Purpose Flexibility is a fundamental performance objective for manufacturing operations, allowing them to respond to changing requirements in uncertain and competitive global markets. Additive manufacturing machines are often described as “flexible,” but there is no detailed understanding of such flexibility in an operations management context. The purpose of this paper is to examine flexibility from a manufacturing systems perspective, demonstrating the different competencies that can be achieved and the factors that can inhibit these in commercial practice. Design/methodology/approach This study extends existing flexibility theory in the context of an industrial additive manufacturing system through an investigation of 12 case studies, covering a range of sectors, product volumes, and technologies. Drawing upon multiple sources, this research takes a manufacturing systems perspective that recognizes the multitude of different resources that, together with individual industrial additive manufacturing machines, contribute to the satisfaction of demand. Findings The results show that the manufacturing system can achieve seven distinct internal flexibility competencies. This ability was shown to enable six out of seven external flexibility capabilities identified in the literature. Through a categorical assessment the extent to which each competency can be achieved is identified, supported by a detailed explanation of the enablers and inhibitors of flexibility for industrial additive manufacturing systems. Originality/value Additive manufacturing is widely expected to make an important contribution to future manufacturing, yet relevant management research is scant and the flexibility term is often ambiguously used. This research contributes the first detailed examination of flexibility for industrial additive manufacturing systems.

Purpose -This paper aims to develop a framework that rationalises transport flexibility into different types. In this way the role of the flexibility types in delivering specific strategic logistics outcomes can be determined. Design/methodology/approach -The authors undertake a synthesis of available literature related to flexibility to determine what types of transport flexibility are required and when. Findings -Twelve definitions and key components of transport flexibility are identified. These signify a proactive approach to the consideration of the subject within the context of a collaborative approach to relationships between carrier, supplier and customer. Research limitations/implications -This is a conceptual study developing definitions and models for transport flexibility. While these frameworks have been formed within the context of the literature, further research to determine the application of the model will need to be undertaken, to examine the benefits and costs associated with various degrees of flexibility. Practical implications -While the definitions and models are conceptual, they are important as generic templates by which carriers may develop a logistics strategy, determining their competitive offering and hence defining their flexibility capabilities. They may then determine the degree of collaboration necessary. The results of this paper also inform further empirical research into the area of transport and logistics flexibility. Originality/value -There is little research that addresses the issue of transport flexibility from a logistics perspective. Thus, there is originality in developing a framework that rationalises transport flexibility into different types. This will provide a foundation by which carriers and shippers may develop collaborative and information technology strategies.

The Internet and related information and communication technologies (ICT) have recently enabled the cost-effective dissemination of information between disparate parties in the supply chain. New supply chain strategies, such as Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI), Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR) and Efficient Consumer Response (ECR), have begun to exploit these new communication channels, principally at the retail end of the supply chain. The impact of the e-business enabled supply chain on manufacturers and materials/component suppliers is, however, less well understood and exploited. This paper is aimed at establishing e-business enabled supply chain models for quantifying the impact of ICT, in particular its effect on dynamic behaviour. The paper concludes that simple, yet robust, models enable considerable quantitative insights into the impact of e-business on supply chain dynamic behaviour prior to their implementation.

A major inhibitor to supply chain customer value delivery is uncertainty, which yields increased total operational costs. Given transport often connects companies to their customers, effective transport operations can enable the delivery of customer value. Our aim is to establish a supply chain uncertainty model that explicitly incorporates transport operations. Our model has its origin from previous works on the logistics triad. We identify that uncertainty can potentially originate from five different sources: shipper, customer, control systems, carrier and externally. The results of this paper inform further empirical research into the area of transport uncertainty and hence logistics flexibility as a means for accommodating such uncertainty. The research also highlights the root causes of inefficiency within freight transport, which often has a causal relationship with environmental performance.

