"Management is on the verge of a major breakthrough in understanding how industrial company success depends on the interactions between the flows of information, materials, money, manpower, and capital equipment. The way these five flow systems interlock to amplify one another and to cause change and fluctuation will form the basis for anticipating the effects of decisions, policies, organizational forms, and investment choices." (Forrester 1958, p. 37) Forrester introduced a theory of distribution management that recognized the integrated nature of organizational relationships. Because organizations are so intertwined, he argued that system dynamics can influence the performance of functions such as research, engineering, sales, and promotion.

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This research examined how operational outcomes, relational outcomes and business performance are affected by a collaboration project between buyers and suppliers in a supply chain. It is hypothesized that interdependence of knowledge and process, supply chain partner insight, and the level of collaboration between the firms affect the outcomes of a collaboration project. Survey data from buyers and suppliers from a wide range of industries and organizations were used in this analysis. Among these participants, higher levels of collaboration led to improvements in operational and relational outcomes, which together led to improvements in asset utilization, competitive position, organizational performance, and profitability.

Absorptive capacity Collaborative process competence Collaborative engagement Buyer-supplier relationships Supply chain management Knowledge-based view, Relational view Perceived interdependence a b s t r a c tFirms are increasingly dependent on the knowledge and expertise in external organizations to innovate, problem-solve, and improve supply chain performance. This research examines two capabilities that enable firms to collaborate successfully as a means to combine knowledge and expertise in an episodic collaboration initiative. Building from two theoretical foundations, the knowledge-based and relational views of the firm, we examine the effects of absorptive capacity and collaborative process competence on the outcomes of an episodic collaboration initiative. Using structural equation modeling, we empirically validate the positive effect of absorptive capacity, collaborative process competence and level of engagement on the operational and relational success of a collaboration effort. Results show that collaborative process competence mediates the relationship between absorptive capacity and collaborative engagement, and positively influences both operational and relational outcomes. Finally, we offer suggestions for managers to improve the effectiveness of inter-firm collaboration initiatives and discuss future research opportunities.

T he connectivity and communication requirements of leading supply chains have created the emergence of a more advanced role for third-party logistics providers 3PLs. They have evolved from providing logistics capabilities to becoming orchestrators of supply chains that create and sustain a competitive advantage. This article uses a theoretical perspective based on resource-based theory, network theory and transaction cost economics, and a thorough literature review, to develop a model with seven propositions. Finally, using structured interviews of industry executives from a leading 3PL, we offer empirical support for the model and propositions that can be used to define the orchestrator role of a 3PL.

This study reports evidence that concentrated 3‐firm supply chains achieve superior financial performance, and that supply chains’ financial performance varies systematically with measures of chain concentration and chain duration. Results from firm‐level analyses suggest that the profitability benefits of supply chain relationships are captured predominantly by downstream chain members, whereas cash cycle benefits are realized throughout the supply chain. Firm‐level tests also reveal that chain members’ financial performance varies systematically with measures of downstream bargaining power, downstream relationship duration, and degree of supply consolidation. The study's chain‐ and firm‐level analyses employ data extracted from sample firms’ publicly available financial reports, including their major customer disclosures under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Nos. 131 (1997) and 14 (1976).

The article titled “Defining Supply Chain Management” published in 2001 in the Journal of Business Logistics has been cited over 4,900 times in the last 17 years. In this paper, we first provide a historical review of how the article originated and the contributions the article made to both the theory and practice of supply chain management (SCM). Next, we highlight the key market and technological changes that have emerged in SCM followed by how the theory proposed in the 2001 article can still be relevant to support SCM research and practice going forward. We also propose ways of configuring a supply chain and partnering across companies to serve customers in an optimal way. We conclude with a call for research on developing new frameworks to better describe, explain, predict, and shed light on the evolving nature of SCM.

PurposeThe physical internet (PI) is an emerging logistics and supply chain management (SCM) concept that draws on different technologies and areas of research, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and key performance indicators, with the purpose of revolutionizing existing logistics and SCM practices. The growing literature on the PI and its noteworthy potential to be a disruptive innovation in the logistics industry call for a systematic literature review (SLR), which we conducted that defines the current state of the literature and outlines future research directions and approaches.Design/methodology/approachThe SLR that was undertaken included journal publications, conference papers and proceedings, book excerpts, industry reports and white papers. We conducted descriptive, citation, thematic and methodological analyses to understand the evolution of PI literature.FindingsBased on the literature review and analyses, we proposed a comprehensive framework that structures the PI domain and outlines future directions for logistics and SCM researchers.Research limitations/implicationsOur research findings are limited by the relatively low number of journal publications, as the PI is a new field of inquiry that is composed primarily of conference papers and proceedings.Originality/valueThe proposed PI-based framework identifies seven PI themes, including the respective facilitators and barriers, which can inform researchers and practitioners on future potentially disruptive SC strategies.