Cristina Gimenez

Logistics-production, logistics-marketing and external integration: Their impact on performance

Highly competitive environments are leading companies to implement Supply Chain Management (SCM) to improve performance and gain a competitive advantage. SCM involves integration, co-ordination and collaboration across organisations and throughout the supply chain. It means that SCM requires internal (intraorganisational) and external (interorganisational) integration. This paper examines the Logistics-Production and Logistics- Marketing interfaces and their relation with the external integration process. The study also investigates the causal impact of these internal and external relationships on the company’s logistical service performance. To analyse this, an empirical study was conducted in the Spanish Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector.

Extending sustainability to suppliers: a systematic literature review

Purpose – To make their supply chains more socially responsible, many companies are implementing supplier assessment tools and collaborative practices. The aim of this paper is to provide a systematic literature review on the governance structures used to extend sustainability to suppliers. More specifically, the authors aim to answer two questions: “What is the impact of these mechanisms or governance structures on sustainable performance?” and “What are the enablers of these mechanisms?”.Design/methodology/approach – A structured literature review is carried out that analyses published studies, evaluates contributions, summarises knowledge and identifies managerial implications and lines for further research.Findings – Both assessment and collaboration have a positive impact on environmental performance and corporate social responsibility, although the most recent collaborative paradigm stresses that assessment alone is not enough. Some enablers of these practices are identified.Research limitations/imp...

Logistics‐production, logistics‐marketing and external integration

Purpose – This paper examines the logistics‐production and logistics‐marketing interfaces and their relation with the external integration. The study also investigates the causal impact of these internal and external relationships on the companys logistical performance.Design/methodology/approach – An empirical study was conducted in the Spanish FMCG sector and the theoretical model was subjected to analysis using SEM.Findings – The generic results derived from this study are: Internal and external integration influence each other. Integration in the logistics‐marketing interface does not lead to reductions in costs, stock‐outs and lead‐times, while the integration achieved in the logistics‐production interface does improve these performance measures, if there is no external integration. The external collaboration among supply chain members does always contribute to improving firms’ logistical performance.Research/limitations/implications – The study has some limitations: other important members of the g...

Supply chain integration and performance : the moderating effect of supply complexity

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effectiveness of supply chain integration in different contexts. More specifically, it aims to show that supply chain integration is only effective in buyer‐supplier relationships characterised by high supply complexity.Design/methodology/approach – A survey‐based research design is developed to measure different dimensions or aspects of supply chain integration and supply complexity. Data were collected among manufacturers in The Netherlands and Spain.Findings – This research shows that supply chain integration increases performance if supply complexity is high, while a very limited or no influence of supply chain integration can be detected in case of low supply complexity. The results also show that in high supply complexity environments the use of structured communication means to achieve supply chain integration has a negative effect on cost performance.Research limitations/implications – The limited sample size prohibits estimating and testin...

Logistics integration processes in the food industry

This paper analyses the integration process that firms follow to implement Supply Chain Management (SCM). This study has been inspired in the integration model proposed by Stevens (1989). He suggests that companies internally integrate first and then extend integration to other supply chain members, such as customers and suppliers. To analyse the integration process a survey was conducted among Spanish food manufacturers. The results show that there are companies in three different integration stages. In stage I, companies are not integrated. In stage II, companies have a medium-high level of internal integration in the Logistics-Production interface, a low level of internal integration in the Logistics-Marketing interface, and a medium level of external integration. And, in stage III, companies have high levels of integration in both internal interfaces and in some of their supply chain relationships.

e‐SCM: internet's impact on supply chain processes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the interaction of two topics: supply chain management (SCM) and the internet. Merging these two fields is a key area of concern for contemporary managers and researchers. They have realised that the internet can enhance SCM by making real time information available and enabling collaboration between trading partners.Design/methodology/approach – A literature review in prestigious academic journals in Operations Management and Logistics has been conducted for the period 1995‐2005. The objective is to collect, organise and synthesise existing knowledge relating to SCM and the internet.Findings – The paper describes the impact that the internet has on the different processes that SCM embrace. The literature review undertaken on the topic has shown that e‐SCM has been acknowledged as an outstanding topic in the supply chain literature in the most prestigious operations management and logistics journals, especially after year 2000. The main topics have been e‐...

Internal lean practices and operational performance: The contingency perspective of industry clockspeed

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of internal lean practices on multiple operational performance dimensions, and assess the contingency perspective of these relationships with respect to industry clockspeed.Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on empirical data gathered from 228 manufacturing companies in the Republic of Ireland. The relationships between the constructs are analyzed through regression analysis.Findings – The results indicate that the relationships between internal lean practices and quality, delivery, flexibility and cost were found to be positive and significant. Further, industry clockspeed was found to moderate the relationship between internal lean practices and quality, delivery and flexibility, but not cost.Practical implications – While internal lean practices can improve operational performance, managers should be aware that internal lean practices are not universally applicable, and the rate of change within an industry should be consider...

Green supply chain management approaches: drivers and performance implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the complex interrelationships among environmental drivers, Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) approaches and performance. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was sent to a sample of managers in the field of Purchasing and Supply Management in Spanish firms. Data were analysed using SmartPLS 2.0 to test a model that relates GSCM drivers, GSCM approaches and performance. Findings – Results show that coercive and non-coercive drivers have different implications in terms of GSCM approaches. Moreover, monitoring itself is not sufficient to improve performance; firms need to adopt collaborative practices with their suppliers. Results show that whereas collaboration has a direct effect on performance, monitoring has only an indirect relationship through collaboration. Research limitations/implications – One of the main limitations of this study is the use of data from a single country (Spain). The main contribution of the paper is to show that coercive and ...

Modelling the integration-performance relationship : Collaborative practices, enablers and contextual factors

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of different dimensions of supply chain integration on performance, while considering both the interconnections between these supply chain integration dimensions and the effect of context. Specifically, the authors investigate the relationship between two enablers (communication infrastructure and cooperative behaviour) and two practices (planning information and joint improvement), and the moderating effect of supply complexity on their relationship with performance.Design/methodology/approach – A survey among 145 Dutch and Spanish manufacturers is used to gather data on the buyer‐supplier relationship. Both the sample and two subsamples – for high and low supply complexity – are analysed using SmartPLS.Findings – The paper finds that two dimensions – communication infrastructure and cooperative behaviour – enable the two collaborative practices: joint improvement and planning information. All mentioned supply chain integration dimensions, ...

Exploring the importance of cultural collectivism on the efficacy of lean practices

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the influence of cultural collectivism on the efficacy of lean practices. Furthermore, this study assesses whether or not potential cultural disadvantages related to the level of individualism at the national level can be compensated for at the organisational culture level.Design/methodology/approach – Hofstede’s cultural dimension of individualism is used to test whether practicing a collectivistic culture at the organisational level can fully compensate for the potential disadvantages of being geographically situated in an individualistic culture when practicing lean manufacturing.Findings – Results suggest that cultural collectivism at the national and organisational level have a significant impact on the efficacy of lean practices. Furthermore, the negative impact of being situated in an individualistic country cannot be fully compensated for through practicing a collectivistic organisational culture when practicing lean.Originality/value – This study represents a comprehensive attempt to simultaneously assess the collectivism cultural components of lean practices at the national as well as at the organisational level.