A conceptual model of supply chain flexibility

Abstract

This paper presents an integrated conceptual model of supply chain flexibility. It examines flexibility classification schemes and the commonalities of flexibility typologies published in the literature to create a theoretical foundation for analyzing the components of supply chain flexibility. Even though there has been a tremendous amount of research on the topic of flexibility, most of it has been confined to intra‐firm flexibility concerns. As supply chain management goes beyond a firm’s boundaries, the flexibility strategies must also extend beyond the firm. This paper identifies the cross‐enterprise nature of supply chain flexibility and the need to improve flexibility measures across firms. Opportunities are identified for future cross‐functional research that builds on this theoretical foundation and leads to more effective formulation of supply chain strategies.

The Role of Competitiveness as Mediator for the Relation between Supply Chain Flexibility and Firm Performance

“…The result of this research has also confirmed the propositions of theoretical studies (Duclos et al, 2003;Vinod Kumar et al, 2006), which ISSN 1941-899X 2013 states that anticipating uncertainties in a supply chain is the primary concern for determining SCF. This is different from the findings of Angel & Manuela (2005) that SCF has significant impact in improving company performance.…”

“…SCF should be approached in an integrated manner and oriented towards customers. Duclos et al (2003) states that literature review on flexibility still have some weaknesses in discussing the cross-functional and cross-business nature of SCF.…”

“…SCF requires that integration begins from the suppliers until the customers and this integration must be flexible to all changes caused by customer demand which is getting more and more critical day by day (Duclos et al, 2003;Vinod Kumar et al, 2006). One of the components of SCF includes the dimension of flexibility which requires that all participants in a supply chain can fulfill customer demand.…”

A Systematic Literature Review of Flexible E-Procurement Marketplace

“…Surprisingly though, rapid and ongoing change is surpassed by the rate of failure. Customers are demanding more variety, better quality and service including both reliability and faster delivery [33]. Reduction in the number of EPMs has resulted in some advantages for both customers and suppliers.…”

“…Vokurka and O'LearyKelly [105] expanded different dimensions developed by Browne et al [16] and Sethi and Sethi [88] on manufacturing flexibility to fifteen elements (machine; material handling; operations; automation; labor; process; routing; product; new design; delivery; volume; expansion; program; production and market). The main six components of supply chain flexibility indicated by Duclos et al [33] are operations systems flexibility, market flexibility, supply flexibility, logistics flexibility, organizational flexibility and information system flexibility. He also proposed the framework for supply chain flexibility based on these dimensions.…”