Understanding The Role Of IoT Technologies In Supply Ecosystems

This paper introduces the concept of supply ecosystems for exploring the role of the Internet of Things (IoT) and its technologies in value added activities. The paper argues that the IoT has a role in helping to understand the information problems that firms face, and in identifying the way in which IoT technologies can help. To achieve this, the paper examines the vision and scope of the IoT and its perceived potential value to firms. Then, based on the available literature, the paper furthers the existing concept of supply ecosystems and argues that the potential value of the IoT to businesses can only be realized if a holistic, more ecological perspective, is used. The paper hence proposes that supply ecosystems can be used to understand the value of IoT in solving information problems

A sociomaterial approach to co-creating RFID value in a multi-firm supply chain knowledge sharing einvironment: a longitudinal case study

Orlikowski and Lacono (2001, p. 132) aptly argue that IT artifacts, particularly distributed network technology applications, including RFID, do not provide the same material and cultural properties in each local time or context of use. A sociomaterial theory suggests the importance of adopting an integrative approach to study the social and material effects when examining IT benefits realization. While much has been written about the high potential of RFID as a new class of strategic enterprise information systems, the early adopters of RFID and researchers still have to answer the question on how to co-create the business value of RFID in supply chain environments. In this longitudinal case study of six firms involved in the research, development, implementation and use of an innovative RFID system, several critical barriers to co-creating RFID-enabled business value were identified. Finally, a sociomaterial approach to study RFID provided new insights into these barriers

A Sociomaterial Approach to Co-Creating RFID Value in a Multi-Firm Supply Chain Knowledge Sharing Environment: A Longitudinal Case Study

Orlikowski and Lacono (2001, p. 132) aptly argue that IT artifacts, particularly distributed network technology applications, including RFID, “do not provide the same material and cultural properties in each local time or context of use.” A sociomaterial theory suggests the importance of adopting an integrative approach to study the social and material effects when examining IT benefits realization. While much has been written about the high potential of RFID as a new class of strategic enterprise information systems, the early adopters of RFID and researchers still have to answer the question on how to co-create the business value of RFID in supply chain environments. In this longitudinal case study of six firms involved in the research, development, implementation and use of an innovative RFID system, several critical barriers to co-creating RFID-enabled business value were identified. Finally, a sociomaterial approach to study RFID provided new insights into these barriers

Business integration between manufacturing and transport-logistics firms

Purpose - This paper analyses how manufacturers and transport-logistics service providers (TLSPs) work together and integrate their business processes. The information technologies used to support the integration, the processes currently integrated, and the expected future integration, are searched. Design/methodology/approach - Six in-depth case studies were conducted among leading companies in the electrical, electronics, mechanical, food processing, and transport-logistics industries. The data was collected using comprehensive semi-structured interviews. Findings - Most of the firms are coupled electronically through EDI. The current business integration practices are primarily restricted to some sub-processes in three key SC processes: Customer service management, order fulfillment and backwards logistics. In the future the manufacturers want a better integration with the TLSPs, but at the same time, manufacturers would like to have the freedom of breaking the relationship, if the party does not fulfill the requisites and expectations. The future developments associated to the "commoditization" of TLSPs’ services would reinforce this trend. Originality/value - This research has shed light on a relatively unexplored area related to the integration between manufacturers and transport-logistics firms. Our research has highlighted the complexity of the integration between the two echelons, and has helped to the identification of current areas of integration. This research has also contributed to understand how the integration occurs in real contexts, by uncovering with a high degree of detail, what manufactures do to integrate their business with the TLSPsSupply chain management; Business process integration; Information technologies (IT); Standardization; Manufacturers; Transport and Logistics Service Providers (TLSPs)

