The structural impact of supply chain management teams

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 290-310
Author(s):  
Xun Li ◽  
Clyde W. Holsapple ◽  
Thomas J. Goldsby

Purpose In today’s constantly evolving global business environment, multidivisional firms (MDFs) require an organizational structure for supply chain management (SCM) that facilitates the development of supply chain agility. This research aims to investigate what structural elements of an MDF’s SCM team contribute to supply chain agility. Design/methodology/approach A two-sample field study was conducted. Four MDFs with top-performing supply chains (Sample 1) were first studied to identify agility-supporting structural elements. Then, quantitative data from 35 MDFs with contrasting levels of supply chain agility (Sample 2) were collected to test the theoretical propositions advanced from Sample 1 findings. Findings The results reveal four structural elements that exert a positive impact on an MDF’s supply chain agility: hierarchical position of the divisional top supply chain executive, scope of divisional supply chain operations, hierarchical position of the top supply chain executive at the headquarters and scope of SCM coordination by the headquarters. Originality/value First, this study provides a comparatively comprehensive understanding of the SCM organization structure in MDFs. Second, this study is one of the first to provide empirically supported theoretical insights about the linkage between an MDF’s organizational structure for SCM and supply chain agility.

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satyendra Kumar Sharma ◽  
Anil Bhat

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present an approach to effective supply chain management by understanding the dynamics between various enablers of agile supply chain. Today’s business environment is characterized as a highly competitive, dynamic and volatile market. Agile supply chain is seen as the winning strategy to be adopted by manufacturers bracing themselves for dramatic performance enhancements to become national and international leaders. Design/methodology/approach – Using interpretive structural modeling the research presents a hierarchy-based model and the mutual relationships among the enablers of agile supply chain. Findings – The research shows that there exists a group of enablers having a high driving power and low dependence requiring maximum attention and of strategic importance, whereas another group consists of those variables which have high dependence and are the resultant actions. Practical implications – This classification provides a useful tool to supply chain managers to differentiate between independent and dependent variables and their mutual relationships which would help them to focus on those key variables that are most important for building cost-effective and agile supply chains. Originality/value – Presentation of enablers in a hierarchy and the classification into driver and dependent categories is unique effort in the area of agile supply chain management.


2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (6/7/8) ◽  
pp. 887-912 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Fosso Wamba ◽  
Shahriar Akter

Purpose Big data-driven supply chain analytics capability (SCAC) is now emerging as the next frontier of supply chain transformation. Yet, very few studies have been directed to identify its dimensions, subdimensions and model their holistic impact on supply chain agility (SCAG) and firm performance (FPER). Therefore, to fill this gap, the purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a dynamic SCAC model and assess both its direct and indirect impact on FPER using analytics-driven SCAG as a mediator. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on the emerging literature on big data, the resource-based view and the dynamic capability theory to develop a multi-dimensional, hierarchical SCAC model. Then, the model is tested using data collected from supply chain analytics professionals, managers and mid-level manager in the USA. The study uses the partial least squares-based structural equation modeling to prove the research model. Findings The findings of the study identify supply chain management (i.e. planning, investment, coordination and control), supply chain technology (i.e. connectivity, compatibility and modularity) and supply chain talent (i.e. technology management knowledge, technical knowledge, relational knowledge and business knowledge) as the significant antecedents of a dynamic SCAC model. The study also identifies analytics-driven SCAG as the significant mediator between overall SCAC and FPER. Based on these key findings, the paper discusses their implications for theory, methods and practice. Finally, limitations and future research directions are presented. Originality/value The study fills an important gap in supply chain management research by estimating the significance of various dimensions and subdimensions of a dynamic SCAC model and their overall effects on SCAG and FPER.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 3021-3044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meryem Uluskan ◽  
A. Blanton Godfrey

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a supply chain management framework covering different business environment levels, that is, macro, micro and supply chain levels, and also to evaluate Haiti vs China as apparel-sourcing partners by assessing macro-level, supply-chain-level and micro-level environments from the US apparel buyers’ perspective. Design/methodology/approach In order to achieve this, first, a framework covering these business environment levels was developed and tested through path analysis. Prior to path analysis exploratory factor analysis was conducted to verify proposed factor structures. Data were collected using face-to-face interviews with a sample of 41 apparel companies that operate in the USA and source from China and Haiti. Findings This study found that both supply-chain-level and micro-level environments positively impact global supply chain performance. Supply-chain-level also has a direct effect on micro-level environment and macro-level environment has only a direct effect on supply-chain-level environment. Interviews and discussions based on this framework indicate that Haiti’s proximity to the USA, price, low-wage rates, small-order sourcing opportunities and good basic sewing skills are among Haiti’s strengths. Originality/value This study is unique in developing a multi-level environment framework for supply chain management and in comparing Haiti and China in terms of their supply chains to evaluate the potential competitiveness of Haitian apparel supply chain.


