Complementary theories to supply chain management revisited – from borrowing theories to theorizing

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 574-586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Árni Halldórsson ◽  
Juliana Hsuan ◽  
Herbert Kotzab
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Academic Scholarship ◽  
Key Characteristics ◽  
Theory Application

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to identify ways by which the theorizing of supply chain management (SCM) takes place, with particular attention to complementary theories. SCM suffers as well as benefits from a “conceptual slack”. Design/methodology/approach – The nature of SCM is discussed, and the role and relevance of theorizing is addressed by using key characteristics of “academic scholarship” based on a literature review of SCM and evaluation of application of theory and theory development. Findings – The integrative and multi-layered nature of SCM sets the conditions for “theorizing SCM” that can take place through various forms: theory application, new theoretical combinations and sensitivity to managerial practice. It is pivotal that future research explore further the performative potential of SCM. Research limitations/implications – Research with focus on theory development or using complementary theories to advancing understanding of SCM can benefit from the five building blocks of theorizing SCM proposed in the paper. Practical implications – Theoretical principles in SCM are not only used to describe practical problems but also to “produce the world”; supply chains can be seen as organizational units that act or consummate an action that delivers a particular performance. Originality/value – This paper portrays SCM sensitivity to managerial challenges by moving from borrowing to a more bilateral view on theorizing of SCM, reflecting the nature of SCM.

Sustainable supply chain management: continuing evolution and future directions

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig R. Carter ◽  
Marc R. Hatton ◽  
Chao Wu ◽  
Xiangjing Chen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Unit Of Analysis ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Empirical Validity ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain Management

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.

scholarly journals Modern slavery challenges to supply chain management

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 485-494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Gold ◽  
Alexander Trautrims ◽  
Zoe Trodd
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Modern Slavery ◽  
Starting Point

Purpose – This paper aims to draw attention to the challenges modern slavery poses to supply chain management. Although many international supply chains are (most often unknowingly) connected to slave labour activities, supply chain managers and researchers have so far neglected the issue. This will most likely change as soon as civil society lobbying and new legislation impose increasing litigation and reputational risks on companies operating international supply chains. Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides a definition of slavery; explores potentials for knowledge exchange with other disciplines; discusses management tools for detecting slavery, as well as suitable company responses after its detection; and outlines avenues for future research. Findings – Due to a lack of effective indicators, new tools and indicator systems need to be developed that consider the specific social, cultural and geographical context of supply regions. After detection of slavery, multi-stakeholder partnerships, community-centred approaches and supplier development appear to be effective responses. Research limitations/implications – New theory development in supply chain management (SCM) is urgently needed to facilitate the understanding, avoidance and elimination of slavery in supply chains. As a starting point for future research, the challenges of slavery to SCM are conceptualised, focussing on capabilities and specific institutional context. Practical implications – The paper provides a starting point for the development of practices and tools for identifying and removing slave labour from supply chains. Originality/value – Although representing a substantial threat to current supply chain models, slavery has so far not been addressed in SCM research.

Logistics and supply chain management research in Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamal El Baz ◽  
Issam Laguir ◽  
Rébecca Stekelorum
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Organizational Behavior ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Theory Application ◽  
Research Propositions

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review the literature on logistics and supply chain management (SCM) in Africa over the last few decades. It provides a comprehensive assessment of theory application regarding the research articles published between 1994 and 2016.Design/methodology/approachIn this structured systematic literature review, a set of 110 articles on SCM research in Africa is assessed.FindingsThe authors present the state-of-the-art review on logistics and SCM research in Africa. Extant literature shows that most research works focused on operational aspects of logistics and SCM and that papers drew heavily on theories inspired by strategic management, marketing, micro/macroeconomics and organizational behavior theories. Also, most of the papers with theoretical background can be categorized into theory matching and theory dressing and only a minority of theoretical papers belongs to theory suggestion category. Furthermore, based on the findings, the authors present a framework to characterize the peculiar aspects of Africa-based SCM and logistics practices and provide research propositions related to underexplored aspects of logistics and SCM in Africa.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has a number of implications. Practitioners and researchers will gain a greater understanding of how logistics and SCM are carried out in Africa and the type of issues that have been addressed. Furthermore, researchers will be able to identify areas that need greater research attention in Africa.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first literature reviews of publications on logistics and SCM in Africa. It presents an overarching map of the research to date and a series of propositions to inform future research.

Healthcare supply chain management: literature review and some issues

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhavana Mathur ◽  
Sumit Gupta ◽  
Makhan Lal Meena ◽  
G.S. Dangayach
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Potential Benefits

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.

An analysis of barriers affecting implementation of sustainable supply chain management in electronics industry: a Grey-DEMATEL approach

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakesh R. Menon ◽  
V. Ravi
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Electronics Industry ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain Management ◽  
Indian Electronics Industry

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.

