Supply chain management promises competitive advantages for industrial organizations. The introduction of new products and services, or entry into new markets, is likely to be more successful if accompanied by innovative supply chain designs, innovative supply chain management practices, and enabling technology. This is a widely accepted premise in business practice today. However, systematic research and knowledge about supply chain innovation (SCI) is little developed. There is a lack of common terminology, of agreement about the conceptual understanding, and of related empirical work. This paper presents an exploratory study that aims to provide a better understanding of SCI, mirroring leading edge practice, and providing a sound terminological and conceptual basis for advanced academic work in the field. The research is based on an in-depth literature review and the analysis of a set of secondary data sources: 36 SCI cases, drawn from applications for the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' (CSCMP) Supply Chain Innovation Award. As results of the research, a new SCI definition, the construction of a descriptive model of its key elements, and discussion of implications are presented.

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Public-private innovation (PPI) is often claimed to contribute to societal welfare, to bring positive effects to the public sector and to open new markets to private firms. Engaging in public-private relationships for innovation is, however, also recognised as challenging and problematic. This paper discusses the managerial and strategic challenges faced by private firms when engaging in public-private relationships for innovation. Design/methodology/analysis: This qualitative study presents 10 firms' engagement in public-private relationships. Half of them are experienced in innovation in public-private relationship; the other half are engaging in public-private relationships for the first time. Cross case analysis brings insight into how these different types of firms strategize for handling relationships with public partners. Findings: Contrary to non-experienced firms, experienced firms deliberately build a long-term strategy for engaging in PPI in expectation of outcome from more than a single project. They not only engage in building an understanding of the public using setting, but also seek to bridge with the public developing and producing setting to a greater extent than less experienced firms. The experienced firms utilise relationships with actors in the wider public network as a device and an asset for overcoming challenges and for reaping benefits from their engagement. Originality/value: The study outlines the characteristics of strategizing among the most experienced firms and their special ability to embrace the complexity of the public sector network while working simultaneously on developing innovation for specific public counterparts.

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