Business process management and supply chain collaboration: effects on performance and competitiveness

Purpose: This study aims to examine the interrelationships among business process management (BPM), supply chain collaboration (SCC), collaborative advantage and organisational performance. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 204 manufacturing firms in Thailand, and the interrelationships proposed in the framework were tested via structural equation modelling. Findings: This study highlights the role of intra- and inter-organisational practices and clearly demonstrates the joint role and impact of BPM and SCC, respectively. The results provide empirical evidence that BPM improves both organisational performance and collaborative activities. Also, SCC and collaborative advantage can have indirect positive impacts on organisational performance. Research limitations/implications: This work could be expanded by adopting a supplementary dyadic or extended supply chain (SC) approach and could also consider contextual factors, which were outside of the scope of this study. Practical implications: The BPM approach has a positive impact on organisational performance, which is essential for collaborative activities between a firm and its SC partners. Further, effective BPM and SCC practices lead to enhanced performance and collaborative benefits. Practitioners should be better able to define and measure specific actions relating to their BPM and SCC practices. Originality value: This paper stresses the need to consider the interrelationships between BPM, SCC, collaborative advantage and organisational performance for both direct and indirect effects. Rather than focusing only on improvement at individual firm level, SCC is vital to compete in the market. Improving the effectiveness of SC allows higher organisational performance levels than those that could be achieved in isolatio

Business process management and supply chain collaboration: a critical comparison

The link between a firm and supply chain (SC) members has been recognised as one of the key issues for ensuring business success and achieving competitive advantage. Indeed, working across organisational boundaries is required to accomplish effective responses to customers’ needs. Our preliminary research confirmed that there are positive relationships between business process management (BPM), supply chain collaboration (SCC), collaborative advantage and organisational performance. This study is a step further and uses a multiple case design to illuminate the results and gain a greater understanding from extensive discussions about these relationships. By means of semi-structured interviews, the three main issues were identified as: (1) the link between BPM and organisational performance; (2) the link between BPM and SCC; and (3) the contextual factors and benefits achieved from working collaboratively with SC partners. The different scenarios of the link between BPM and SCC were developed in a taxonomy, and the case studies were used to illustrate the experience of intra- and inter-organisational practices in the developing economy of Thailand. The case studies’ results explain in depth that both BPM and SCC are important for improving organisational performance and competitiveness. BPM not only improves organisational performance directly, but also assists with collaborative activities that in turn help to improve internal capabilities. Additionally, the comparisons in issues relating to firm size, industry type, relationship closeness and relationship length were also included in this study

Strategic and operational considerations for the Extended Enterprise: insights from the aerospace industry

The Extended Enterprise (EE) paradigm has been adopted in the civil aerospace industry to enhance collaboration and product innovation among supply chain partners. Nevertheless, key aspects of this collaborative form remain poorly understood. In particular, the interrelation of strategic and operational considerations has received little attention in the literature. Our study aimed to investigate this area, using two dyads as case studies, where three companies were involved in an EE form of collaboration. The primary case company was a leading manufacturer in the civil aerospace industry that employs EE principles on both upstream and downstream sides of its supply chain. The other two case companies were key suppliers embedded in the EE. This paper aimed to develop a more complete understanding of how sharing risks and rewards results in effective collaboration among EE partners with key strategic and operational results

Patterns of postnatal growth in a small falcon, the lesser kestrel Falco naumanni (Fleischer, 1818) (Aves: Falconidae)

Following a dramatic decline, the lesser kestrel Falco naumanni global population has recently stabilised, although it is still fluctuating in several countries, including Greece. Nestling growth rates and size at fledging greatly influence future survival and reproductive success, and therefore the study of postnatal growth can aid the understanding of population dynamics and the conservation of avian populations. We quantified body mass and morphological traits in female and male lesser kestrel nestlings from a lowland Greek breeding population. Nonlinear mixed models were used to describe and compare growth trajectories. Growth in body mass, tarsus and bill reached asymptotic values before fledging and was best described by the logistic equation, whereas total length grew linearly beyond the fledging phase. Random variation was found in the asymptote in body mass, the inflection point in body mass, tarsus and bill lengths and the intercept in total length, being substantially higher between nests than amongst siblings, implying differences in parental quality between nests and also an even distribution of parental care amongst siblings. Random effects were not observed on the growth rate constant, supporting the hypothesis that it varies little within populations. Females were significantly heavier and had longer bills and total length than males, whereas males were similar to females in tarsus growth. Nonlinear mixed models allowed us to describe a stage of avian life vital for future survival and reproductive output and reveal variation between nests, nestlings and the sexes

