The coordination effect of B2B digital process capabilities on competitive performance: balancing or complementing

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the consequences of two strategies of coordinating the online procurement capability and the online channel management capability on competitive performance.Design/methodology/approachA research model is presented to examine the performance impacts of these two coordination strategies, namely the balancing strategy (achieving a close match relationship) and the complementing strategy (maintaining the synergy effect), and tested using firm-level data collected from 196 manufacturing firms in China. Garen's two-stage econometric technique was used to identify the impacts of two coordination strategies on competitive performance.FindingsOur study discusses and compares two different coordination strategies of mitigating the operational tensions across processes and deploying resource configurations for improving competitive performance. Our results show that while the balancing strategy can mitigate the risks resulted, the complementing strategy does not create synergistic effects on the focal firms' competitive performance.Originality/valueThe results extend our understanding of the nature of B2B digital process coordination both in IS management and supply chain operations.

Research on Modern Marine Environmental Governance in China: Subject Identification, Structural Characteristics, and Operational Mechanisms

Under the guidance of modern environmental governance concepts, there have been profound changes in the subject, structure, and operational mechanism of the modern marine environmental governance in China. This paper first classifies the subjects of modern marine environmental governance in China, as well as their relationships; analyses the structural characteristics from the three levels of rights, society, and region; explores the operational mechanism; and builds the framework of the modern marine environmental governance system in China. Both the central and local governments act as the leaders of the modern marine environmental governance system in China, and there have been many new changes in their relationships. On the one hand, the interest and goals of the central and local governments have gradually converged under the pressure system. On the other hand, local governments follow the principles of comprehensive governance regarding the coastline and collaborative cooperation is gradually beginning to occur. Different governance subjects are interrelated and intertwined to form a complete modern marine environmental governance structure, which includes the following three levels: the governmental power structure; the social structure, which involves collaboration between multiple entities; and the regional structure, which involves land-sea coordination in environmental governance. These structures each play their parts in the overall process of the marine environmental governance’s institutional arrangements, process coordination, and feedback adjustments and ultimately constitute a dynamic and complete modern marine environmental governance operational system.

An Integrated And Cohesive Methodology For Smart Manufacturing Application Based On Cloud, Edge And Fog Computing

Cloud fabricating is rising as a key empowering influence for assembling organizations to convey exceptionally customizableadministrations over the Internet. This paper means to examine how cloud fabricating frameworks can encourage viable assistance situated business[8]. This framework proposes a cloud-based pluggable assembling administration plot by utilizing distributed computing, RESTful Web Service and edge registering to tackle this issue[7].By making use of a double layer administration instrument, the assembling administrations can be worked as pluggable application module[8].The suggestedSystem enables the designers to convey chose Pluggable Application Modulations from the cloud to the chosenedge gadgets productively and to run and deal with the stopped PAMs remotely through the cloud stage utilizing Web-based GUIs for supporting keen assembling exercises on the chosencreation gear[11]. In the suggestedframework, the key viewpoints are improved assembling system perceivability, data sharing, fabricating process coordination and inconstancy, and educated basic leadership with the goal that the general creation runs as per plan[13]

Scientific Discourse of Populism: Aspects of Economy and Tax Policy

Introduction. Insufficient level of the economic growth perceiving amongst population of even economically developed countries, growth of inequality of incomes and welfare caused the opening for the opportunities for exploitation of controversial narratives by non-systematic politicians of different spectra in order to obtain electoral dividends, that stipulates the initiation of scientific discourse on the sources, reasons and consequences of populism. Problem Statement. A populist impact in many of European and world countries as well as considerable challenges for economic and political sustainability stipulate the necessity for scientific cognition of that essence for further elaboration of receipts for minimization of negative and implementation of possible positive outcomes. Purpose. To generalize, to structure and to systematize the studies of the political and economic foundations of populism and its manifestations in the context of the formation and implementation of economic and fiscal (tax) policy. Materials and Methods. A methodological consensus as general method introduced on defining populism as ideology, policy and social movement grounded on coordination on the structural elements contained in the definitions of different research schools is implemented; a comparative analyses of Western European and Ukrainian populism; a factsheet and statistical analyses for substantiation of evidence-based tax populism in Ukraine. Results. The article reviews the publications of researchers on the problem of populism - its definition, analysis of social and economic foundations, as well as the impact on the fiscal and tax policies elaboration. On the basis of generalization of broad international research approached framework regarding the analysis of populist tax policy, the definition of tax populism is proposed. The reasons for the prevailing influence of right populism on the current tax policy in Ukraine. Introduced concept of elaboration of sustainable system of institutional and organizational-analytical measures grounded on the modernization of institutes of general public interest in the field of development and strengthening of political process coordination and economic policy. Conclusions. Generalized scientific, informational, analytical and statistical data about the objective essence of economic and tax populism growing tendencies in the world as well as danger of right-wing tax populism in the Ukraine.

