Risk management plays a vital role in effectively operating supply chains in the presence of a variety of uncertainties. Over the years, many researchers have focused on supply chain risk management (SCRM) by contributing in the areas of defining, operationalizing, and mitigating risks. In this paper, we review and synthesize the extant literature in SCRM in the past decade in a comprehensive manner. The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, we present and categorize SCRM research appearing between 2003 and 2013. Second, we undertake a detailed review associated with research developments in supply chain risk definitions, risk types, risk factors, and risk management/mitigation strategies. Third, we analyze the SCRM literature in exploring potential gaps.

There has been increased interest in supplier integration in recent years, much of it supporting such initiatives in organizations. We operationalize supplier integration as a bundle of practices that include a set of ''internal'' and ''external'' practices. We hypothesize that such practices in specific configurations can be as important a source of performance differentials as the adoption of individual practices themselves. We theorize the existence of a level of integration that results in optimal performance. The paper uses data from a cross-section of more than 300 US manufacturing companies to test the notion of an optimal level of supplier integration, and examine the conditions surrounding its development. The results provide empirical support for the concept of an optimal set of supplier integration practices. We show that deviations from the optimal profile are associated with performance deterioration, and that indiscriminate and continued investments in integration may not yield commensurate improvements in performance. #

SUMMARY The purchasing function for some time now has been receiving increasing importance as a critical supply chain management component. This is mainly due to the significant impact of material costs on profits, increased investments in advanced manufacturing and information technologies, and a growing emphasis on Just‐In‐Time GIT) production. The critical objectives of purchasing departments include obtaining the product at the right cost in the right quantity with the right quality at the right time from the right source. This requires executing effective decisions concerning supplier selection and evaluation. This article addresses the supplier selection process. This model for evaluation and selection of suppliers considers multiple factors that include strategic, operational, tangible, and intangible measures. The model also allows for input from a variety of managerial decisionmaking levels and considers the dynamic aspects of the competitive environment in evaluating suppliers. An empirical case illustration demonstrates the efficacy of the model. The results provide interesting managerial implications.

In this paper, we develop a theory of efficiency and performance tradeoffs for new product development (NPD) projects. Data from 137 completed NPD projects are analyzed for evidence pointing to tradeoffs in performance patterns manifested in the data. In addition, we investigate hypothesized relationships between certain NPD practices and a holistic, efficiency based measure of NPD performance. We demonstrate a new approach to the operationalization of holistic new product development (NPD) project performance, employing a sequential data envelopment analysis (DEA) methodology that simultaneously incorporates multiple factors including new product development cost, product cost, product quality, and project lead time.The results of the data analysis support our hypothesis that tradeoffs among NPD performance outcomes are manifested more strongly in highly efficient projects when compared to inefficient projects. The presence of three distinct subgroups in highly efficient projects is suggestive of several modes of efficiency which appear to achieve equally effective market success. The absence of such patterns in less efficient projects supports a theory of performance frontiers that may impose the need for tradeoffs more strongly as NPD projects achieve higher levels of efficiency. The findings also point to the importance of project management experience, balanced management commitment, and cross-functional integration in achieving high levels of NPD project efficiency. We discuss the implications of the findings for practice and for future research. #