Contrasting supply chain traceability and supply chain visibility: are they interchangeable?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivek Roy
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Information Sharing ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Critical Element ◽  
Effective Management ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type

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.

Internal integration in humanitarian supply chain management

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Makepeace ◽  
Peter Tatham ◽  
Yong Wu
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Functional Interpretation ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Demand Chain ◽  
Management Concepts ◽  
Revised Definitions

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to compare perspectives on humanitarian logistics (HL) and supply chain management (SCM) among programmes and logistics/support staff. Design/methodology/approach Underpinned by services supply chain management (SSCM) theory, a single case study of a leading international non-governmental organisation is presented based on a web-based survey of the organisation’s global operations staff, supplemented by semi-structured interviews conducted with senior representatives. Findings The study is believed to be the first to consider the different perspectives of programmes and logistics staff on the interpretation of logistics and SCM. The results indicate both significant divergence between the views of these two cohorts, as well as a general lack of clarity over the concept of SCM, its relationship with logistics and the cross-functional nature of SCM. Research limitations/implications Insufficient responses from programme staff limit the generalisability of the findings. Suggestions for future research include further examination of the potential of applying SSCM and demand chain management concepts to the humanitarian context. Practical implications The results support the notion that a broader, more strategic interpretation of SCM, more clearly distinguished from the practice of HL, may assist in breaking down perceived jurisdictional boundaries, bridging the gap between programmes and logistics teams, and strengthening demand-chain influences and the “voice of the beneficiary”. Originality/value By taking into account the views of non-logisticians, a broader, cross-functional interpretation of SCM is offered leading to revised definitions for both SCM and HL within this sector, together with a framework that integrates SCM across humanitarian relief and development contexts.

Green supply chain management and the circular economy

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (8) ◽  
pp. 794-817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junjun Liu ◽  
Yunting Feng ◽  
Qinghua Zhu ◽  
Joseph Sarkis
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Theoretical Development ◽  
Green Supply Chain Management ◽  
Green Supply Chain ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Green supply chain management (GSCM) and the circular economy (CE) overlap but also differ. The purpose of this paper is to clarify linkages between these two concepts. It identifies mutual theory applications used to study GSCM and CE. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review is conducted to identify theories from GSCM and CE studies. A critical analysis explores the theories that can provide mutual applications between GSCM and CE fields. Propositions are developed. Findings In all, 12 theories are applied in both GSCM and CE studies. Several theories are only applied in GSCM studies, but can help to advance CE study. These theories include complexity, transaction cost economics, agency, and information theories. Each of the eight theories only applied to CE can potentially advance GSCM study. Research limitations/implications The findings contribute to further theory development for both GSCM and CE study. A methodological review can advance theoretical development and cross-pollination in both fields. Originality/value This work is the first study to explicitly explore linkages of GSCM and CE from a theoretical perspective.

Lean resilience: AURA (Active Usage of Resilience Assets) framework for post-COVID-19 supply chain management

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dmitry Ivanov
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Supply Chain Resilience ◽  
Resilience Capabilities

PurposeSupply chain resilience capabilities are usually considered in light of some anticipated events and are as passive assets, which are “waiting” for use in case of an emergency. This, however, can be inefficient. Moreover, the current COVID-19 pandemic has revealed difficulties in the timely deployments of resilience assets and their utilization for value creation. We present a framework that consolidates different angles of efficient resilience and renders utilization of resilience capabilities for creation of value.Design/methodology/approachWe conceptualise the design of the AURA (Active Usage of Resilience Assets) framework for post-COVID-19 supply chain management through collating the extant literature on value creation-oriented resilience and practical examples and complementing our analysis with a discussion of practical implementations.FindingsBuilding upon and integrating the existing frameworks of VSC (Viable Supply Chain), RSC (Reconfigurable Supply Chain) and LCNSC (Low-Certainty-Need Supply Chain), we elaborate on a new idea in the AURA approach – to consider resilience as an inherent, active and value-creating component of operations management decisions, rather than as a passive “shield” to protect against rare, severe events. We identify 10 future research areas for lean resilience integrating management and digital platforms and technology.Practical implicationsThe outcomes of our study can be used by supply chain and operations managers to improve the efficiency and effectiveness by turning resilience from passive, cost-driving assets into a value-creating, inclusive decision-making paradigm.Originality/valueWe propose a novel approach to bring more dynamics to the notion of supply chain resilience. We name our approach AURA and articulate its two major advantages as follows: (1) reduction of disruption prediction efforts and (2) value creation from resilience assets. We offer a discussion on ten future research directions towards a lean resilience.

scholarly journals Understanding supply chain analytics capabilities and agility for data-rich environments

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (6/7/8) ◽  
pp. 887-912 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Fosso Wamba ◽  
Shahriar Akter
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supply Chain Agility ◽  
The Usa

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.

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