Selecting Outsourcing Strategies in Single Level Bidirectional Service Supply Chain: A Proposed Approach

The purpose of this paper is to propose an approach for selecting outsourcing strategies in single level bidirectional service supply chain. For this purpose, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) technique has been used for selecting two factors that have maximum influence on service outsourcing decisions. Selected factors have been integrated with quadrant analysis for selecting outsourcing strategies. Two questionnaires have been developed to indicate the importance and correlation of objectives of outsourcing and choosing factors that have influence on service outsourcing decisions in the selected service supply chain of a hospital in Isfahan, Iran. Questionnaires have been fulfilled by senior managers and supervisors the hospital. The results indicate that customer contact and relative capability position in the process have maximum affect on service outsourcing decisions in the selected service supply chain and when relative capability position in the process is high, it is better for the decision makers to keep process internal, i.e. in-sourcing since it provides more competitive advantages.Key words: Outsourcing; Service Supply Chain Management (SSCM); Health care; AHP; Quadrant Analysi

Leveraging the Supply Chain: An Assessment of Supply Chain Partners\u27 Influence on Organizational Performance

The supply chain is recognized as an integral part of the value creation process and a critical driver of performance. Indeed, a supply chain relationship grants buyers and suppliers the opportunity to share in the value generated by their partners, access partner capabilities and resources to enact their own strategic initiatives, and jointly generate value above what each firm could produce in isolation. The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate how firms can leverage the supply chain to attain superior organizational performance. Specifically, three essays, each focused on a distinct organizational process, explore how supply chain partners influence a firm’s financial performance. Essay 1 focuses on inventory management and the effect of supplier inventory leanness on a firm’s financial performance. Essay 2 focuses on organizational governance and the potential value and risk of inviting an executive from a supplier or customer firm to serve on the board of directors. Essay 3 integrates supply chain and competitive dynamics research to explore the influence of supplier competitive actions on a firm’s financial performance. Each essay covers a distinct area in which supply chain partners can act as a source of advantage and enable superior organizational performance. Firms do not operate in isolation, and a failure to consider supply chain partners when developing and implementing firm operations and strategies is an opportunity lost. This dissertation, thus, contributes to extant supply chain research by expanding research on supply chain partners’ influence on performance outcomes. The findings have major implications to managerial decision-making on sourcing, strategic management, and supply chain design. Collectively, this dissertation identifies additional avenues for firms to leverage the supply chain and, in turn, achieve superior organizational performance

Examining the impact of service recovery resilience in the context of product replacement: the roles of perceived procedural and interactional justice

Purpose Given increasing customer expectations and disturbances to product returns management, capabilities such as supply chain resilience (SCR) can complement service recovery strategies in retail supply chains. This study utilizes procedural justice theory (PJT) to conceptualize service recovery resilience as a capability that allows firms to meet customer requirements when dealing with disruptions, and empirically investigates its impact on procedural and interactional justice and customer outcomes (i.e. satisfaction and loyalty) in the context of product replacement. Design/methodology/approach This research employs two scenario-based experiments using a sample of 368 customers to explore the outcomes associated with service recovery resilience. Findings The investigation shows more satisfied and loyal customers when a retail supply chain can overcome service recovery challenges through SCR. The study shows that customers evaluate not only the process itself, but also their interactions with the retailer. Specifically, procedural justice and interactional justice have a significant influence on these relationships. Originality/value This study proposes service recovery resilience as a concept that bridges service recovery theory with supply chain strategy in the unique context of product replacement. Further, this study also notes how information enhances customer satisfaction with the retailer's effort to address disturbances in the recovery process. Finally, this study informs managers on the capabilities needed to face new customers' needs

