Supply chain management as a system of operation continues to evolve. This study employs confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis to examine empirically the relationships among supplier selection criteria (quality, delivery reliability, product performance and unit price), supplier involvement on design teams and in continuous improvement programs, four dimensions of customer satisfaction (competitive pricing, product quality, product variety, and delivery service), and overall firm performance.

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As the rates of market change accelerate and customer expectations grow, product development becomes an increasingly important activity. In this environment, the performance of the product development process and the impact of product design on costs are critical factors for organizational success. To respond, firms are adding resources such as computer-aided design (CAD) to enhance product development efforts. The use of CAD technology is expected to enhance product development performance (development time, product quality, and design productivity) and to reduce product and manufacturing costs. To investigate these relationships, data were collected from 175 manufacturing firms regarding CAD usage, product development performance, and cost performance. From these data, valid and reliable instruments were developed to measure CAD usage. Structural model tests indicated that CAD usage has a positive impact on product development performance and cost performance. # 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.

SUMMARY Input from managers at manufacturing firms was utilized to learn more about the state of new product development (NPD). This study confirms that many firms do not take an integrated approach to NPD despite the advantages of doing so. Senior managers can assist in attaining higher levels of customer satisfaction by shaping organizational settings conducive to collaborative NPD. Supply chain managers can promote integrated NPD by championing the inclusion of manufacturing, suppliers and customers.

The volume of cargo shipped just‐in‐time (JIT) in the USA has been increasing over the last decade. At the same time, purchasing has been undergoing transformations. Examines empirically the effects of both these trends on the purchasing function, and consequently on inbound logistics, and reports on them in four sections: criteria for supplier selection, changes in purchasing practices, purchasing′s interaction levels with other functional areas and with vendors, and strategic partnerships regarding suppliers. Also examines the impacts on purchasing and inbound logistics in terms of performance. The findings indicate that purchasing is experiencing modifications and that JIT acts as a positive influence. The changes taking place are improving competitive position without an increase in logistics expense.