Kybernetes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (10) ◽  
pp. 2217-2236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roya Dehgani ◽  
Nima Jafari Navimipour

PurposeThe impact of information technology (IT) on the agility of supply chain management (SCM) systems is very noticeable in the business world nowadays. Competition and constant changes, including product/technological innovations, decreasing product lifestyles and product proliferation, create pressure that affects the business environment. Organizations are required for answering the changes in the market to gain a competitive advantage and business success. The organizations are able to answer to unexpected market changes through supply chain market, and these changes are converted to business opportunities. Using IT to achieve the agility of SCM is one of the important factors to help the organizations. Therefore, the adoption of IT and its efficient implementation can improve the cooperation between supply chain agility through the rapid transfer, the distribution of accurate information and the use of information. This paper aims to investigate the impact of IT on the agility of SCM.Design/methodology/approachA total of 120 employees of the Golasal firm are involved in collecting data using a questionnaire. Measurements were performed in all questionnaires using a five-point Likert scale. The causal model is evaluated by structural equationmodeling technique, which is used to examine the reliability and validity of the model.FindingsThe results have shown that IT has positive influences on the agility of SCM systems. In addition, the obtained results have shown that four variables, namely, IT skills and knowledge, IT-based systems integration, IT infrastructure and design of global position system and geographic information systems, affect the agility of SCM systems.Originality/valueIn this paper, the agility of SCM systems is pointed out and the approach to resolve the problem is applied into a practical example. The presented model provides a complete framework to examine the impact of IT on the agility of SCM systems.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-49
Author(s):  
Negar Jalilian ◽  
Seyed Habibollah Mirghafoori

Purpose The purpose of this paper seeks to provide a hybrid framework of sustainable supply chain fuzzy rotation matrix regarding the challenges in today’s business environment and the goals pursued by sustainable supply chain, to prioritize effective infrastructure to manage the challenges in ceramic tile industry in Yazd. Design/methodology/approach The research offers a hybrid framework of analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and quality function deployment (QFD) model to determine, which one of the goals of a sustainable supply chain can have a greater share in the management of business challenges. Findings The results indicated government regulations that encourage the implementation of sustainable supply chain and management of the consumption of non-renewable resources are among the most important infrastructures that can be effective to manage the challenges of today’s business. Practical implications Given the importance of managing the challenges in today’s business environment and sustainable supply chain management capabilities to enable managers to deal with these challenges, the present research makes effort to offer a hybrid framework of AHP and QFD model, to determine, which one of the goals of a sustainable supply chain can have a greater share in the management of business challenges. Originality/value By reviewing the existing research studies in the sustainable supply chain area, it can be found that despite of vast studies, there is no focus on establishing a comprehensive interaction between business challenges management and the fulfillment of sustainable supply chain management goals. So according to this research gap, a new framework was presented in this study to enable tile and ceramic industry managers, to focus on mentioned interaction and manage the businesses challenges in the desired way to achieve sustainable supply chain goals.


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 472-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ismail Golgeci ◽  
David M. Gligor

Purpose This paper aims to identify key marketing and supply chain management-related (supply chain management – SCM) capabilities and explore the nature of the linkages between these specific capabilities as shaped by the integrative mechanisms adopted by firms. Design/methodology/approach Based on the findings from dyadic interviews with 26 marketing and SCM executives from business-to-business firms, the authors develop an empirically grounded conceptual framework. Findings The authors identify innovativeness and market learning capability as key marketing capabilities and supply chain agility and relational capability as key SCM capabilities. The authors find that relationships between these strategic marketing and SCM capabilities follow a specific pattern. The authors also find that the application of unique integrative mechanisms can cultivate the potential tandem between marketing and SCM capabilities. Research limitations/implications The study informs theory with regard to two key areas: relationships among key marketing and SCM capabilities and integrative mechanisms that shape the underlying mechanisms of capability relationships. Practical implications Application of organizational dynamics to key marketing and SCM provides a more nuanced understanding of the linkages among such capabilities. A better understanding and application of integrative mechanisms may help managers to develop better tools and means to bundle their key marketing and SCM capabilities effectively. Originality/value The qualitative and exploratory nature of the paper will be of significant interest to managers who would like to achieve greater synergy between marketing and SCM capabilities.


2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 972-1001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohong Liu ◽  
Alan C. McKinnon

