Supply Chain Management: A Strategic Perspective

Abstract

In order to respond to competitive pressures, managers need to know more about the strategic aspects of supply chain management. This paper addresses this need by critically reviewing the supply chain management literature and by suggesting a research agenda for the future. A conceptual model is provided which helps to identify certain assumptions made in the literature that must be challenged. The model also provides a tool for identifying the major contributions in the literature. Finally, a research agenda is developed.

The role of top management in supply chain management practices

“…The need for a process orientation is also seen in the systems approach. For instance, Bechtel and Jayaram (1997) argue that "the underpinning philosophy mentioned most often in the SCM process literature is systems thinking… Systems thinking involves movement away from functional department suboptimization of the supply chain to a holistic optimization of the entire supply chain" (Bechtel and Jayaram, 1997, p. 21).…”

“…The large amount of research in the SCM area, and the fact that SCM spans over several disciplines (Tan, 2001), has led to a wide range of definitions, expressions and concepts (Larson and Halldorsson, 2004;Mentzer et al, 2001). The discussions and conclusions about SCM are seldom based upon rigorous theory (Bechtel and Jayaram, 1997) or empirical material (Lee and Whang, 2000;Stank et al, 2001) and SCM literature therefore often becomes superficial and comprehensive. In addition, empirical studies indicate that many of the expected positive effects of SCM have not been realised (Fawcett and Magnan, 2002;Moberg et al, 2003;Skjoett-Larsen, 1999, Spekman et al, 1998Stank et al, 1999;SkjoettLarsen et al, 2003;Småros, 2003).…”

Public e-procurement impacts in small- and medium-enterprises

“…To this end, the budget allocated to P e-P has become critical since the benefits of e-procurement in the public sector translate into effects that impact directly and dramatically the competitiveness and profitability of organisations (Bechtel and Jayaram, 1997;Olsen andEllram, 1997, LaLonde, 1998;Roberts, 2001). Thus, the e-procurement is an important tool for decreasing acquisition costs and increasing process efficiency (Ho et al, 2006) from the buyer and the supplier point of view.…”

Supply chain management resources, capabilities and execution

“…Kotzab, Friis, and Busk (2006) propose a link between supply chain processes and SCM execution (see also Bechtel and Jayaram 1997;Lambert, Cooper, and Pagh 1998;Mentzer et al 2001). …”

“…Internal SCM resources comprise human and financial resources as well as 'soft factors' such as mutual organisational understanding, trust and commitment (Mentzer et al 2001;Olhager 2002;Hsuan Mikkola and Skjøtt-Larsen 2004;Yeung et al 2009), whereas joint SCM resources refer to long-term relationships, shared visions and goals, shared control systems, joint project groups, trust, information sharing about forecasts and inventory status, product development, leadership, organisational culture, mutual dependency, and profit and risk sharing (Bechtel and Jayaram 1997;Cooper, Lambert, and Pagh 1997;Fawcett and Magnan 2001;Mentzer et al 2001;Droge, Jayaram, and Vickery 2004;Cousins and Menguc 2006;Das 2006;Cigolini and Rossi 2008;Palomero and Chalmeta 2012;Alfalla-Luque, Medina-Lopez, and Dey 2013;Dey and Cheffi 2013). Kotzab et al (2011) argue that the putting in place of internal resources -which they label conditions -is a prerequisite for the existence of joint resources.…”