scholarly journals Supply chain integration in the product return process: A study of consumer electronics retailers

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wesley Niemann ◽  
Theuns Kotzé ◽  
Wynand Mostert
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Consumer Electronics ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Product Returns ◽  
Generic Qualitative ◽  
Internal Integration ◽  
Flow Of Information ◽  
Return Process

Background: The increasing complexity and levels of competition facing firms have reiterated the need to integrate the flow of goods and information within and between firms. Limited research has, however, been done regarding this integration in terms of reverse logistics.Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of retailers regarding supply chain integration in the context of product returns for consumer electronics.Method: A generic qualitative research strategy was used for this purpose. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with managerial staff involved with the product returns process at large retailers.Findings: The main findings indicate that the retailers made efforts to increase internal integration relating to improving information availability, aligning cross functional processes and improving inter-firm relationships. External integration efforts attempted to improve the intra-firm flow of information, reduce the number products returned to suppliers, expedite the returns process in specific instances and align processes. A narrow supplier-orientated span of integration was identified in this context, with integration efforts mainly targeting the start of the returns process to reduce return volumes. The study identified benefits attributed to both internal and external integration and barriers to internal and external integration relating to transactional relationships and suppliers who are incapable of integration.Contribution: Academically, this study expands the literature on supply chain integration in an unexplored context. For managers, this study identifies various reverse logistics integration barriers and details what practices and strategies improve the probability of successful integration efforts.

An Investigation of the Relationships Between Internal Integration, Antecedents and Functional Performance in Vietnam

2014 ◽  
pp. 78-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hieu Nguyen Thanh
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Functional Performance ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Mediating Effects ◽  
Leader Support ◽  
Communication Conflict ◽  
Internal Integration ◽  
Flow Of Information ◽  
The Relationship

Supply chain integration has been considered to be a source of competitive advantage for firms as it improves relationships and the flow of information and resources both between internal functions in an organization and between supply chain partners. This study examines the relationship between internal integration and functional performance. It also examines the three key antecedents to internal integration: communication, leader support and conflict. A questionnaire survey is used to collect data from a sample of 152 production managers. The data are analyzed using regression. The results indicate that communication, conflict and leader support are antecedents of internal integration and also impact functional performance. Internal integration is also found to mediate the relationships between communication and leader support with functional performance, but not for the relationships between conflict and functional performance. This is also the contribution of the paper, which is the first to examine and suggest these mediating effects between communication, leader support, internal integration and functional performance.

An exploration of supply chain integration in the retail product returns process

2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (7) ◽  
pp. 586-608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Bernon ◽  
John Upperton ◽  
Marko Bastl ◽  
John Cullen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Reverse Supply Chain ◽  
Product Returns ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chain Processes ◽  
Process Context

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore supply chain integration (SCI) enabling practices, their benefits and barriers in a retail product returns process context. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopts a case study research strategy. It draws on a single case, comprised of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and its two retailers. It utilizes an in-depth semi structured interviewing approach, combined with walk-through observations. Findings – The study finds that management of retail product returns can significantly benefit both an OEM and its customers when appropriate SCI enabling practices are deployed. While these practices are similar to those in forward supply chain processes, barriers are driven by the characteristics of product returns processes. Research limitations/implications – The limitations of this study stem primarily from its methodological design. A single case research strategy provides a limited opportunity for external generalization of the research findings. Practical implications – This study illustrates the value of SCI initiatives in product returns processes and informs managers ' decision making in the planning and execution of similar SCI implementations in product returns processes. Originality/value – This research claims to be one of the first works that systematically and empirically explores SCI in reverse supply chain processes, as opposed to forward supply chain processes.

scholarly journals Extent of Integration in Agriculture Supply Chain: The Public Sector Stakeholders perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 1319-1334
Author(s):  
Nadir Munir Hassan ◽  
Muhammad Nauman Abbasi
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Supply Chain Performance ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Public ◽  
Agriculture Sector ◽  
Reasonable Evidence ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose: Integrating network factors (i.e. Actors, Activities, and Resources), help organizations in achieving superior supply chain performance. Despite reasonable evidence on positive relationship between SCI and SCP, there exists sufficient contradiction on universal integration of chains. This paper is a qualitative exploratory study, which based on the network perspective intends to explore the current and required levels of supply chain integration among actors, activities, and resources in the agriculture supply chain of Pakistan. Design/Methodology/Approach: The data was collected through in depth semi-structured interviews from public sector stake holders of agriculture sector (i.e. From Thirteen wings of Ministry of Agriculture) across Pakistan. The current and required extent of supply chain integration was measured at three levels, i.e. strategic (long-term), tactical (medium-term) and operational (short-term) as suggested by (Childerhouse & Towill, 2011). Findings: The research results indicate that the relationship between supply chain integration and supply chain performance is a contextual phenomenon and significantly varies among Network factors. This study and its findings are expected to add into the literature of supply chain integration and its impact on supply chain performance.