Patterns of postnatal growth in a small falcon, the lesser kestrel <i>Falco naumanni</i> (Fleischer, 1818) (Aves: Falconidae)

<p>Following a dramatic decline, the lesser kestrel <i>Falco naumanni</i> global population has recently stabilised, although it is still fluctuating in several countries, including Greece. Nestling growth rates and size at fledging greatly influence future survival and reproductive success, and therefore the study of postnatal growth can aid the understanding of population dynamics and the conservation of avian populations. We quantified body mass and morphological traits in female and male lesser kestrel nestlings from a lowland Greek breeding population. Nonlinear mixed models were used to describe and compare growth trajectories. Growth in body mass, tarsus and bill reached asymptotic values before fledging and was best described by the logistic equation, whereas total length grew linearly beyond the fledging phase. Random variation was found in the asymptote in body mass, the inflection point in body mass, tarsus and bill lengths and the intercept in total length, being substantially higher between nests than amongst siblings, implying differences in parental quality between nests and also an even distribution of parental care amongst siblings. Random effects were not observed on the growth rate constant, supporting the hypothesis that it varies little within populations. Females were significantly heavier and had longer bills and total length than males, whereas males were similar to females in tarsus growth. Nonlinear mixed models allowed us to describe a stage of avian life vital for future survival and reproductive output and reveal variation between nests, nestlings and the sexes.</p

Exploring the role of information systems in mitigating gate congestion using simulation: theory and practice at a bulk export terminal gate

Using an Australian wood chip export terminal as a case study, this research presents a terminal gate simulation model that improves understanding of the complex interactions at the terminal gate and describes the potential of information and digital systems alternatives for mitigating congestion. The alternatives modelled include: a terminal appointment system to schedule truck arrivals; integrating weigh-bridge information to eliminate one stage of the unloading process; and, reducing conveyor operation time.Simulation results indicate that a terminal appointment system can reduce turnaround times by up to 23%, primarily through a reduction in waiting times. Integrating weigh-bridge information can improve turnaround by up to 18%, while reducing the conveyor operation time can improve turnaround by up to 5%. The paper highlights that achieving these simulated results in practice actually relies on a range of factors and assumptions hard to embed in the simulation. These factors influence the nature of the complex interactions at the terminal gate and include the extent to which stakeholders are willing to share information and develop or retain levels of trust between each other.The paper argues that one potentially effective strategy for aligning stakeholders’ interests involves engaging them all in the decision-making processes in finding and developing a suitable congestion management solution. This approach mitigates concerns regarding system abuse, ensures all technological and business requirements of stakeholders are considered and, enhances the implementation process to deliver increased effectiveness of the solution.This research is part of a major ongoing research project undertaken in Australia funded by the Australian Research Council through the Industrial Transformation Research Program

A Multi Perspective Framework for Enhanced Supply Chain Analytics

Supply chain analytics, especially in the field of food supply has become a strategic business function. Monthly executive sales and operation planning meetings utilize supply chain analytics to inform strategic business decisions. Having identified gaps in the strategic management of food supply chains, a multi perspective supply chain analytics framework is developed incorporating process and data attributes to support decision making. Using Design Science as the research methodology, a novel framework with a supporting IT artefact is built and presented with early evaluation results. The resulting multi perspective supply chain analytics framework equips practitioners to identify strategic issues, providing important decision support information. The case study further illustrates the framework has applicability across all integrated food supply chains. This research has highlighted gaps in the application of process science to the supply chain management domain, particularly in the area of simultaneous assessment of process and data. The outcomes contribute to research in this domain providing a framework that will enhance the significant reference modelling and operational management work that has occurred in this field.</p