Operational Infrastructure Enhancing the Supply Chain Management

The widespread implementation of supply chain management induced company to move beyond the national boarder and enticed the global competition in business. It has been proven that the supply chain management enhances the improvement in terms of cost reduction and other competitiveness. Applying supply chain management on overall organizations, companies generally considered themselves successful in managing their supply chains. However, while they have achieved the improvement in organizational performance, they have not reached the magnitude of improvements or the desired results ascribed to supply chain management [12,38,39]. Supply chain concerns and problems were first studied in the year 2002. The results showed that the most concerned items were Supply Chain Coherence such as lack of cooperation among supply chain members, Information Capability such as lack of sophisticated information system, and Geographical Proximity such as customer and supplier geographical distances. All of these concerns, related to some basic infrastructures of the company, the supply chain knowledge and operational skill before implementation [38,39,41], affected the effectiveness of supply chain practices and performances. In this research, we study the infrastructures that enhance the success of supply chain implementation, which influence the supply chain and organization performance. In this work, the author adopts 3 categories of infrastructure as the critical success factors of supply chain implementation. Man is defined as people\u27 s skills and education. Machines or tools are defined as supporting items for instance software and tools. Management refers to the supporting factors that drive the man or employee to work according to the strategies. The EQS is used to analyze the data collection. Total 114 data were completed and the result shows the significant related of operational infrastructures and success of supply chain managemen

The Social Supply Chain and the Future High Street

Purpose: The paper examines how independent social and commercial activities have developed in response to the perceived decline in the UK High Street and in response to the challenges of increasing digital retailing opportunities. This examination is undertaken through the lens of the social supply chain as a means to understanding, suggesting and expanding on current research regarding retailing and the UK High Street. We reveal some of the challenges being posed by the changing patterns of growth and consumption in cities and couple these with shifting supply chain trends. Design: A case study approach is employed to explore the rapid advances and influence of digital technologies on businesses operating on the primary business street of suburban centre, towns or cities (described in the UK collectively as the ‘high street’). The study is conducted through the analytical lens of the social supply chain. Originality: For the purpose of this paper we use two distinct strategies relating to delivery and balancing and in relation to the actions of co-creation, co-production and co-consumption to emphasise and analyse changes currently occurring in the UK high street. We take a social supply chain management perspective to undertake a systematic critical review of the various recent efforts undertaken by local governments, communities and traders groups to revitalise the high street. Findings: Theoretically extending the ‘social’ in the social supply chain we illustrate the usefulness of the nuanced concept of the ‘social supply chain’ with two related strategies concerning delivery and balance. These strategies are themselves interlinked with the actions of co-creation, co-production and co-consumption. Examples of social supply chain strategies presented include retail businesses giving away something as an incentive, where the underlying requirement from the customer is that they will bring their own specialist product, skill or social network to a specified location (real or virtual)

Improving supply chain flexibility and agility through variety management

Purpose A trade-off exists between product variety and supply chain (SC) performance. To help mitigate the impact on SC of increased product variety, the purpose of this paper is to examine how variety management activities including variety management strategy (VMS), supplier partnerships and close customer relationships affect SC flexibility and agility at different levels of customisation. Design/methodology/approach A survey-research methodology is employed using data from 363 manufacturing firms from the UK and South Korea. In particular, cluster analysis and structural equation modelling were used to evaluate the proposed model according to the level of customisation. Findings The results suggest that internal variety management strategy and external SC integration have a positive influence on SC flexibility and agility. Customer relationships and variety management strategies influence SC flexibility more than partnerships with suppliers whereas variety management strategies and partnerships with suppliers influence SC agility more than customer relationships. In fact, for external integration in particular, customer relationships influence SC flexibility (i.e. reaction capability) rather than agility (i.e. reaction time) whereas partnerships with suppliers influence SC agility rather than flexibility. In a high-customisation context, close customer relationships are the most effective way to increase SC flexibility, whereas partnerships with suppliers are the most effective way to increase SC agility. In a low-customisation context, a VMS and customer relationships are the most effective way to increase both SC flexibility and agility. Originality/value This paper suggests key variety management activities to aid managers to better manage product variety ambitions in SC under varying customisation profiles through internal and external approaches

The influence of dimensions of organisational culture on supply chain performance in selected state-owned enterprises in Zimbabwe.

