code” platforms applications could be used across end-to-end SCD. The study also revealed that RAD through “Low Code No Code” platforms could reduce organizations dependency on coders. In the case of procurement, “Low Code No Code” applications could improve vendor and supplier management by streamlining processes. The cost-effective and easy-to-maintain “Low Code No Code” application development could help Medium and Small-Scale Enterprises level the playing field against large organizations. The lack of adoption strategy and low perceived usefulness was identified as major barriers to the adoption of “Low Code No Code” applications by organizations. Research limitations/implications “Low Code No Code” application-based automation would enable better utilization of organizational supply chain (SC) resources and capabilities. This would improve the sustainability performance of the firm. Furthermore, it would also enable the provision of SC services at a lower cost level, thus benefiting customers. Practical implications “Low Code No Code” application-based automation would help organizations to reduce the dependency on coders and Information Technology developers SCD. This could also allow SC managers to make more apps to be built in less time without the need of complex coding. This could potentially reduce app development costs toward digitizing SCs. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this was one of the very first studies regarding how “Low Code No Code” applications could revolutionize the SC using these app development capabilities. This study also provided an extensive study of Diffusion of Innovations and Technological Organizational Theory frameworks for in the context of “Low Code No Code” technology adoption.

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaleh Memari ◽  
Abbas Rezaei Pandari ◽  
Mohammad Ehsani ◽  
Shokufeh Mahmudi

PurposeTo understand the football industry in its entirety, a supply chain management (SCM) approach is necessary. This includes the study of suppliers, consumers and their collaborations. The purpose of this study was to present a business management model based on supply chain management.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through in-depth interviews with 12 academic and executive football experts. After three steps of open, axial and selective coding based on grounded theory with a paradigmatic approach, the data were analysed, and a football supply chain management (FSCM) was developed. The proposed model includes three managerial components: upstream suppliers, the manufacturing firm, and downstream customers.FindingsThe football industry sector has three parts: upstream suppliers, manufacturing firm/football clubs and downstream customers. We proposed seven parts for the managerial processes of football supply chain management: event/match management, club management, resource and infrastructure management, customer relationship management, supplier relationship management, cash flow management and knowledge and information flow management. This model can be used for configuration, coordination and redesign of business operations as well as the development of models for evaluation of the football supply chain's performance.Originality/valueThe proposed model of a football supply chain management, with the existing literature and theoretical review, created a synergistic outcome. This synergy is presented in the linkage of the players in this chain and interactions between them. This view can improve the management of industry productivity and improve the products quality.


Author(s):  
Craig R. Carter ◽  
Marc R. Hatton ◽  
Chao Wu ◽  
Xiangjing Chen

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to update the work of Carter and Easton (2011), by conducting a systematic review of the sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) literature in the primary logistics and supply chain management journals, during the 2010–2018 timeframe. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a systematic literature review (SLR) methodology which follows the methodology employed by Carter and Easton (2011). An evaluation of this methodology, using the Modified AMSTAR criteria, demonstrates a high level of empirical validity. Findings The field of SSCM continues to evolve with changes in substantive focus, theoretical lenses, unit of analysis, methodology and type of analysis. However, there are still abundant future research opportunities, including investigating under-researched topics such as diversity and human rights/working conditions, employing the group as the unit of analysis and better addressing empirical validity and social desirability bias. Research limitations/implications The findings result in prescriptions and a broad agenda to guide future research in the SSCM arena. The final section of the paper provides additional avenues for future research surrounding theory development and decision making. Originality/value This SLR provides a rigorous, methodologically valid review of the continuing evolution of empirical SSCM research over a 28-year time period.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 2130-2147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcio C. Machado ◽  
Renato Telles ◽  
Paulo Sampaio ◽  
Maciel M. Queiroz ◽  
Ana Cristina Fernandes

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual framework for performance measurement (PM) for the integration of supply chain management (SCM) and quality management (QM). Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review on SCM and QM was conducted to develop key performance measures related to six areas of integration between QM and SCM: leadership; continuous improvement and innovation; sustainability performance; stakeholders; information system; and management and strategic planning. Findings Supported by the literature concerning to supply chain quality management (SCQM) integration, a set of nine propositions about performance measures, that contribute to the integration of SCQM, were developed. Originality/value This study contributes to QM practices within a supply chain environment from an integrated perspective. Additionally, the propositions have significant implications from both managerial and theoretical perspectives. This study also extends the concept of supply chain quality integration by focusing on key aspects of PM that may help to improve the overall performance of the supply chain.