Mediating and non-linear relationships among supply chain integration dimensions

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 698-723 ◽  
Author(s):  
Macarena Sacristán-Díaz ◽  
Pedro Garrido-Vega ◽  
José Moyano-Fuentes
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Information Integration ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Financial Integration ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
External Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Linear Relationships ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
Internal Integration

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationships between the different dimensions of supply chain integration (SCI). First, the sequence in which these dimensions should be implemented and some possible mediating effects are investigated. Then, relationships are examined more closely to observe whether they present more complex non-linear forms than those usually analysed. Design/methodology/approach Required information was gathered from a sample of 477 Spanish industrial companies (23.4 per cent response rate). PLS structural equation modelling was applied to capture non-linear relationships between SCI dimensions. Findings The results indicate that internal integration leads to external integration and that within external integration, information flow integration provides the basis for financial flow integration and physical flow integration. Thus, the results suggest the existence of a logical sequence to achieve SCI. In addition, clearly different non-linear relationships are observed between the analysed variables. Practical implications It seems that a sufficient minimum value has to be reached for internal integration to have a positive effect on external information and financial integration. In addition, a higher degree of information integration appears to facilitate financial and physical integration, although a medium degree of information integration results in a lower degree of financial integration. Therefore, managers should not expect that efforts made to increase one integration dimension will always produce the same effect on the other dimensions. Originality/value An empirical contribution is made to knowledge of the logical SCI sequence. This contribution is not only important for academia, but also for managers seeking to improve supply chain performance through integration.

scholarly journals The effect of supply chain integration on customer loyalty: The mediating roles of operational performance and customer satisfaction

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 867-876 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudirman Zaid ◽  
Alida Palilati ◽  
Rahmat Madjid ◽  
Sarini Yusuf Abad
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Operational Performance ◽  
Research Model ◽  
Top Managers ◽  
Internal Integration ◽  
Significant Direct Effect

The objective of the research is to examine the role of Supply Chain Integration (SCI) which consists of; suppliers, customers, and internal integration in building customer loyalty. This study uses data from 308 top managers of Tuna Fillets SMEs Industries in Southeast Sulawesi Province, Indonesia as respondents. The research model was analyzed by using PLS-SEM. The research found that SCI had a significant direct effect on operational performance and customer satisfaction. The research also found that operational performance and customer satisfaction had some impacts on increasing loyalty of Tuna Fillets SMEs Industries customers. The results of the analysis also provide information that operational performance and customer satisfaction can be a mediator of the influence of Supply Chain Integration.

Assessing the Impact of Supply Chain Integration on Firm Competitive Capability

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam S. Maiga
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Organizational Response ◽  
Mediation Effects ◽  
Customer Integration ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Supplier Integration ◽  
Internal Integration ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Significant Direct Effect

Firms undertake efforts to compete along multiple fronts. First, they integrate internally in order to prepare a cohesive organizational response and to ready the ground for external integration. They then seek to integrate with both customers and suppliers which can increase the breadth and depth of resource endowments. Internal and external integration are posited to improve manufacturing related competitive capability. This study examines whether internal integration and external integration impact manufacturing related competitive capability. The findings indicate significant positive effects of internal integration on both supplier and customer integration. Each supply chain integration dimension has a significant direct effect on competitive capability. Testing for mediation effects indicates that customer integration and supplier integration partially mediate the effects of internal integration on competitive capability.

Inhibitors and enablers of supply chain integration across multiple supply chain tiers: evidence from Malawi

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kizito Elijah Kanyoma ◽  
Frank Wogbe Agbola ◽  
Richard Oloruntoba
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Focal Firm ◽  
Culture Of Fear ◽  
Major Supplier ◽  
Internal Integration

PurposeThis paper investigates the inhibitors and enablers of supply chain integration (SCI) across multiple tiers in the supply chains of manufacturing-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malawi.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a qualitative approach, data were collected through face-to-face interviews across three supply chains, each consisting of a focal manufacturer, a major supplier and a retailer.FindingsThe research identified interpersonal relationships, supplier cost transparency and joint supply chain management (SCM) investments as key enablers of SCI. Concerning the inhibitors of SCI, the study found that a lack of external integration inhibited internal integration by acting as a source of disruption to intra-firm processes and relationships. Further, the research found weaker links between manufacturer–-retailer dyads than in manufacturer–supplier dyads, which constrained the ability to achieve multi-tier supplier–manufacture–retailer integration. The study also revealed that resource and infrastructural deficiencies, a culture of fear and intimidation within and between firms, corruption in sourcing transactions and a lack of inter-firm trust inhibited SCI.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper extends earlier evidence that internal integration is a prerequisite for external integration demonstrating that a basic level of external integration is necessary to prevent disruptions to internal integration.Originality/valueThis study is one of the few to go beyond the focal firm perspective and explore the inhibitors and enablers of SCI across multiple supply chain positions, and provides new evidence on the role of external integration in achieving internal integration.

