Improving supply chain performance through improved visibility

Purpose – This paper seeks to investigate the links between different types of visibility, joint initiatives and business performance using the concepts of transparency as a measure of visibility in supply chains. The prognosis that increased supply chain visibility can be achieved through suppliers and customers working on joint initiative(s), the deployment of which leads to collaborative successes, is tested. Design/methodology/approach – Lamming et al.'s transparency concept was used as a basis for the development of a framework for assessing the visibility gaps between the focal company – Rolls-Royce (RR) – and their suppliers. The framework was applied to a particular supplier to identify visibility gaps; subsequently a joint initiative was launched across the supply chain and the benefits measured and assessed. A case study approach was followed due to the contemporary nature of the work undertaken. Findings – The supply chain's performance vis-à-vis schedule adherence was significantly improved as a result of the initiative launched. Additionally, there were improvements in visibility across capacity planning, material ordering and inventory management. Practical implications – The study demonstrated the value of using the developed transparency framework in a structured manner to generate improvements in the supply chain. RR will look to extend its use across other supply chains; the approach could also be extended out to other sectors. Originality/value – The development and application of the transparency frameworks in the aerospace sector are unique and have shown the value of the approach. The work has demonstrated tangibly that the exchange of high-quality information as part of an improvement initiative does lead to significant improvements in the overall performance of the supply chain.

Integrated strategic supply chain positioning for SME's:an empirical study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on an investigation into the selection and evaluation of a suitable strategic positioning methodology for SMEs in Singapore. Design/methodology/approach – The research methodology is based on critical review of the literature to identify the potentially most suitable strategic positioning methodology, evaluation and testing of the methodology within the context of SME's in Singapore, and analysis to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the methodology and opportunities for further research. Findings – This paper illustrates a leading integrated strategic positioning decision making process, which has been found to be potentially suitable for SMEs in Singapore, and the process is then applied and evaluated in two industrial case studies. Results in the form of strengths, weaknesses and opportunities are evaluated and discussed in detail, and further research to improve the process has been identified. Practical implications – A practical and integrated strategic supply chain positioning methodology for SMEs to define their own competitive space, among other companies in the manufacturing supply chain, so as to maximize business competitiveness. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the knowledge of the strategic positioning decision process as well as identifies further research to adapt the process for SMEs in Singapore.

Supply chain strategies for competitive manufacture

Few people would argue that there is one single solution to the design of a manufacturing supply chain. Relatively recent concepts such as strategic outsourcing and partnership sourcing are extremely valuable to some manufacturing organisations. This paper presents the findings of a comprehensive survey of manufacturing sourcing practices in the UK. This study has set out to understand current and intended practices that manufacturing companies have with their key suppliers, and also the decision processes and circumstances that have caused these relationships to occur.

A firm's capability to calibrate supply chain knowledge-antecedents and consequences

This paper proposes a conceptual model for a firm's capability to calibrate supply chain knowledge (CCK). Knowledge calibration is achieved when there is a match between managers' ex ante confidence in the accuracy of held knowledge and the ex post accuracy of that knowledge. Knowledge calibration is closely related to knowledge utility or willingness to use the available ex ante knowledge: a manager uses the ex ante knowledge if he/she is confident in the accuracy of that knowledge, and does not use it or uses it with reservation, when the confidence is low. Thus, knowledge calibration attained through the firm's CCK enables managers to deal with incomplete and uncertain information and enhances quality of decisions. In the supply chain context, although demand- and supply-related knowledge is available, supply chain inefficiencies, such as the bullwhip effect, remain. These issues may be caused not by a lack of knowledge but by a firm's lack of capability to sense potential disagreement between knowledge accuracy and confidence. Therefore, this paper contributes to the understanding of supply chain knowledge utilization by defining CCK and identifying a set of antecedents and consequences of CCK in the supply chain context.

