Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to analyse papers studying the link between supply chain integration (SCI) and performance, and to discuss reported empirical evidence relating to this fundamental question for logistics and supply chain management. Design/methodology/approach -A systematic analysis of 38 papers published in nine important journals in logistics, supply chain and operations management during the period 2000-2006 is offered. Using a multidimensional framework to sort and classify selected papers, structured results are provided for the purpose of contributing to discussion of the topic. Findings -More SCI does not always improve performance. Definitions and measures of SCI and performance are diverse to the extent that a conclusion such as "the more (SCI) the better (the performance) cannot be drawn". On the contrary more empirical research, with use of clear definitions and good measures, are needed. The conclusions drawn from the analytical literature review provide a basis from which further research can be developed, both in respect of research approaches, definitions of main concepts and the choice of theoretical basis. Research limitations/implications -Additional journals could be included. The framework could be more detailed. More details on SCI and performance measures, as well as the items used in the papers, could be provided and discussed. Practical implications -Results encourage researchers and practitioners to be more cautious concerning SCI and its impact on performance and to have a more conscious and differentiated view of SCI. Originality/value -Through a rigorous analysis of prevailing research, the paper questions a common assumption in business logistics and SCM. Propositions for further research are suggested.

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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. AbstractPurpose -The aim of this paper is to inquire into the management of construction supply chains by directing attention toward the different types of interdependencies that exist in such chains and in construction projects. Design/methodology/approach -The paper is developed as part of two ongoing research projects on supply chain management (SCM) in construction. A case study approach is used for illustrating the production and subsequent delivery and installation of plasterboards to a specific construction project. This description reveals extensive coordination among a number of companies and features interesting examples of the consequences of the interdependencies identified. Findings -The paper concludes that the strong emphasis on coordination of sequential interdependence within individual supply chains does not fit with the complex interdependencies present in and among supply chains and projects in construction. In addition to sequential interdependence it describes and illustrates pooled interdependence based on joint resource utilisation, reciprocal interdependence among activities undertaken at the construction site, and interdependence owing to synchronisation of many supply chains in relation to each and every construction project. The combined effects of these interdependencies challenge traditional SCM recommendations, such as moving activities from the site to the factory. Originality/value -The main theoretical argument put forward in this paper is that the application of SCM models developed for other industrial contexts such as the automotive industry, are problematic to use in the construction industry. This is because these models emphasise integration of activities that are subject mainly to sequential interdependencies while the pattern of interdependence is very different in construction. A main implication for practice is that focusing on better planning in order to deal with activities that are mainly subject to sequential interdependence, is insufficient. The reciprocal interdependencies in construction require more frequent and direct interaction among the involved actors to enable mutual adjustments among the firms whose activities and resource use ...

Access to the published version may require subscription. N.B. When citing this work, cite the original published paper. Permanent link to this version:http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-13806 1 COORDINATION IN HUMANITARIAN LOGISTICS THROUGH CLUSTERS ABSTRACT Purpose of this paperIn the field of humanitarianism, cluster thinking has been suggested as a solution to the lack of coordinated disaster response. Clusters for diverse functions, including sheltering, logistics and water and sanitation, can be viewed as an effort to achieve functional coordination. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a greater understanding of the potential of cluster concepts using supply chain coordination and inter-cluster coordination.The focus is on the conceptual level rather than on specific means of coordination. Design/methodology/approachThe cluster concept in humanitarian relief, along with some key empirical issues, is based on a case study. The concept is then compared to the literature on clusters and coordination in order to develop a theoretical framework with propositions on the tradeoffs between different types of coordination. FindingsThe results provide important reflections on one of the major trends in contemporary development of humanitarian logistics. This paper shows that there is a tradeoff between different types of coordination, with horizontal coordination inside cluster drawing attention away from important issues of the supply chain as well as the need to coordinate among the clusters. Research limitations/implicationsThere is a need for more in-depth case studies of experiences with clusters in various operations. Various perspectives should be taken into account, including the field, responding agencies, beneficiaries, donors, military and commercial service providers, both during and between disasters. Practical implicationsThe paper presents the tradeoffs between different types of coordination, in which basic aims such as standardisation through functional coordination, must be balanced with crossfunctional and vertical coordination in order to more successfully serve the users' composite needs. Value of the paperThe focus on possible trade-offs between different types of coordination is an important complement to the literature, which often assumes simultaneous high degrees of horizontal and vertical coordination.2