Purpose Although well established in North America and Europe, the study of supply chain management (SCM) is still at a relatively early stage in its development in China. The transformation and rapid growth of the Chinese economy has, nevertheless, created major supply chain challenges for the country making SCM a very fertile area of business research. In Western countries, research on SCM is now mature and underpinned by a solid body of theory. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which research on SCM in China has also developed a theoretical basis. Design/methodology/approach The research involved a systematic review of 150 papers published in 18 journals in the fields of SCM, logistics, operations management and marketing during the period 2004-2014. A three-step process was adopted to select appropriate journals, identify relevant articles and classify them in terms of their theoretical content. Findings The study has confirmed that, because of its unique economic, political and cultural setting, supply chain development in China has presented new research challenges. Many examples were found of researchers conducting quasi-experiments to test the applicability of established theories to Chinese supply chains while others have tried to develop new ones that are more closely aligned with the Chinese economy and management practices. Researchers have exhibited a heavy reliance on existing theories, with relatively few attempting to customise them to the Chinese context or to construct new ones. Research limitations/implications Given the broad scope of SCM, it is possible that the journal and paper selection processes have accidentally screened out relevant papers. The total sample of papers is, nevertheless, large for an explorative study of this type and should, therefore, give an overall impression of the level of theory development in Chinese SCM research. Practical implications This study provides a general framework within which to assess the application and development of theories in the Chinese SCM context. It is principally concerned with three components: the SCM phenomena studied, the Chinese business environment and the theoretical contribution of the research. The paper is targeted more at an academic audience than practitioners, though provides an overview of the research so far undertaken on SCM in China that should be of wider interest. Originality/value This study is the first of its kind to review China-based SCM research systematically from the perspective of theory development. It should support the evolution of SCM theory not only in China but also more generally.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 467-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Gligor ◽  
Nichole Gligor ◽  
Mary Holcomb ◽  
Siddik Bozkurt

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to add clarity to the multidimensional concepts of agility and resilience. In addition, this paper seeks to clarify the differences and similarities between the two concepts by integrating the distinct bodies of knowledge on agility and resilience. Design/methodology/approach A multidisciplinary systematic literature review is conducted. The concept of agility is explored through a review of the sports science, manufacturing, organizational, information systems and information systems development and supply chain literature bases. The concept of resilience is investigated through a review of the psychological and psychopathological, ecological, economic, organizational and supply chain literature bases. Findings Examining the complex relationship between the two constructs led to the emergence of six major dimensions to capture the concept of agility (i.e. ability to quickly change direction, speed/accelerate operations, scan the environment/anticipate, empower the customer/customize, adjust tactics and operations (flexibility), and integrate processes within and across firms). Similarly, six dimensions were uncovered for resilience (i.e. ability to resist/survive disruptions, avoid the shock altogether, recover/return to original form following disruption, speed/accelerate operations, adjust tactics and operations (flexibility) and scan the environment/anticipate). Agility and resilience were found to share three common dimensions (i.e. ability to adjust tactics and operations (flexibility), speed/accelerate operations and scan the environment/anticipate). Practical implications The identification of the common characteristics of agility and resilience carries important managerial implications from a resource allocation perspective. Allocating resources to the development of the common characteristics of agility and resilience can help firms maximize the impact of such investments. That is, by investing in the common characteristics of both they can improve supply chain agility and supply chain resilience. If firms approach the development or improvement of supply chain agility or resilience independent from one another, without an awareness of the common characteristics, they could be duplicating their investments resulting in supply chain redundancies and inefficiencies. Originality/value Not having a clear and comprehensive understanding of the similarities and differences between agility and resilience is problematic from a theoretical perspective. A clear understanding of what each construct represents provides a platform for building generalizable theory by helping researchers operationalize these constructs in a consistent manner. Further, providing a generalizable, comprehensive and multidisciplinary perspective on agility and resilience within supply chain management literature can help increase the visibility of the field of supply chain management across other disciplines as scholars outside the field of supply chain management can utilize the results of this research effort.


Author(s):  
Florian Kache ◽  
Stefan Seuring

Purpose Despite the variety of supply chain management (SCM) research, little attention has been given to the use of Big Data Analytics for increased information exploitation in a supply chain. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to theory development in SCM by investigating the potential impacts of Big Data Analytics on information usage in a corporate and supply chain context. As it is imperative for companies in the supply chain to have access to up-to-date, accurate, and meaningful information, the exploratory research will provide insights into the opportunities and challenges emerging from the adoption of Big Data Analytics in SCM. Design/methodology/approach Although Big Data Analytics is gaining increasing attention in management, empirical research on the topic is still scarce. Due to the limited availability of comparable material at the intersection of Big Data Analytics and SCM, the authors apply the Delphi research technique. Findings Portraying the emerging transition trend from a digital business environment, the presented Delphi study findings contribute to extant knowledge by identifying 43 opportunities and challenges linked to the emergence of Big Data Analytics from a corporate and supply chain perspective. Research limitations/implications These constructs equip the research community with a first collection of aspects, which could provide the basis to tailor further research at the nexus of Big Data Analytics and SCM. Originality/value The research adds to the existing knowledge base as no empirical research has been presented so far specifically assessing opportunities and challenges on corporate and supply chain level with a special focus on the implications imposed through Big Data Analytics.


2012 ◽  
Vol 220-223 ◽  
pp. 327-329
Author(s):  
Zhi Qi Huang

Abstract:With the development of E-business, supply chain management of manufacturing enterprises becomes more efficient,making business transactions more simplified, and meanwhile, organizational structure is transformed into open flat network structure from a pyramid hierarchical structure. Therefore, it is essential that manufacturing enterprises view as a whole function processes various businesses inside the enterprises and between the nodes at the supply chain, comprehensively improve the level of human capital through the form of virtual enterprises and establish management teams with the innovation consciousness.


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