Implementing collaborative practices in the healthcare supply chain:insights into hospital-vendor operations

The paper discusses the characteristics of healthcare supply chains, and puts particular emphasis on the implementation of VMI/CMI in this sector specific context. By the means of case study research the paper provides empirical data on the benefits of the above collaborative practices for both the hospital and vendors. The paper contributes to the stream of research on VMI/CMI in the healthcare sector, where limited research attempts have been conducted so far. In contrast to other surveys this case study shows that specific and measurable cost reductions exist, in addition to other improvements such as better control over the inventories, and also in reduction of administrative work. Results obtained may be also relevant to other hospitals and vendors and as they can form a basis for comparisons. Copyright © 2013 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Experimenting with supply chain learning (SCL):supplier diversity and ethnic minority businesses

This paper reports on an innovative UK-based ‘Supply Chain Learning’ (SCL) initiative to encourage the corporate sector to consider supplier diversity in respect of ethnic minority businesses. This follows academic and policy interest in programmes to empower ethnic minority enterprises to achieve breakout to mainstream markets and business growth. The first phase of the initiative, entitled Supplier Development East Midlands (SDEM) is examined. By adopting an inter-organisational action learning approach, some of the key attributes of the programme are delineated, focusing on the recurrent action-reflection cycle taking place in a learning group comprising SDEM, LPOs (Large Purchasing Organisations) and small EMSs (Ethnic Minority Suppliers).

Understanding supply chain disruption risk with the aid of social networks and information flows analysis

Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) has become a popular area of research and study in recent years. This can be highlighted by the number of peer reviewed articles that have appeared in academic literature. This coupled with the realisation by companies that SCRM strategies are required to mitigate the risks that they face, makes for challenging research questions in the field of risk management. The challenge that companies face today is not only to identify the types of risks that they face, but also to assess the indicators of risk that face them. This will allow them to mitigate that risk before any disruption to the supply chain occurs. The use of social network theory can aid in the identification of disruption risk. This thesis proposes the combination of social networks, behavioural risk indicators and information management, to uniquely identify disruption risk. The propositions that were developed from the literature review and exploratory case study in the aerospace OEM, in this thesis are:- By improving information flows, through the use of social networks, we can identify supply chain disruption risk. - The management of information to identify supply chain disruption risk can be explored using push and pull concepts. The propositions were further explored through four focus group sessions, two within the OEM and two within an academic setting. The literature review conducted by the researcher did not find any studies that have evaluated supply chain disruption risk management in terms of social network analysis or information management studies. The evaluation of SCRM using these methods is thought to be a unique way of understanding the issues in SCRM that practitioners face today in the aerospace industry.

Integration issues in the healthcare supply chain

The efficacy, quality, responsiveness, and value of healthcare services provided is increasingly attracting the attention and the questioning of governments, payers, patients, and healthcare providers. Investments on integration technologies and integration of supply chain processes, has been considered as a way towards removing inefficiencies in the sector. This chapter aims to initially provide an in depth analysis of the healthcare supply chain and to present core entities, processes, and flows. Moreover, the chapter explores the concept of integration in the context of the healthcare sector, and indentifies the integration drivers, as well as challenges.

The use of future Internet technologies in the agriculture and food sectors:integrating the supply chain

The Future Internet is expected to greatly influence how the food and agriculture sector is currently operating. In this paper, we present the specific characteristics of the agri-food sector focusing on how information management in this area will take place under a highly heterogeneous group of actors and services, based on the EU SmartAgriFood project. We also discuss how a new dynamic marketplace will be realized based on the adoption of a number of specialized software modules, called “Generic Enablers” that are currently developed in the context of the EU FI-WARE project. Thus, the paper presents the overall vision for data integration along the supply chain as well as the development and federation of Future Internet services that are expected to revolutionize the agriculture sector.

Managing supply chain integration:contemporary approaches and scope for further research

The editorial section of the special issue of Production Planning & Control discusses contemporary approaches and scope for further research into the management of supply chain integration. Supply chain integration (SCI) is one of the major challenges in enhancing supply chain performance. Building and sustaining competitive advantage requires strategic collaboration between supply chain partners and synchronized management of intra- and inter-organizational practices and processes. The special issue attempts to address some of the fundamental SCI questions, which include but are not limited to the fields of organizational collaboration, information technology (IT) use, and risk and vulnerability management. The editorial first reviews a few key articles on SCI to provide information about the existing state of knowledge on SCI along with scope for further research.

Integrating supply chain operations in the Internet era

The internet's potential impact on supply chain operations is often approached in the literature in a quite generic way due to the complex nature of supply chains and the different levels of operations' integration. Drawing on existing research, this paper proposes an overall framework of supply chain integration and then attempts to provide a categorisation of the internet's role in the supply chain activities, providing insights from various sectors. The purpose of this paper is to describe and present the alternative ways that the internet impacts on the integration of supply chain operations, by comparing four different sectors: the automotive, the computer, the food and the grocery sector. The paper concludes that in the food, grocery and computer sector, internet's impact on supply chain operations has been quite poor, particularly forward integration, while it has been significant, in the backward integration of the automotive sector. Copyright © 2007 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.