Supply chain control: Trade-offs and system requirements

The official published version can be accessed from the link below.A paper describes the underlying forces which drive change in manufacturing enterprises and supply chains. It sets out the complexities in modern capitalism and global economics and illustrates the trade-offs that can be made. IT systems which are required to assist improvements to both customer service and enterprise manufacturing performance are explained, alluding to the special case for the semiconductor industry. Arguments are presented showing how the new tools being developed with the ESPRIT project 20544, X-CITTIC, will satisfy the control needs for a virtual enterprise. This paper describes the underlying forces which drive change in manufacturing enterprises and supply chains. It sets out the complexities in modem capitalism and global economics and illustrates the trade-offs that can be made. IT systems which are required to assist improvements to both customer service and enterprise manufacturing performance are explained alluding to the special case for the semiconductor industry. Finally it shows how the new tools being developed with the ESPRIT project 20544, XCITTIC, will satisfy the control needs for a virtual enterprise

Indian Pharma Within Global Reach?

The Indian pharmaceutical industry is presently going through a phase of transition and potential consolidation, owing to India's new TRIPS-compliant intellectual property regime and other rules aimed at enhancing the industry's credibility nationally and internationally. Appropriate policy interventions can play a large role in cushioning the transition (and gradual consolidation) of the industry post-2005. Using firm level data collected in 2004-2005, this paper seeks to make two major contributions in this regard. The research findings show that the Indian pharmaceutical sector is a heterogeneous mix of firms with vast differences in innovative capabilities. Based on these differences, the groups can be categorized into specific "innovation modes" (the innovator, the niche operator and the manufacturer), each mode being a step closer towards the innovative pharmaceutical firm. Second, the paper highlights how the emerging strategies of firms in all three groups, although different, underpin the importance of systemic coordination in the pharmaceutical sector. The analysis links both these findings to policies pursued in the pharmaceutical sector over the past four decades and highlights the role of differential innovation policy in ensuring optimal sectoral performance.Pharmaceutical industry, Innovation policy, TRIPS, Intellectual Propery, IPR, Property rights, India

A Systematic Literature Review of Supply Chain Resilience in Small–Medium Enterprises (SMEs): A Call for Further Research

In this article, with the increased disruptions faced by businesses and the occurrence of natural disasters in the world, supply chain resilience remains a major challenge especially for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Despite the relevance of SMEs to the economy, there is limited scholarly work on resilience practices in SMEs and a limited understanding of how SMEs can achieve resilience. To understand the role of supply chain resilience in SMEs, we undertake a systematic literature review (SLR), which results in the identification and analysis of 101 journal articles, published between 2006 and 2019, on SME supply chain resilience. Our analysis into SME supply chain resilience highlights four focal areas: 1) the role of collaboration and culture; 2) the role of SMEs’ capabilities; 3) the role of Information Systems; and (4) the role of cost and financing. Our SLR investigation identifies future research directions and focal areas tailored to SMEs to help them to assess and develop their supply chain resilience

Big business with Chinese characteristics: two paths to growth of the firm in China under reform

This paper presents a case study of two large firms which emerged from among the ranks of traditional state-owned enterprises and new entrants: Shougang (steel) and Sanjiu (pharmaceuticals). Rather than being irreconcilable with the market economy, the experience of these two firms suggests that the Chinese Communist Party and the People's Liberation Army possessed a rich legacy of organisational and motivational skills. Moreover, Shougang and Sanjiu both grew rapidly through mergers and acquisitions in the absence of privatisation and a developed stock market. Furthermore, the main reason for Shougang and Sanjiu's success is not special help from the government or the army, but rather the fact that its leadership used their autonomy to construct a highly effective business organisation