1,721,240 research outputs found
Designing CPFR collaborations: insights from seven case studies
No full textPurpose – To comprehend the rationale behind managerial choices that lead companies to
implement different types of collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment (CPFR)
collaborations.
Design/methodology/approach – Seven case studies of supply networks whose central firms
operate in different sectors have been analysed.
Findings – Identifies six types of CPFR collaborations, the choice of which can be explained by
considering some important contingent factors, such as the CPFR goals, characteristics of the products
and markets in which they are sold, supply network’s physical and relational structure, and CPFR
development stage.
Research limitations/implications – Further research developed in other contexts is necessary to
refine the domain of applicability of the research findings. The opportunity to use the relationships
found in this research as a managerial tool calls for the testing of research findings within larger
samples of firms, representative of a broader range of industries.
Practical implications – Suggests managers how to select the most appropriate action to be taken
to implement CPFR, through the analysis of the context in which CPFR should be implemented.
Originality/value – This paper fulfils the need to clarify the reasons why companies decide to
implement different types of CPFR collaborations. Moreover, it contributes to the definition of
measures for the CPFR concept, and to the advance of substantive research on CPFR. In literature, few
authors devote their attention to rigorously defining CPFR variables or proposing relationships among
variables and measures
Ricette di Lean Manufacturing
No full textRicerca sull'implementazione delle tecniche lean nel settore meccanico, legno-arredo e agroalimentar
Collaboration forms, information and communication technologies, and coordination mechanisms in CPFR
No full textCollaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment (CPFR) programmes
seek to improve the ability to anticipate and satisfy future demand by enhancing
collaboration among companies within the supply network. Despite the existence
of a detailed and comprehensive process model—published by the Voluntary
Interindustry Commerce Standards Committee—in practice CPFR can take
a number of different forms. This paper aims to investigate differences in CPFR
implementation as to the type of inter-company collaboration put into practice,
and the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and coordination
mechanisms adopted to perform CPFR. Moreover, it seeks to analyse the
relationships between these dimensions in order to comprehend and explain the
rationale behind the managerial choices that lead companies to implement
different CPFR configurations. The multiple-case study method is adopted
to investigate the research questions. In particular, the implementation of CPFR
in seven supply networks is examined. This research identifies six types of
collaboration that can be performed to implement CPFR. Then, using this
taxonomy as its starting point, it accounts for differences in the adoption
of the ICTs and coordination mechanisms necessary to support CPFR. The
paper’s conclusions summarize the research’s main theoretical and managerial
contributions
Supplier integration and company performance: a configurational view
No full textSupplier integration is considered a key managerial strategy for improving buyer performance. This study adopts a configurational approach to supplier integration, based on the interaction and complementarity between supply chain management practices. In this perspective, this study explores the impact of supplier integration and measures aimed at creating a fast supply network structure on buyer performance. This research also attempts to ascertain whether these practices can exert a synergic effect. After examining data from a sample of 186 manufacturing plants, we can conclude that while taken singly supplier integration and fast supply network structure practices have a markedly positive effect on the performance goals considered (i.e. efficiency, schedule attainment and flexibility); in addition, they interact to produce an additional synergic effect on efficiency and schedule attainment. The analyses also reveal that investing in FSNS or SI initiatives alone can be risky. On one hand, when companies fail to make any effort to structure their supply network in order to achieve fast lead times, the impact of supplier integration on efficiency and schedule attainment may be hindered and, in extreme cases, supplier integration might even have no impact at all. On the other hand, investing only in fast supply network structure initiatives, without striving to achieve an adequate level of supplier integration might well be useless: indeed, even detrimental to any improvement in performance. These findings provide useful guidelines for managers who must decide how to combine supplier integration and fast supply network structure initiatives in order to improve or maximize performance
Gestire i processi in supply network globali
No full textAlcune indicazioni su quali strategie possono essere adottate quando un’azienda decide di internazionalizzare il proprio supply network. Inoltre discute quali problemi si possono verificare nella gestione dei processi all’interno di supply network globali e come possono essere risolti con il supporto delle ICT
The extended VMI for coordinating the whole supply network
No full textPurpose – To highlight how vendor managed inventory (VMI) can be extended both upstream and
downstream in the supply network to co-ordinate the material and information flows among a number
of different suppliers, manufacturing and distribution plants (“extended VMI”).
Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on data and information gathered during
an in-depth case study within the supply network co-ordinated by GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world’s
leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies.
Findings – Defines the peculiarities and the requisites of the extended VMI as to: the information
flows supporting the relationships among the supply network members; the information systems,
supporting the data collection, management, diffusion and elaboration; the performance monitoring
system, highlighting the benefits for each supply network member as well as avoiding opportunistic
behaviours.
Research limitations/implications – The research intends to offer an original contribution to the
stream of research on VMI, explaining the peculiarities and the requisites of the extended VMI. Future
research should seek to consider the extended VMI in light of some supply chain management (SCM)
practices which have emerged in recent years, such as collaborative planning, forecasting and
replenishment. Moreover, a second research opportunity lies in investigating the mixes of SCM
initiatives – among which is also the extended VMI – needing launch in a perspective of optimisation
of the whole supply network.
Practical implications – The case reported here and the research findings should offer guidance for
managers facing the decision-making process concerning the implementation of the VMI both
upstream and downstream in the supply network.
Originality/value – Most authors tend to consider VMI at the dyadic level, namely as an approach
for managing materials and information flows between one or more customers and their immediate
suppliers. Instead, this research adopts a supply network perspective, seeking to explain how VMI can
be extended both upstream and downstream and considering the supply network as a whole rather
than as a series of dyads
How contextual factors shape CPFR collaborations: a theoretical framework
No full textCollaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment (CPFR) is a form of
cooperation in which supply network partners share data and work
together to jointly manage important business processes in their value
chain, such as defining the business plan and/or sales/order forecast. In
doing so, various types of collaboration formats can be adopted, the
types depending on the business processes involved in the collaboration,
the differing ways of collaborating, and the different types of
information and communication technologies used to support CPFR. By
analysing the literature on CPFR and using Galbraith’s contingency theory
as its starting point, this article creates a theoretical foundation for
analyzing the relevant contingency factors for CPFR and how they can
influence CPFR design. It is proposed that specific conditions can affect
the information processing among companies during CPFR. The different
types of information processing to be managed can influence choices
considered by companies in terms of information and communication
technologies and liaison devices adopted to support CPFR. This study is
primarily theoretical; future empirical tests will be necessary to refine the
contingency theory for CPFR proposed
Beyond Vendor Managed Inventory: the GlaxoSmithKline Case
No full textIn 1995, GlaxoSmithKline launched a project with the aim of changing the
management of planning and replenishment processes within GSK’s
global supply network. The purpose was to implement Vendor Managed
Inventory (VMI) both upstream and downstream in the supply network in
order to co-ordinate the flows of materials and information between a
number of different suppliers and manufacturing and distribution plants.
VMI is one of the most widely discussed partnering initiatives for
improving the performance of supply networks. Most authors and
practitioners consider it to be an approach for managing materials and
information flows between one or more customers and their suppliers,
with a number of attendant benefits. Nevertheless, as it is traditionally
viewed, VMI can also result in missing out on a number of important
opportunities to optimise the entire supply network, as it only involves
supplier-customer dyads. The present case study highlights how VMI can
be used to manage the entire supply network as a single entity, and
provides insights into how this form of VMI can be used to manage: (1)
information flows, supporting the relationships between supply network
members; (2) information systems, supporting data collection,
management, diffusion and processing; (3) the performance monitoring
system, highlighting the benefits for each supply network member as well
as discouraging opportunistic behaviours
The Impact of Product Modularity on NPD Time Performance: Moderating effect of Interfunctional Integration and supplier involvement
No full textProduct modularity is a strategic approach to product development that, according to several authors, can be used by manufacturers to speed up
the new product development (NPD) process. Although the potential benefits of product modularity seem compelling, there is rarely even anecdotal
evidence of these advantages. Moreover, some doubts can be expressed whether a clear relationship between NPD time performance and product
modularity always exists. This paper analyzes the influence of product modularity on NPD time performance and the moderating effect on this
relationship of interfunctional integration and supplier involvement in NPD. Data from a sample of 251 manufacturing firms settled in several
countries around the world demonstrates that there is a positive relationship between product modularity and NPD time performance, and that
interfunctional integration in NPD acts as moderator in this relationship. Differently, supplier involvement has only main effects on NPD time
performanc
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