2015 ◽  
Vol 115 (3) ◽  
pp. 436-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
MingLang Tseng ◽  
Ming Lim ◽  
Wai Peng Wong

Purpose – Assessing a measure of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) performance is currently a key challenge. The literature on SSCM is very limited and performance measures need to have a systematic framework. The recently developed balanced scorecard (BSC) is a measurement system that requires a balanced set of financial and non-financial measures. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the SSCM performance based on four aspects i.e. sustainability, internal operations, learning and growth, and stakeholder. Design/methodology/approach – This paper developed a BSC hierarchical network for SSCM in a close-loop hierarchical structure. A generalized quantitative evaluation model based on the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) and Analytical Network Process (ANP) were then used to consider both the interdependence among measures and the fuzziness of subjective measures in SSCM. Findings – The results of this study indicate that the top-ranking aspect to consider is that of stakeholders, and the top five criteria are green design, corporate sustainability, strategic planning for environmental management, supplier cost-saving initiatives and market share. Originality/value – The main contributions of this study are twofold. First, this paper provides valuable support for supply chain stakeholders regarding the nature of network hierarchical relations with qualitative and quantitative scales. Second, this paper improves practical performance and enhances management effectiveness for SSCM.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhavana Mathur ◽  
Sumit Gupta ◽  
Makhan Lal Meena ◽  
G.S. Dangayach

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the causal linkages among supply chain practices, effectiveness of supply chain performance (SCP) and organizational performance (OP) in Indian healthcare industries.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is helpful in developing a framework for linking a healthcare supply chain practice to its OP, and thus identifies how such a linkage can be connected to the effectiveness of SCP. Such effort also enables the authors to derive a set of recommended supply chain practices for SC performance.FindingsFrom the literature review, this paper finds that, in the context of Indian healthcare industries, efficient SC performance may play a critical role for overall OP improvement, as there is a close interrelationship between supply chain management (SCM) practices and SCP that may have a more significant effect on OP improvement.Research limitations/implicationsThe principle limitation of the paper is that it is performed only in a particular industry and with a questionnaire survey which could be extended in future for other industries also. Another limitation of the paper is that it is focused only on the SCP of medical device and equipment supply chain which is a small portion of the whole healthcare supply chain, and therefore requires further research covering various other domains of healthcare supply chain. Another limitation of the study is that the sample survey has been taken from only one respondent per company at one point of time which may create biasness in the results. Thus, future research should collect data through multiple members from the organization.Practical implicationsThis study contributes to know the effect of SCM practices on healthcare SCP and provides a practical and useful tool to evaluate the extent of effectiveness of SCP and finally their impact on the healthcare OP. Finally, this study provides conceptual and descriptive literature regarding SCM practices that leads to improvement in healthcare performance.Social implicationsThis study adds to the knowledge on healthcare SCM performance by exploring the relationship between supply chain practices, healthcare SCP and healthcare OP and by developing and testing a research framework thus help in improving patient satisfaction.Originality/valueThis study attempts to show how the potential benefits of supply chain practices can no longer be ignored in healthcare supply chain.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isaac Sakyi Damoah

PurposeThis study explores the critical success factors (CSFs) in humanitarian supply chain management (HSCM) by focussing on flood disaster management (FDM) in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachAn in-depth semi-structured interview and questionnaire surveys in a sequential data collection approach were used to collect data from definitive stakeholders of humanitarian organisations. The data was analysed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factors analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques.FindingsSeventy-four factors were identified as success factors of HSCM of flood disaster management. However, 41 of these factors were statistically significant and considered as critical. In descending order, these factors relate to management practices, education and training, stakeholder involvement and cooperation, infrastructure, innovation and technology, materials and resources, administrative practices, socio-cultural and economic. Whilst some factors are internal to the humanitarian organisations, others are external factors that are beyond the control of humanitarian organisations.Research limitations/implicationsEven though this study offers empirical results that could guide policymakers in their decision-making about humanitarian operations, care needs to be taken since the data is within one country and within a specific disaster context – hence, policymakers need to consider the local contextual dynamics. Future studies could look at different disasters context to make a comparative analysis of various types of disaster operations.Practical implicationsInstitutions such as World Health Organization, Red Cross organisations and UN seeking to curbs global-warming-related disasters and the reduction of the effects of flood disaster can use findings as a guide during the formulation of HSCM policies and strategies.Originality/valueUnlike previous studies of humanitarian operations that focussed extensively on theoretical expositions, simulations, conceptual frameworks and models, this present study offers empirical evidence of humanitarian operations in the context of SCM. Further, by highlighting on the HSCM CSFs, this study contributes to disaster reduction and their effects on humanity in the context of FDM. This research could be used as guide by governments and FDM organisations to make informed decisions on SCM areas to focus the most during FDM.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakesh R. Menon ◽  
V. Ravi

