Janet Godsell

Supply chain management: theory, practice and future challenges

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to critically assess current developments in the theory and practice of supply management and through such an assessment to identify barriers, possibilities and key trends.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a three‐year detailed study of six supply chains which encompassed 72 companies in Europe. The focal firms in each instance were sophisticated, blue‐chip corporations operating on an international scale. Managers across at least four echelons of the supply chain were interviewed and the supply chains were traced and observed.Findings – The paper reveals that supply management is, at best, still emergent in terms of both theory and practice. Few practitioners were able – or even seriously aspired – to extend their reach across the supply chain in the manner prescribed in much modern theory. The paper identifies the range of key barriers and enablers to supply management and it concludes with an assessment of the main trends.Research limitations/imp...

A strategic framework for integrating marketing and supply chain strategies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review and structure the literature on the integration between marketing and supply chain management (SCM) and to contribute to the body of knowledge by developing a framework for integrating marketing and supply chain strategies.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws its insights and conclusions from a review of the literature in both fields, marketing and SCM, followed by an interaction research approach which helped to refine and validate the theory‐derived framework from the perspective of practitioners.Findings – In the existing body of literature on marketing and SCM integration, three perspectives can be differentiated: the interfunctional perspective, the process perspective and the perspective of integrated business concepts. The proposed framework builds on these perspectives and moves them onto a strategic level. Integrating marketing and supply chain strategies involves the management of four integration levels: corporate integration; strategic ...

Towards a theory of supply chain alignment enablers: a systematic literature review

Purpose – The importance of supply chain alignment has been discussed since the birth of supply chain management (SCM). Yet it remains a major challenge for supply chains. This paper aims to systematically review the cross disciplinary literature on supply chain alignment in order to identify, and develop constructs for enablers to alignment, and an associated set of hypotheses.Design/methodology/approach – A systematic approach has been taken to the literature review, which ensures it is auditable and repeatable. The selection criteria are clearly aligned with the review question ensuring all literature pertinent to the question is identified and reviewed. Relevant information is extracted from the selected papers and synthesised into a set of hypotheses.Findings – Six main constructs for the enablers of alignment are identified and defined: organisational structure, internal relational behaviour, customer relational behaviour, top management support, information sharing and business performance measurem...

Enabling supply chain segmentation through demand profiling.

Purpose – Whilst there are a plethora of theoretical ideas regarding a segmented approach to supply chain strategy, there is paucity of empirical data. This paper aims to present the results of a field‐based case study in a fast moving consumer goods company (FMCGCo) that sought to identify the most relevant basis for supply chain segmentation.Design/methodology/approach – Research carried out on a single instrumental case, FMCGCo. A four‐stage research design was employed to develop and test an approach to developing a segmented supply chain strategy for FMCGCo supply chain Western Europe.Findings – The study identified demand profiling at an item level (using volume and variability classifiers) as the primary driver of supply chain strategy. It also developed a novel profiling tool. This not only segmented demand but identified through the introduction of the concept of filters a method for turning the results of the demand profiling analysis into a segmented supply chain strategy.Research limitations/i...

Customer responsive supply chain strategy: an unnatural act?

There has been a shift in the last few years from prescriptive models of supply chain strategy to more embracing frameworks that accommodate a range of different approaches. However, there has been a tendency for these models to differentiate by product type. In order to achieve alignment between demand creation and fulfilment this basis for differentiation should, we conclude, change to buying behaviour. We have explored the opportunities for increasing customer responsiveness through the alignment of demand creation and fulfilment by means of empirical studies of six supply chains in three sectors (electronics, process industries and third-party logistics). Our study found that there is currently little evidence of such alignment in practice. There was a marked absence of proactive “management” of the supply chain, and a lack of alignment within the demand fulfilment process itself, and between the demand fulfilment and creation process (including new product introduction). Performance measures were used to optimise functional performance at operational levels within a supply chain rather than the performance of the supply chain as a whole.