Purpose:There is a need for theory development within the field of humanitarian logistics to understand logistics needs in different stages of a crisis and how to meet these.In this paper we discuss three dimensions identified in logistics and organisation theories and how they relate to three different cases of humanitarian logistics operations -the regional concept of the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies, the development and working of the United Nations Joint Logistics Centre and coordination challenges of military logistics in UN mandated peacekeeping operations. The purpose is to build a framework to be used in further studies. Design/methodology/approach:A framework for the study of humanitarian logistics along three dimensions is developed, followed by a discussion of the chosen cases in relation to these dimensions. The framework will be used as basis for the case studies to be undertaken for the purpose of understanding and identification of new questions and needs for other or revised concepts from theory. Findings:The paper shows the relevance of a wide literature to the issues pertinent to humanitarian logistics. There is considerable promise in extant literature on logistics, SCM and coordination, but his needs to be confronted with the particular issues seen in the humanitarian logistics setting to achieve further theory development. Originality/value:The major contribution of the paper lies in its breadth of theoretical perspectives presented and combined in a preliminary theoretical framework. This will be applied more specifically in the three case studies described in the paper.

Humanitarian organizations (HOs) often base their warehouse locations on individuals' experience and knowledge rather than on decision-support tools. Many HOs run separate supply chains for emergency response and ongoing operations. Based on reviews of humanitarian network design literature combined with an in-depth case study of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), this paper presents a warehouse location model for joint prepositioning that incorporates political and security situation factors. Although accessibility, co-location, security, and human resources are crucial to the practice of humanitarian operations management, such contextual factors have not been included in existing network optimization models before. We found that when quantified, and modeled, such factors are important determinants of network configuration. In addition, our results suggest that joint prepositioning for emergency response and ongoing operations allows for expansion of the global warehouse network, and reducing cost and response time.

This paper presents the theoretical background for a recently initiated research programme on the utilisation and development of logistics resources in supply and distribution networks. The paper opens with a discussion of previous approaches to logistics with a particular focus on whether and how resources have been dealt with. We conclude that attention has mainly been directed toward processes and activities, while resources have primarily been regarded as the means to an end. Further, we identify a need to focus on networks rather than supply chains since all companies belong to more than one chain. Accordingly, it is suggested that considering logistics networks in terms of inter-linked resources provides a fruitful complement to existing models. We continue by presenting some basic features of resources in general and by developing the foundations of the framework that is to be applied in the research programme. The basic building blocks are four types of resources that are crucial in logistics: facilities, products, business units and business relationships. Finally, three main research issues are derived from this framework.

PurposeIn the literature authors state that there is a positive relation between supply chain integration (SCI) and performance. They claim that this relation is widely discussed and supported empirically. Other authors, however, suggest that integration might be more difficult in practice than in theory, that it should be differentiated and that it is more rhetoric than reality. As integration has been core of logistics and supply chain management since the 1980s, the purpose of this paper is to investigate these somewhat contradictory statements and analyse prior studies regarding definitions and measures of integration and performance as well as the reported empirical evidence on their relation.Design/methodology/approachBased on an extensive and systematic review of integration articles within four highly ranked academic journals in logistics, supply chain and operations management, this paper presents and discusses the results of prior empirical studies on relations between integration and performance.FindingsThe analysis of the relevant articles indicates that empirical evidence cannot permit to clearly conclude and that integration as well as performance is defined, operationalised and measured in different and often limited ways. This might be a problem and the paper concludes with a provoking question of whether SCI might be the Emperors' New Suit of business.Originality/valueThe paper's departure point is a controversial hypothesis: the contribution of SCI is not as obvious as logistics and supply chain researchers usually think. The rigorous selection and analysis of previous studies contributes with systematic knowledge within an important question.