Time for Change? The Why, What and How of Promoting Innovation to Tackle Rare Diseases – Is It Time to Update the EU’s Orphan Regulation? And if so, What Should be Changed?

Since developments are global in the healthcare arena, more should be done to align EU and other big markets’ regulatory practices for rare disease patients. Notwithstanding efforts and cooperation between the US and EU aimed to harmonize their strategic plans in the field of orphan drugs, regulatory criteria and procedures to gain the designation, terms and classifications should be still harmonised. Aligning the criteria of prevalence and support to orphan medicines in the various jurisdictions internationally, would facilitate patient recruitment eventually at global level, so as to gain the data and the biological insights required to identify biomarkers and appropriate endpoints needed for progressing clinical development. A conducive regulatory environment can further support the development of medicines to treat rare diseases. Overall there is a need for joined-up regulatory process coordination. Better integration of regulatory pathways and better integration of regulatory systems, such as scientific tools and methods to generate evidence, would be helpful. There is a need to revise and agree the current frameworks to be improved which will take into account the considerations and challenges to diagnose and treat different rare diseases and improve quality of life. Deliberative processes with multi-stakeholders’ involvement for reimbursement should be considered. This paper explores the successes and limitation of both the regulation and its implementation mechanisms in the current regulatory context, and suggests some improvements that could maximise its benefits and boost rare disease research even further.

Antecedents to buyer-supplier coordination in the pharmaceutical supply chain

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand the antecedents that influence supply chain coordination in the pharmaceutical supply chain using the transaction cost analysis framework. Design/methodology/approach Data from 156 retail pharmacies on their relationship with the pharmaceutical wholesalers are used to test the hypotheses. Findings The findings of this paper show the importance of antecedents that are based on the transactional cost theory, such as asset specificity and environmental uncertainty. These antecedents impact the supply chain process coordination at different levels – transactional, operational and strategic. Research limitations/implications Future research may investigate additional antecedents using other theoretical lenses. Practical implications Pharmaceutical wholesalers are dependent on pharmaceutical manufacturers for the supply of products and face intense competition that results in lower profit margins. Given that the pharmaceutical industry is strictly regulated, the wholesaler facilitates regulatory compliance of the manufacturers in the distribution process by coordinating with them. But the wholesalers do also face a constant threat from the manufacturers, who could potentially bypass the wholesalers (disintermediation) and go directly to the pharmacies. To counterbalance the dependence, the wholesalers strive to achieve loyalty with the retail pharmacies. Through supply chain coordination, the wholesalers achieve efficiency in procurement for the pharmacies, thus reducing cost and improving their competitive advantage. Social implications Supply chain coordination in the pharmaceutical supply chain improves the safety and security of the pharmaceutical distribution system. Originality/value This paper contributes to the supply chain coordination stream of literature. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to develop the three levels of process coordination in the pharmaceutical supply chain context. This paper shows how process coordination can be achieved between the dyad without vertical integration.

Patterns of IT use: the impact on green supply chain management and firm performance

PurposeThis study aims to explore how different patterns of IT use influence different types of green supply chain management (GSCM) with customers, and in turn, environmental and economic performance.Design/methodology/approachBased on data collected from 206 manufacturing companies in China, the authors used structural equation modeling (SEM) with the maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE) method to test the conceptual model and the related hypotheses.FindingsThe results show that both IT use for exploitation and IT use for exploration are positively related to green strategy alignment and green process coordination, whereas the relationship between IT use for exploration and green strategy alignment is weaker. This study also finds that green strategy alignment has a marginal positive effect on economic performance, whereas its effect on environmental performance is not significant. Green process coordination has a positive effect on environmental performance, whereas its effect on economic performance is not significant.Originality/valueThis study extends the value of IT use in the GSCM field, enriching both literature on IT and GSCM. The findings provide significant managerial implications for managers to leverage IT resources to enhance GSCM and the corresponding performance.