Information sharing and supply chain performance: the role of connectivity and willingness

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to understand how information technology (IT) is used to enhance supply chain performance. Design/methodology/approach -A large-scale survey and semi-structured interviews were used to collect industry data. Findings -Two distinct dimensions to information sharing -connectivity and willingness -are identified and analyzed. Both dimensions are found to impact operational performance and to be critical to the development of a real information sharing capability. However, many companies are found to have placed most of their emphasis on connectivity, often overlooking the willingness construct. As a result, information sharing seldom delivers on its promise to enable the creation of the cohesive supply chain team. Research limitations -Despite the extensive data collection, the research represents a snapshot of practice. Replication from a longitudinal perspective would help define how IT is evolving to enable supply chain management. Practical implications -A roadmap is presented to help guide IT development and investment decisions. Originality/value -The research presents a two-by-two matrix to help managers and academics understand the related nature of connectivity and willingness. A roadmap is presented to help guide IT development and investment decisions.

Comparing a Shipping Information Pipeline with a Thick Flow and a Thin Flow

“…Businesses might for instance require information to be kept confidential for competitive reasons (e.g., fear of being bypassed in the supply chain), or for reasons of security (e.g., fear of high-value goods getting stolen) [7,22]. This makes the security of the architecture an important property to compare the different architectures on.…”

“…The sharing of shipping information in supply chains can benefit businesses as well as Customs [5][6][7]. Reliable shipping information allows businesses to work together more effectively and efficiently and for synchro-modality to optimize the goods flow [7,8].…”

“…Reliable shipping information allows businesses to work together more effectively and efficiently and for synchro-modality to optimize the goods flow [7,8]. Customs is tasked with monitoring the flow of goods and interfering with it if necessary for security, safety or public policy [5].…”

Towards Collecting Sustainability Data in Supply Chains with Flexible Data Collection Processes

“…Moreover, involved companies significantly differ in size and industry background and use heterogeneous ISs. Due to this heterogeneity, neither federated data schemes nor unifying tools or other concepts can be adopted in this context [1].…”

An Approach to Select Suppliers for Sustainable Collaborative Networks

“…Supplier involvement in early and extensive stages has many beneficial results for supply chain management: faster development process, reduced costs, reduced inventory, etc. [1][2][3]. Thus, selecting suppliers becomes a crucial process for manufacturers.…”