Doctoral degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.This study aimed to explore the extent to which organisational cultural factors, like time orientation, profit orientation, and ownership orientation have an influence on the supply chain performance of state owned enterprises (SOEs) in Zimbabwe. The main objective of the study was to explore the influence of dimensions of organisational culture on supply chain performance in SOEs in Zimbabwe. There were seven specific objectives. The first research objective was to review literature on organisational and supply chain management. The second research objective was to examine the extent to which SOEs in Zimbabwe were effective in terms of financial targets, customer satisfaction, internal business processes, and learning and growth perspectives. The third research objective was to understand the influence of time orientation on the supply chain metric of delivery in SOEs in Zimbabwe. The fourth research was to understand the influence of time orientation on the supply chain metric of flexibility in SOEs in Zimbabwe. The fifth research objective was to understand the influence of profit orientation on cost reduction in supply chain activities in SOEs in Zimbabwe. The sixth research objective was to understand the influence of ‘no ownership culture’ on decision-making in supply chain management in SOEs in Zimbabwe. The seventh research objective was to assess the level of customer satisfaction in SOEs. The researcher used mixed methods, which entailed a combination of both qualitative and quantitative designs. The population for the study comprised managers, employees, and clients of eight SOEs in Zimbabwe. The researcher used a combination of sampling strategies. Judgmental sampling was used to select the SOEs that were studied. Managers and employees were selected using random sampling while clients were selected through convenience sampling. Questionnaires and interviews were used as research instruments. This thesis presents the findings thematically, in line with the research questions. When answering the first research question, it was established that the SOEs were not meeting financial targets, not satisfying customers, internal business processes were not efficient and learning, and growth targets were not met. The study also found that the organisational cultural variables such as time and ownership orientation in the SOEs were weak and affecting, flexibility and timely delivery of goods and services negatively. It was established that there was no urgency because there were no ownership claims to profit. With regard to customer satisfaction, it was found out that the SOEs were failing to meet the needs of clients. In its contribution to new knowledge, the present research found that organisational cultural variables such as time, ownership and profit orientation have a direct influence on the behaviour of human resources and an indirect effect on customer satisfaction, cost saving and profitability in the SOEs. Based on the study, it is therefore recommended that commitment of leadership on human behaviour is necessary for effective supply chain performance and strategy implementation. It is also held that constant environmental scanning, strategic alliances (private-public partnerships), rationalisation of salaries and benefits and sound corporate governance are essential

Response of Fresh Food Suppliers to Sustainable Supply Chain Management of Large European Retailers

This article analyses new supply chain management (SCM) strategies of the largest retail distribution chains in Europe within the context of differing sustainability concepts and approaches. An analysis is carried out of the strategic plans of such retailers, as well as recent developments in the sector. We begin by identifying the priority actions of retailers and then evaluating, by means of a survey, how small horticultural marketing firms (mainly cooperatives) in southeast Spain respond to the needs of these retailers. Subsequently, an analysis is carried out on these small marketing firm exporters to identify the relative weight which they assign to the variables assessed, while also considering the existing relationships between said weighted variables and business profits. Our results show that retailers tend to establish more simplified supply chains (that is, shorter and more vertical), essentially demonstrating their interpretation of a sustainable supply chain. In contrast, horticultural marketing firms have concentrated more on tactical and operational issues, thereby neglecting environmental, social and logistics management. Thus, their success rate in meeting the sustainability demands of their customers can be considered medium-low, requiring a more proactive attitude. Improved and collaborative relations, and the integration of sustainability concepts between suppliers (marketing firms) and their clients could contribute to successfully meeting sustainability demands. From the point of view of the consumer, close supplier–retail relationships have solved food safety issues, but the implementation of sustainability in other supply chain activities and processes is a pending issue. We propose strategic approximation and collaboration to bridge the gap between the varying sustainability demands in the supplier–retail relationship within perishable supply chains. Although this article specifically addresses fresh vegetable supply chains, the results may be extrapolated to other agri-food chains with a similar structure