Measuring the level of supply chain robustness during construction mega-projects

Trop souvent, les mégaprojets sont complétés en retard et dépassent les budgets prévus. Néanmoins, il n’existe toujours pas de modèle unique, ni de cadre opératoire, ni de théorie holistique pouvant mesurer les performances et les productivités des divers activités lors de mégaprojets de construction. Une solution proposée par l’auteur de cette thèse est la formulation d'un artefact ou d'un design, appelé modèle de performance et de productivité de la construction (CPPM), qui intègre un cadre opératoire à partir des processus de la chaîne d'approvisionnement. Le modèle de performance et de productivité de la construction fait face à la problématique managériale avec la vision de développer une conception d’attributs et de facteurs clés qui rendrait l'industrie de la construction canadienne plus compétitive. Le cadre du modèle repose sur une approche de chaîne d’approvisionnement, et fournit des facteurs clés de succès en temps réel avec des attributs de performance et des mesures couvrant toutes les phases des mégaprojets. La recherche aux fils des ans a su évoluer grâce à la liberté d’adopter diverses méthodologies et d’étudier plusieurs théories. L’approche de la recherche en design-sciences a donc été choisie parce qu'elle englobe cette liberté académique dans le design managérial, l’approche théorique et l'environnement réel des mégaprojets. Le modèle “CPPM” a révélé que les attributs de performance et les facteurs clés de succès prédominant à l’artefact, étaient ceux reliés aux “EPCM Agility”, suivis des contrôles de coûts et ceux de la fiabilité des achats. L’auteur de cette thèse estime que la recherche entreprit lors de son doctorat a permis à la science de progresser. Cette thèse s'appuie sur ses sept constats liés à la gestion de mégaprojets, renforcée par quatre ans d’observations avec des experts de l’industrie, des entrevues semi-structurées et sondage, de même que la conception d’un modèle “CPPM” qui couvre toutes les phases et activités dans la gestion de mégaprojets. L’auteur a aussi établi un modèle qui est validé par une série de principes, de processus, d’évaluation, de contribution et de justification des connaissances, ainsi que l’originalité et l’inventivité d’un modèle qui est unique et novateur dans la littérature de la gestion de construction. Enfin, l’auteur conclut que l’artefact a atteint un niveau de cohérence que pour le chantier de construction sur lequel il a seulement été testé. Comprenant les limites du modèle, cette recherche offre à d’autres chercheurs l’occasion de renforcer ultérieurement la validité du modèle en le testant sur différents sites de construction.Abstract: Too often mega-projects are completed late and over budget. Nevertheless, there is no holistic model, nor any solid-proof framework, nor theories which measures performance and productivity pertaining to the construction activities. One solution proposed by the researcher, is the formulation of an artifact or design, known as the Construction Performance & Productivity Model (CPPM), which integrates a supply chain framework. The Construction Performance & Productivity Model seeks to attenuate the managerial problematic in the industry with the vision to develop a design that would make the Canadian construction industry more competitive. The framework of the model has a supply chain approach, provides real-time measurement with performance attributes and metrics that are pertinent to the construction industry. It is also friendly to users and covers all phases of construction mega-projects. The research over the years evolved from the freedom of adopting various methodologies and theories. The paradigm of Design-Science Research (DSR) was selected because it espouses this academic freedom in design, science and real-life environment. Through a Participant Observation (engineering phases) and Action Research (construction activities), using the SCOR Model as its base, enriched and minimised through a series of semi-structures interviews and one survey, the research found the most important performance attributes and metrics that performed best in the model (CPPM) were the ones belonging to the categories of EPCM Agility, followed by Project Controls and Procurement Reliability. The researcher believes this doctoral thesis has permitted the science to progress because its model (CPPM) relates its seven (7) constructs to megaprojects, reinforced by four (4) years of observations, is validated through a series of principles, processes, evaluation, contribution and justification knowledge. Moreover, the model’s originality and inventiveness are different from the ones found in construction literature. Finally, the researcher concludes the CPPM has achieved a level of consistency for the construction site it was only tested to it. Understanding the model’s limitations, this research offer opportunities to other scientists to further the model validity by testing it in different construction sites

An agent approach to improving radio frequency identification enabled Returnable Transport Equipment

Returnable transport equipment (RTE) such as pallets form an integral part of the supply chain and poor management leads to costly losses. Companies often address this matter by outsourcing the management of RTE to logistics service providers (LSPs). LSPs are faced with the task to provide logistical expertise to reduce RTE related waste, whilst differentiating their own services to remain competitive. In the current challenging economic climate, the role of the LSP to deliver innovative ways to achieve competitive advantage has never been so important. It is reported that radio frequency identification (RFID) application to RTE enables LSPs such as DHL to gain competitive advantage and offer clients improvements such as loss reduction, process efficiency improvement and effective security. However, the increased visibility and functionality of RFID enabled RTE requires further investigation in regards to decision‐making. The distributed nature of the RTE network favours a decentralised decision‐making format. Agents are an effective way to represent objects from the bottom‐up, capturing the behaviour and enabling localised decision‐making. Therefore, an agent based system is proposed to represent the RTE network and utilise the visibility and data gathered from RFID tags. Two types of agents are developed in order to represent the trucks and RTE, which have bespoke rules and algorithms in order to facilitate negotiations. The aim is to create schedules, which integrate RTE pick‐ups as the trucks go back to the depot. The findings assert that: - agent based modelling provides an autonomous tool, which is effective in modelling RFID enabled RTE in a decentralised utilising the real‐time data facility. ‐ the RFID enabled RTE model developed enables autonomous agent interaction, which leads to a feasible schedule integrating both forward and reverse flows for each RTE batch. ‐ the RTE agent scheduling algorithm developed promotes the utilisation of RTE by including an automatic return flow for each batch of RTE, whilst considering the fleet costs andutilisation rates. ‐ the research conducted contributes an agent based platform, which LSPs can use in order to assess the most appropriate strategies to implement for RTE network improvement for each of their clients

The Long-Term Impact Of RFID Adoption

Most research problems on Radio frequency identification (RFID) focus on effects of RFID implementation on firms, factors affecting RFID adoption, and impact evaluation of RFID implementation. And literature about RFID adoption concentrates on short-term effects or impact evaluation. However, short-term analysis will not identify the impact of RFID adoption adequately. We use monthly data of 86 companies which adopted RFID projects around the world at some point from January 1997 to December 2011 and perform four years calendar portfolio analysis (CPA) and Tobin\u27s Q comparison analysis to gain comprehensive insights into the mechanism of RFID on firm performance. Further, we investigate five contextual factors that moderate the impact of RFID adoption including adoption time, country, industry, and financial health condition of adoption firms. We find that RFID may not demonstrate its value instantly, but it has indeed enhanced firms’ future growth potential in the long run

A conceptual model of RFID’s impact on relational value cocreation and appropriation

With the advances of Internet of Things (IoT), RFID technology is becoming ubiquitous. While prior studies have conceptualized RFID technology as a unidimensional concept or examined its impact from a homogeneous organizational context perspective, little attention has been paid to RFID technology characteristics deployed in a firm and the extent to which they impact this firm’s network of business partners in terms of relational value co-creation and appropriation. This study draws from relational perspective and Media Synchronicity Theory and proposes a conceptual model relating RFID characteristics – synchronicity, integration capability, scope of utilization – to relational value creation. Specifically, it proposes that RFID impact depends on the direct and combined effects of individual RFID characteristics on relational value. These effects are moderated by the quality of partnership between IT and business units in the firm. The conceptual model validation is necessary to assess the predictive power of the emitted hypotheses