Supply Chain Integration in the Textile and Garment Industries

2012 ◽  
pp. 47-61
Author(s):  
Ruth Banomyong
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Garment Industry ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Dyadic Relationships ◽  
Innovation Capability ◽  
Governmental Support ◽  
Internal Integration ◽  
Integrated Supply Chain ◽  
Integration Analysis

Supply chain integration has been theoretically posited as a key requirement that enhances supply chain competitiveness and innovation. However, there has been a lack of empirical evidence related to the level of supply chain integration and its benefit. This chapter provides an illustration of the level of integration observed in the Thai textile and garment supply chain. The supply chain integration analysis was done through the use of the quick scan audit methodology and it was observed that there was no integrated supply chain in the Thai textile and garment industry. The majority of the existing textile and garment supply chain relationship in Thailand was mostly limited to internal functions within member firms with some dyadic relationships. This means that most Thai textile and garment firms are still struggling with internal integration and are still not able to integrate their respective supply chain thus affecting innovation capability of Thai textile and garment supply chain. Governmental support may be needed to develop the facilitating environment for supply chain integration.

Integration in Global Supply Chains

2011 ◽  
pp. 135-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shawnee Vickery ◽  
Cornelia Droge
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Information Integration ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Environmental Turbulence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Joint Decision ◽  
Integration Mechanisms ◽  
Second Tier ◽  
Internal Integration

Supply chain management (SCM) demands a holistic view of the functions and processes required to bring a product or service to market. It assumes that optimization of subsystems does not necessarily lead to global optimization and that the supply chain should be strategically managed as a single entity in order to effectively and efficiently deliver the desired results. SCM requires supply chain integration, both internal integration (for example, across functions) and integration with suppliers, customers, and/or other concerned channel members. The key recurring themes characterizing integration research as applied to business processes concern connectivity and simplification. Connectivity implies seamless linkages (internally or externally) and encompasses coordination, collaboration, cooperation, and interaction. Simplification is the common manifestation of system optimization. The most important specific mechanisms for achieving integration are teams (or integration via human interaction) and IT (or information integration); these two are central to the evolution of knowledge integration into a collaborative “culture” of joint decision-making and knowledge management. The literature suggests that integration in a supply chain and firm performance are positively linked. Although a lot of research in a variety of research domains has addressed cross-functional teams or IT (internal integration) and firm performance, less work has been done on the interaction of integration mechanisms or on the impact of integration mechanisms conditional on other factors, such as environmental turbulence. Furthermore, empirical research with a holistic supply chain orientation is in its infancy. For example, neither second tier suppliers and customers nor recyclers are typically considered. The chapter concludes by suggesting several avenues for future research in global supply chain integration.

scholarly journals The mediating effect of internal integration on the relationship between supply chain integration and operational performance: Evidence from Moroccan manufacturing companies

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Errassafi ◽  
Hassan Abbar ◽  
Zahra Benabbou
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Organizational Capabilities ◽  
Operational Performance ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Customer Integration ◽  
Supplier Integration ◽  
Internal Integration ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose: This paper aims to explain the direct effect of supply chain integration on operational performance of manufacturing companies and the mediating effect of internal integration on the relationship between external integration and operational performance.Design/methodology/approach: From an organizational capabilities perspective we consider internal integration as a set of intra-organizational capabilities and customer integration and supplier integration as a set of inter-organizational capabilities. In the basis of a sample of 75 Moroccan manufacturing companies, we used PLS – Structural Equation Modeling to study the direct effect of customer integration, internal integration and supplier integration on operational performance of manufacturers and to analyze the mediating effect of internal integration. Findings: The results show that customer integration, internal integration and supplier integration are all positively and significantly related to operational performance of the manufacturer and internal integration mediates relationship between costumer integration and operational performance but not relationship between supplier integration and operational performance.     Research limitations/implications: This study focuses on a set of best practices for integrating flows and business processes that industrial companies need to implement in order to create value for final consumer and show how to use internal integration practices to benefit more from external integration.Originality/value: The result of this study extends the developing body of literature on supply chain integration by analyzing the effect of interaction between internal and external integration on the operational performance towards an organizational capabilities perspective in a specific Moroccan industrial context.

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