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If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation.*Related content and download information correct at time of download. Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the existing scenarios for 3D printing (3DP) in order to identify the "white space" where future opportunities have not been proposed or developed to date. Based around aspects of order penetration points, geographical scope and type of manufacturing, these gaps are identified. Design/methodology/approach -A structured literature review has been carried out on both academic and trade publications. As of the end of May 2016, this identified 128 relevant articles containing 201 future scenarios. Coding these against aspects of existing manufacturing and supply chain theory has led to the development of a framework to identify "white space" in the existing thinking. Findings -The coding shows that existing future scenarios are particularly concentrated on job shop applications and pull-based supply chain processes, although there are fewer constraints on geographical scope. Five distinct areas of "white space" are proposed, reflecting various opportunities for future 3DP supply chain development. Research limitations/implications -Being a structured literature review, there are potentially articles not identified through the search criteria used. The nature of the findings is also dependent upon the coding criteria selected. However, these are theoretically derived and reflect important aspect of strategic supply chain management. Practical implications -Practitioners may wish to explore the development of business models within the "white space" areas. Originality/value -Currently, existing future 3DP scenarios are scattered over a wide, multi-disciplinary literature base. By providing a consolidated view of these scenarios, it is possible to identify gaps in current thinking. These gaps are multi-disciplinary in nature and represent opportunities for both academics and practitioners to exploit.

Purpose -The implementation of sustainable supply chain management (SCM) calls for an acknowledgement of uncertainty inherent in complex environment. Confucianist societies form social networks (guanxi networks) into which people are born and continuously develop their social activities. These then influence economic behaviours and business practices in the workplace. The objective of this study is to explore how these social networks influence the implementation of sustainable supply chain management (SCM). In doing so, this study critically investigates the constructs of guanxi networks, their impact on flow of supply chain capital, and how this leverages the implementation of sustainable SCM.Design/methodology/approach -Two systematic literature reviews are conducted to understand the constructs of social networks in Confucianist cultures and to investigate the flow of supply chain capitals in guanxi networks. The review also analyses recorded evidence related to the economic, social and environmental responsibilities of sustainability to reveal the current state of the literature and research gaps. Propositions and a framework are developed to guide future research in this area.Findings -The constructs of ganqing, renqing, xinren and mianzi in guanxi networks have expanded the contexts of social networks in Western literature. Guanxi networks increase the flow of supply chain capital and generate trust between players, thus enhancing capabilities to implement sustainable SCM. Guanxi networks also create the mechanism of network governance with which to increase sustainable SCM implementation under the institutional logics of sustainability.Research limitations -The conceptual framework and justification are based on the review of current studies in the field. Future empirical study is encouraged to test the propositions, both in Confucian cultures and other countries with culture of informal social networks.Originality/value -Social networks are socially constructed concepts. Therefore, the constructs of guanxi networks have developed the knowledge of Western-based social networking theory. Arguments from a social network perspective provide an alternative answer to explain increased behavioural commitment and companies' investment in sustainable SCM. This study helps practitioners understand the logic of this social norm and to use it to maximise operation outputs, including sustainable SCM implementation.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to verify a transport uncertainty triad model taking a supply chain perspective, and determine which different forms of uncertainty impact on transport operations. The aim is to qualitatively evaluate the different types of uncertainty impacting on transport operations rather than estimating the risk that each of them involved. The literature indicates that there are many factors that influence transport operations. This paper aims to determine the key factors that impinge practice.Design/methodology/approachOn the basis of a literature review, a conceptual model was developed to categorise the different factors that impact on transport operations. In order to determine the credibility of this model and assess which factors are the main barriers to effective transport operations a series of focus groups involving UK logistics practitioners and policy makers was undertaken.FindingsThe findings indicate that the main drivers impacting on transport operations are delays, delivery constraints, lack of coordination, and variable demand/poor information. The consequence of these is to reduce the efficiency of transport operations. Also, in the overall focus groups' data, unplanned road congestion represents the biggest individual issue leading to uncertainty.Research limitations/implicationsThe model is refined based only on participants' perceptions. Therefore, further empirical‐based research is needed to quantitatively validate it, for each cluster identifying the frequency with which it occurs and the impact on economic and environmental performance. This will further strengthen understanding of the main uncertainty causes within supply chains in the UK. The model should also be tested through the investigation of real‐world situations, measuring the marginal impact of logistics disruptions, in economic and environmental terms.Practical implicationsThe paper highlights the importance of looking at the whole of the logistics triad when dealing with uncertainty, as often there are multiple sources involving the shipper, carrier and customer. Equally, the paper highlights the importance of external factors, and managers need to consider how to deal with these issues. Although the easiest approach is to accommodate them within operational plans, there is scope for engaging with policy makers to identify ways forward.Originality/valueMany researchers have developed supply chain uncertainty models focusing mainly on manufacturing. Transport has traditionally been considered as a marginal activity within supply chains and it has not been explicitly taken into account in those frameworks. It is necessary to determine the forms of supply chain uncertainty that exist and their impact on transport operations, as they will define the performance of logistics operations.