Building the supply chain to enable business alignment: lessons from British American Tobacco (BAT)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report on experiences from BATs major supply chain reconfiguration program; it details practices, lessons learnt and dos and do nots. There is little research that reports on how to manage major supply chain reconfiguration programs, despite the fact that it is widely acknowledged that this can be challenging. Design/methodology/approach: This paper reports insights from industry, directly captured from the responsible managers in workshops and through co-author involvement. Findings: Seven key lessons are shared, including how to use S&OP, measurement and other specific change management tactics and practices. Practical implications: The findings reported in this paper are “straight from the horses mouth” and are very much informed by all the experience developed inside BAT. Coupled with the focus on overall lessons, the findings will be useful for many other supply chain executives engaged in major reconfigurations. Originality/value: This paper provieds an insight into a major supply chain design project in BAT over a six year period. This included access to senior decision makers and those actually running the change program. Case studies of this scale, scope and longitude are a rarity in supply chain strategy.

Manufacturing in the world: where next?

Purpose – The past three decades have seen the transformation of manufacturing involving its global dispersion and fragmentation. However, a number of recent developments appear to suggest that manufacturing may be entering a new era of flux that will impact the configuration of production around the globe. The purpose of this paper is to address the major emerging themes that may shape this configuration and concludes that most of them are still in their initial stages and are not likely to create a radical shift in the next few years in how manufacturing is configured around the world. These themes were presented in a special session on “Manufacturing in the World – Where Next?” at the 2013 EurOMA Conference in Dublin, Ireland. Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides a series of perspectives on some key considerations pertaining to the future of manufacturing. An evaluation of their likely impact is offered and insights for the future of manufacturing are presented. Findings – The importance of...

Supply chain alignment for improved business performance: an empirical study

Purpose – This study aims to explain how supply chain alignment, which remains a major challenge for supply chains, can be achieved and its implications for business performance (BP) by testing the strengths of the relationships between previously identified enablers, supply chain alignment and BP. Design/methodology/approach – A literature review develops hypotheses on the relationships between enablers, alignment and BP. A survey of medium-to-large UK manufacturing companies was conducted where the sample comprised 151 randomly selected companies, and the response rate was 56 per cent. Partial least square regression was used to test the hypothesis. Findings – Two types of supply chain alignment are defined – shareholder and customer – but only customer alignment (CA) has a direct positive impact on BP, while shareholder alignment (SA) is its antecedent. Top management support was shown to be an enabler of both shareholder and CA, while organisation structure, information sharing and performance measure...

Embedding “insights from industry” in supply chain programmes : the role of guest lecturers

Purpose – Guest lecturers (GLs) are a popular mechanism for transferring insights from industry into supply chain programmes. With a scarcity of capable supply chain (SC) talent in todays labour market, there is real value in executives contributing to SC programmes at schools and universities. By guest lecturing they can “light the fire” in students about how exciting the field and practice are and how much potential there is in considering a career in SC management. Students on SC programmes can be shown part of the way towards modern SC practice for which there is a real need for more talent. However, it may be difficult to ensure GL effectiveness; it is neither the executives job nor his/her profession and academics often find it hard to recruit GLs.Design/methodology/approach – Based on the hands‐on experience of GLs and academics from multiple backgrounds, this paper develops both a framework that can help ensure effective use of the GL, and 11 specific tips and suggestions for recruiting and usin...

Changing chains: Three case studies of the change management needed to reconfigure European supply chains

Purpose – Many supply chain reconfiguration programs are launched each year. Despite a wealth of knowledge existing in the general management domain, there has been little work within the supply chain management domain on change. That which does exist deals with change to a technical – as opposed to non‐technical – system. This leaves out many of the social and behavioral aspects of change. This paper aims to address this gap. Design/methodology/approach – The paper synthesized the general management and supply chain literature on change to create a framework to explore change within three supply chains. A multiple case study approach was adopted for the research. Longitudinal and quasi‐longitudinal data were gathered and template analysis utilized to explore the cases contexts and the design choices they made in each of the change programmes. Findings – In all three cases, the change is non‐linear and required re‐planning and learning throughout the change effort to build the capacity and capability for change. In all three cases, the success of the change is facilitated through the use of cross‐functional teams. Originality/value – Change leaders were involved in the research through co‐authorship and a unique set of cross‐case lessons learned were generated. The framework used in the analysis incorporates considerations previously ignored in the supply chain literature, including the non‐linear, non‐processual nature of change.