Ila Manuj

Global supply chain risk management strategies

– Global supply chains are more risky than domestic supply chains due to numerous links interconnecting a wide network of firms. These links are prone to disruptions, bankruptcies, breakdowns, macroeconomic and political changes, and disasters leading to higher risks and making risk management difficult. The purpose of this paper is to explore the phenomenon of risk management and risk management strategies in global supply chains., – This paper is based on an extensive literature review and a qualitative study comprising 14 in‐depth interviews and a focus group meeting with senior supply chain executives., – The study provides insights into the applicability of six risk management strategies with respect to environmental conditions and the role of three moderators., – The model is developed in a global manufacturing supply chain context. It should be tested in other contexts and with other methods to provide generalizability. The study takes a much needed step toward building a theory of risk management in global supply chains, which opens important future research directions., – This research provides direction to managers for choosing risk management strategies based on the global supply chain environment. Moderators have practical implications for global supply chain managers., – The paper addresses an identified gap in the literature for selecting risk management strategies in global supply chains. It employs grounded theory, a methodology appropriate for theory‐building, to explore a phenomenon with an inadequate theoretical base.

A model of supply chain and supply chain decision‐making complexity

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to develop a comprehensive model of supply chain and supply chain decision‐making complexity that provides an understanding of the drivers of supply chain complexity and strategies to manage supply chain and supply chain decision‐making complexity and outcomes.Design/methodology/approach – Grounded theory methodology is employed to build a theory of supply chain and supply chain decision‐making complexity and develop propositions related to antecedents, moderators, and outcomes of supply chain complexity. In addition, extensive literature review and informal interactions with a number of supply chain professionals have been used to validate the theory.Findings – In addition to identifying the antecedents of supply chain complexity, the authors explore strategic, human cognitive ability, and tactical moderators for managing supply chain complexity.Research limitations/implications – The comprehensive framework presented in the paper builds a theory of supply chain a...

Co‐creating logistics value: a service‐dominant logic perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore logistics service value through the theoretical lens of service‐dominant (S‐D) logic with a focus on the creation of logistics value jointly by the provider and the customer.Design/methodology/approach – A cross‐disciplinary literature review including supply chain management, logistics, marketing, and strategy is conducted to integrate existing knowledge on value of service and antecedents and consequences of value creation in a process framework for co‐creation of value in a logistics context. This framework is grounded in the S‐D logic perspective and supported by transaction cost analysis (TCA), resource‐based view (RBV) and knowledge‐based view (KBV) of the firm.Findings – The process of co‐creation of value in a logistics context has three phases: learning, innovation and execution, and outcomes. These phases and their key elements are integrated into a comprehensive framework of co‐creation of logistics service value. A total of 12 propositions are ...

Improving the rigor of discrete‐event simulation in logistics and supply chain research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present an eight‐step simulation model development process (SMDP) for the design, implementation, and evaluation of logistics and supply chain simulation models, and to identify rigor criteria for each step.Design/methodology/approach – An extensive review of literature is undertaken to identify logistics and supply chain studies that employ discrete‐event simulation modeling. From this pool, studies that report in detail on the steps taken during the simulation model development and model more than one echelon in logistics, supply chain, or distribution systems are included to illustrate rigor in developing such simulation models.Findings – Literature review reveals that there are no preset rigor criteria for publication of logistics and supply chain simulation research, which is reflected in the fact that studies published in leading journals do not satisfactorily address and/or report the efforts taken to maintain the rigor of simulation studies. Although there...

A reviewer's guide to the grounded theory methodology in logistics and supply chain management research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze previous grounded theory articles and, based on this analysis, to provide a framework to assist reviewers in evaluating grounded theory research and increasing the rigor and credibility of this methodology in logistics and supply chain journals.Design/methodology/approach – An analysis of existing articles appearing in the leading logistics and supply chain journals combined with an extensive review of the grounded theory method literature were used to develop a comprehensive framework for evaluating grounded theory research.Findings – The paper finds that no standard criteria for publication of grounded theory research exists in logistics and supply chain journals. Grounded theory is routinely confused with other qualitative methodologies. Overall, this situation leads to publications that do not adequately address or report on the process for developing a grounded theory.Research limitations/implications – Reviewers can use this paper to establish the qu...

Impact of logistical business continuity planning on operational capabilities and financial performance

Purpose – Organizations have long employed business continuity planning (BCP) to prevent disruption to their operations. The authors seek to extend existing theory by examining the impact of logistical business continuity planning (LBCP) – BCP in the context of logistics – on firms’ operational capabilities and financial performance.Design/methodology/approach – Using data of firms operating in the US transportation and warehousing industries, the authors empirically test LBCPs affect on their business units’ financial performance.Findings – The authors’ findings suggest that LBCP influences financial performance via improvement in logistical competitive capability and enhanced disaster immunity. Further, the findings indicate that when a firm employs mindful‐planning processes, an important element within LBCP, it can avoid the trade‐off between risk management and efficiency. The authors proffer that LBCP processes are dynamic capabilities because of improvement in logistical competitive capabilities a...

Investigating supplier-induced complexity in supply chains

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand and measure empirically the objective and perceived dimensions of supplier-induced complexity in supply chains. Design/methodology/approach An equal-weight, complementary mixed-method approach is used to investigate supplier-induced complexity and understand its impact on outcomes. Initial qualitative research and extant literature review allowed the identification of supplier characteristics that add complexity to supply chains and development of four research hypotheses. Subsequently, quantitative analysis was used for testing the hypotheses. Findings The results suggest that supplier-induced complexity is related to adverse outcomes, and both perceived and objective dimensions of complexity are valuable in understanding and measuring supplier-induced complexity. Research limitations/implications This study employs a mixed-method approach to establish and test relationships among perceived and objective supplier-induced complexity, and their outcomes. The unit of analysis is the first-tier suppliers of one farm equipment manufacturing firm. This limits the generalizability of the results to similar industrial manufacturing firms. Practical implications This paper presents an approach to identify suppliers that add the highest levels of complexity to a supply chain and, thus, require closer monitoring. Specific supplier characteristics are identified for individual suppliers. Developing specific complexity-related measures helps better identify critical suppliers compared to traditional approaches (e.g. ABC analysis). Originality/value This paper contributes to supply chain management literature by comprehensively exploring supplier-induced complexity, incorporating the often-ignored perceived complexity dimension, and providing a managerially useful framework.