Technological game changers: convergence, hype, and evolving supply chain design

Abstract

Paper aims: Poor supply chain design cost Boeing, Chipotle, Lego, and Toyota billions in revenues, capitalization, and reputational value. This paper introduces a purposive, systematic supply chain design process, identifies economic disrupters, and describes how a proactive approach to supply chain design can support and propel visionary business models. Originality: The paper introduces punctuated equilibrium as a critical lens to evaluate how technological disrupters will transform supply chain design and the development of Industry X.0. Converging game changers will place more companies at existential risk, making it essential to identify potential trigger events and how they might change the competitive rules. Research method: Conceptual development following over 100 interviews with companies during a 10 year longitudinal study. Main findings: Emerging technologies promise/threaten to transform the economy on the scale of the industrial and information revolutions. We discuss how each technology might influence supply chain design. Individually, each technology represents a game changer. Their convergence requires purposive supply chain design to shape the emergence of Industry X.0. Implications for theory and practice: Managers who employ astute scanning and nuanced scenario analysis will position their companies to not only identify inflection points but also accurately assess the timing of the transformation. This skill set will be critical to designing and developing a supply chain able to support and propel visionary business models.

Transportation Makes Modern Retail “Click”: Research Questions for the Future

“…Transportation has enabled retailers to adapt to a highly dynamic retail market landscape that is under a confl uence of strategic, environmental, supply, and demand factors. As technology advances, organizations must be ready to redesign their supply chains-and transportation's role in them-to adapt and successfully compete (Fawcett et al 2018). The studies published in this special issue (see table 1 above) offer important theoretical and managerial insight toward how both suppliers and retailers may more effectively navigate their supply chains (table 2).…”

Bibliometric Analysis of Industry 4.0 in the supply chain: An exploratory approach

“…In China, "Made in China 2025" was established; in the United States, "Manufacturing USA"; Japan, "Revitalization of Japanese Industry"; Sweden, "Made in Sweden 2030"; Holland, "Smart Industry"; Spain, "Interconnected Industry 4.0"; South Korea, "Manufacturing Innovation 4.0"; Brazil, "Towards Industry 4.0" [5], [6]. Integrating these topics into their development plans aims to raise awareness of the new technologies, capabilities, and resources needed to develop a competitive advantage fo r local companies [7].…”

Overcoming the collaborative challenge: commitment as a super-ordinate enabler of value co-creation

“…By contrast, Intel exited memory chips to focus its resources on CPUs before the threat of lowcost foreign rivals fully manifested. Anticipating an inflection point before it arrived positioned Intel for decades of market dominance (Fawcett et al, 2018). Successful transformation requires decision makers assess changing competitive rules and use the changing environment to engender commitment to change.…”