Purpose World over organizations are focusing on sustainable goals, where along with economic success their role in protecting the planet and people are becoming important. Whilst transforming the supply chain into a sustainable one, there would be some barriers which might hinder this process. This paper aims to study these barriers in the context of the electronics industry so that organizations can better implement sustainable supply chain programs. Design/methodology/approach In this research, barriers affecting sustainability implementation in the electronics supply chain are shortlisted from literature review and experts’ opinion. Using the combined methodology of Grey DEMATEL, the causal factors, the effect factors and degree of prominence of barriers is found out. The overall relationship among barriers is established by a diagraph. Sensitivity analysis is performed to check the robustness of the results. Findings It is found that lack of regulation and guidance from authorities is the primary causal barrier affecting operations of sustainable supply chain management. There are five barriers which fall in the influenced group and among them, complexity in measuring and monitoring sustainability practices has the largest net effect value on the implementation of a sustainable supply chain. The barrier having the highest correlation with other barriers is the high cost for disposal of hazardous wastes. The implications of these findings on managers and academicians is explored in the study. Research limitations/implications In this research, the number of barriers shortlisted is limited to 11 in the context of the electronics supply chain. More factors could be added in future research based on the industry being studied. Originality/value The research analyses 11 barriers under categories of policy, technology, financial and human resources in the Indian electronics industry by evaluating the cause and effect group of barriers. These results can guide policymakers of the electronic sector and industry for mitigating barriers during the implementation of sustainable programs.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Stefano Patrucco ◽  
Liliana Rivera ◽  
Christopher Mejía-Argueta ◽  
Yossi Sheffi

PurposeIn line with the knowledge-based view of organizations, this paper aims to analyze how supply chain (SC) employees contribute to the creation of competitive advantage through knowledge acquisition and utilization activities. The authors consider SC employees' skills and competencies, their external network of relationships, their job satisfaction and company investments in training and test how they relate to SC-level outcomes (i.e. SC growth).Design/methodology/approachThe authors design a research model including the aforementioned variables, and the authors apply structural equation modeling (SEM) to survey data collected from 246 SC professionals in Latin America. The authors also use multi-group analysis to evaluate how the relationships between these variables change with different levels of company investment in training.FindingsThe results show that a broad professional network of relationships contributes to increasing the skills and competencies of SC professionals, which, in turn, impact job satisfaction and SC performance. This reinforces the value of investing in skilled human talent, who can contribute to knowledge acquisition, utilization, and, ultimately, to SC competitiveness. Companies that invest more in training to develop their SC employees benefit from stronger SC outcomes.Originality/valueThis study contributes to broadening the understanding of the impact of human resource management (HRM) on supply chain management (SCM). One of the added original foci of this research is the emphasis on developing countries where these HRM-to-SCM performance relationships have not been studied before.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivek Roy

PurposeSupply chain traceability and supply chain visibility have become a critical element for the effective management of contemporary complex supply chains. At their core is information sharing, which has been acknowledged as a key prerequisite for logistics and supply chain performance, but whose notional underpinnings have not been delineated fully, leading to interchangeable deployment of these terms. Addressing the shortcoming, this paper aims to establish a contrast between the two notions.Design/methodology/approachDrawing from systematic review protocols, a multi-disciplinary review scope is constructed wherein the synthesis is strategized to primarily channel implications for the scholarship of logistics and supply chain management. The review is aimed at addressing two research objectives: (1) how the notions of traceability and visibility in supply chain management develop contrast in terms of their thematic emphasis and (2) to attain an integrative understanding of the notional convergence and divergence between supply chain traceability and visibility for raising strategic recommendations.FindingsThe review outcomes help contrast both the convergence and the divergence between traceability and visibility in the supply chain environment, and the differentiated but fundamental role that information sharing plays within these notions to outline why they are not interchangeable.Originality/valueThe originality of the findings lies in the conceptual synthesis of the relevant literature from both technological and non-technological perspectives to ultimately draw logistics and supply chain management implications. The review also points out key strategic considerations to demarcate the notional boundaries of traceability and visibility in future research.


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