Evaluating Information Sharing Strategies in Supply Chains

This paper evaluates the impact of information sharing strategies on the performance of a supply chain. We consider three forms of information sharing strategies: (1) order information sharing where every stage of the supply chain only knows the orders from its immediate downstream stage; (2) demand information sharing where every stage has full information about the market demand; (3) inventory information sharing where each stage shares its inventory levels and demand information with its immediate upstream stage. Our results indicate that information sharing improves supply chain performance when demand is relatively stable. More importantly, we find that a hybrid information sharing strategy, which uses demand information sharing in the distribution network of the supply chain while using inventory information sharing in the supplier network, is the ideal strategy to improve supply chain performance when demand mix is volatile

Strategic, tactical decisions and information in Rapid Manufacturing supply chain

The efficiency and agility of its supply chain is vital to the commercial success of any product. Sharing strategic and tactical information effectively within the supply chain is often a key factor in achieving this goal. This paper proposes a framework to identify strategic, tactical decisions and information. The framework is used to conduct a sector based analysis of the Rapid Manufacturing (RM) industry. The decisions and information identified include amongst others various supply chain strategies and technical information

Systems Dynamics Modeling for Collaboration and Information Sharing on Supply Chain Performance and Value Creation

Collaborations among various parties of the supply chain system are becoming more important in improving performance and creating value. Information sharing plays a vital role in supply chain management. This study proposes a general model for identifying interrelationships among information sharing, collaboration and supply chain performance. Then a systems dynamics approach is used to examine how information sharing and collaboration influence supply chain performance and value creation

Determinants of Information Sharing in Supply Chain among Manufacturing and Trading companies in Albania: A Discriminant Analysis

The competition among enterprises has gradually become the competition between supply chains, and it is more and more important for the cooperation among members of the supply chain to improve supply chain performance. Information sharing among members of supply chain can have an impact on supply chain integration. This article studies the determinant factors of the level of information sharing in supply chain. The population of this study is manufacturing and trading companies in Albania. A questionnaire survey was conducted to study the level of information sharing by the targeted companies. This study reveals that top management support, trust in partners, and commitment of partners are significant variables in determining the level of information sharing and in distinguishing between the organizations with high levels of information sharing and information quality and those with low levels of information sharing among supply chain partners. Manufacturing and trading organizations should be given strategic attention to information sharing because accurate, reliable and in time information can contribute to the improvement in organizational performance and competitive advantage

An Exploratory Case Study of Information-Sharing and Collaboration within Air Force Supply Chain Management

This research sought to identify key elements of the Air Force supply chain as it relates to industry, determine how techniques of information-sharing and collaboration are used to make Air Force Supply Chain decisions, and examine how the resulting impacts on operational readiness may be measured. A multiple case study research design was used to investigate the application of information-sharing and collaboration in two distinct Air Force supply chains. Cross-case comparative analysis of the supply chains supporting the PTO shafts on the F-15 engine and the T-38 engine evaluated each supply chain\u27s characteristics and levels of information-sharing and collaboration. The research highlighted one example of proactive sharing of information and collaborative decision-making to avoid supply chain inefficiencies, and one example of using information-sharing to recover from a decision made without using a collaborative approach. Specifically, the research identified that proactive sharing of information and collaborative decision-making for the T-38 avoided supply chain failures, while the F-15 supply chain was reactive, failing to collaborate or share information, resulting in a failure of the supply chain and an increase in the MICAP rate. The F-15 community used information-sharing to recover from this failure. The culmination of this effort provided insight into the interactions and complexities of the Air Force supply chain and highlighted a need for a more thorough evaluation of the impact of supply chain relationships, information-sharing, and collaborative decision-making on operational readiness

Models for Information Sharing in Collaborative Supply Chains

As supply chains evolve beyond the confines of individual organizations, information sharing has become the Holy Grail in supply chain technology. It plays a key role in improving supply chain visibility and then achieving supply chain effectiveness and responsiveness. Although the values of information sharing are well recognized, there is little research on how to use it to coordinate supply chain processes dynamically. In this research, we propose an information sharing model and describe a methodology for applying this model to achieve different configurations of supply chain processes in response to internal or external events. In addition, we analyze events and their causalities based on Petri net technology. This formal approach can be used to develop an engine for supply chain event management (SCEM) and then achieve a sense-andrespond capability for supply chains to react to events in a real-time manner. The purpose of this research is to show how to achieve supply chain configurability by leveraging information sharing and effective event management

Social relationships and supply chain risk information sharing

The main objective of this study is to investigate how social relationships enhance supply chain risk information sharing. A multiple-case, holistic design was adopted. Interviews targeted managers in supply chain, procurement, operations and distribution. The study findings revealed that building closeness, motivation and establishing a sense of collective consequence enhances supply chain risk information sharing. This study contributes valuable empirical insights into how social relationships can enhance risk information sharing so that firms can prepare against supply chain disruption

Information Sharing for improved Supply Chain Collaboration – Simulation Analysis

Collaboration among consumer good’s manufacturer and retailers is vital in order to elevate their performance. Such mutual cooperation’s, focusing beyond day to day business and transforming from a contract-based relationship to a value-based relationship is well received in the industries. Further coupling of information sharing with the collaboration is valued as an effective forward step. The advent of technologies naturally supports information sharing across the supply chain. Satisfying consumers demand is the main goal of any supply chain, so studying supply chain behaviour with demand as a shared information, makes it more beneficial. This thesis analyses demand information sharing in a two-stage supply chain. Three different collaboration scenarios (None, Partial and Full) are simulated using Discrete Event Simulation and their impact on supply chain costs analyzed. Arena software is used to simulate the inventory control scenarios. The test simulation results show that the total system costs decrease with the increase in the level of information sharing. There is 7% cost improvement when the information is partially shared and 43% improvement when the information is fully shared in comparison with the no information sharing scenario. The proposed work can assist decision makers in design and planning of information sharing scenarios between various supply chain partners to gain competitive advantage

Increased Supply Chain Flexibility by Changes in Information Sharing with Suppliers - The FAIS Roadmap

Due to a shifting competitive landscape, companies have realized that in order to meet the new market trends, they need to be flexible not only within their own link but throughout their supply chain. One factor that has proved to have great impact on supply chain flexibility is information sharing. The purpose of this thesis was to add to the knowledge on how organizations can increase their supply chain flexibility by changes in information sharing with suppliers. The objective of this thesis was twofold: To develop a roadmap for analyzing the need and possibilities to increase supply chain flexibility by changes in information sharing with suppliers. With support of this roadmap, present recommendations aiming at increasing the flexibility in Axis’s supply chain by changes in information sharing with suppliers. The study was conducted using a systems approach. Through combining theories about supply chain flexibility, information sharing in supply chains and an empirical investigation in an abductive manner, the FAIS Roadmap was developed. The preliminary FAIS Roadmap was tested using a case study on Axis Communications AB. The developed FAIS Roadmap is a tool that can be used in order to specify what changes that should be made regarding information sharing with suppliers in order to increase the supply chain flexibility. After testing the developed roadmap, some refinements were done, resulting in a final version of the FAIS Roadmap. Furthermore, the test resulted in five recommendations for Axis: understand suppliers’ real need for information, simplify and synchronize internal information processes, make sure that high quality information is passed on further up the chain, benefit from extensive information sharing in early stages of product development, and share additional information in order to decrease lead times