Adequate preparation, learning, and training is required for Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) to aid organizations in achieving the full expected benefits from its implementation. This paper presents a case method for S&OP and the learning experience of its application at the University of Münster (Germany). The "constructive alignment principle" was applied with a "team teaching" approach, involving an executive from the case company. Students improved their knowledge on S&OP and their analytical skills by understanding the conceptual S&OP building blocks and by learning how to deal with them to provide a solution for a case based on a real-life situation. The learning results were evaluated positively during the discipline's student evaluation of teaching (SET). The applied case method enhanced the student's motivation and engagement (e.g., higher preparation effort and class attendance), which were considered higher than in other disciplines with the traditional lecture-based education.
Goal: To analyze supply chain flexibility (SCF) within real-life settings from a maturity perspective and provide a discussion on the importance of a maturity model for SCF. Design/Methodology/Approach: A multiple case study was conducted in multinational manufacturing companies from different business sectors, offering a within-case and cross-case analysis. Results: The empirical evidence revealed that the studied companies do not consider flexibility measures. This absence renders difficulties when striving for external flexibility, for instance, affecting planning and control activities. Furthermore, the conducted analysis showed that sharing information among supply chain members has a significant impact on the identification of changes in the processes, enabling a correct and quick reaction to these changes. Limitations of the investigation: The results are restricted to the studied companies; therefore, the SCF maturity model deserves more application through the development of more empirical investigations. Practical implications: This is a guide for practitioners to identify the current maturity level of their SCF, and subsequently improve the processes, aiming to achieve the desired result. Originality/Value: This paper addresses the lack of theoretical and empirical studies in the literature regarding the analysis of SCF maturity and its different levels, thus enabling practitioners and researchers to improve the understanding of maturity in the SCF context.
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