Mary C. Holcomb

Understanding the concept of supply chain resilience

Purpose – In the emerging disciplines of risk management and supply chain management, resilience is a relatively undefined concept. The purpose of this paper is to present an integrated perspective on resilience through an extensive review of the literature in a number of disciplines including developmental psychology and ecosystems. In addition, the paper identifies and addresses some of the current theoretical gaps in the existing research.Design/methodology/approach – Supply chain resilience has been defined by a number of disciplines. An integrative literature review is conducted in an attempt to integrate existing perspectives. This review also serves as the basis for the development of a conceptual model.Findings – The key elements of supply chain resilience and the relationships among them, the links between risks and implications for supply chain management, and the methodologies for managing these key issues are poorly understood. Implications for future research advocate testing the proposed mod...

Understanding the role of logistics capabilities in achieving supply chain agility: a systematic literature review

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of logistics capabilities in achieving supply chain agility through a multi‐disciplinary review of the relevant research. The systematic literature review aims to provide the basis for formulating a conceptual framework of the relationship.Design/methodology/approach – A systematic, comprehensive review of the literature on manufacturing, organizational and supply chain agility from 1991 through 2010 was conducted. The literature on logistics capabilities was also examined to identify the various elements that contribute to supply chain agility.Findings – Supply chain agility has primarily been explored in the literature through a focus on manufacturing flexibility, supply chain speed, or lean manufacturing. The role of logistics capabilities in achieving supply chain agility has not been addressed from a holistic conceptual perspective. This research addresses that gap using a multi‐disciplinary approach. As such, it is the first phase in theory ...

The road to supply chain agility: an RBV perspective on the role of logistics capabilities

Purpose – The concept of supply chain agility (SCA) has been identified as one of the most important issues in supply chain management literature. However, despite the popularity of the concept, many attributes of SCA are largely unexplored. One area that is deficient in research is the antecedents of SCA. This paper aims to seek further theory development by addressing these gaps in the SCA literature. Design/methodology/approach – Data for this study were obtained from a field survey. A mail questionnaire was constructed that contained items measuring the constructs of interest. The theoretical model was evaluated using structural equation modeling. Findings – The findings indicate that logistics capabilities positively impact SCA. The results provide empirical evidence for logistics’ unique and critical role in helping firms respond in a timely and effective manner to market volatility and other uncertainties. Research limitations/implications – As is the case with most supply chain survey research, th...

The role of personal relationships in supply chains

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand how personal relationships influence behavior within a supply-chain context. Design/methodology/approach – This research employs a qualitative methodology that allows for a rich assessment of how buyers and suppliers of logistics services interact within the context of personal relationships (e.g. friendships), that are themselves embedded within interfirm relationships. Based on a grounded theory approach, a model is developed describing how and why personal relationships are important for supply-chain managers to consider when cultivating interfirm connections. Findings – The findings reveal how managers act/interact within the context of personal relationships, as well as the outcomes/benefits associated with the development of personal relationships. Research limitations/implications – This study uses qualitative interviews to generate theory. The generalizability of the findings will have to be empirically examined in future research. Practical imp...

The Relationship of Supply Chain Visibility to Firm Performance

The ability to “see” from one end of the supply chain to the other is needed to effectively and efficiently manage and control global supply chain processes that span multiple firms. Supply chain visibility relies on the shared data and information among the members. The analysis of 278 responses from global logistics and supply chain professionals revealed that only a few visibility factors significantly affect the firm’s market share, return on assets, and competitive positive. The results indicate that although North American firms have significantly more visibility in some areas than European Economic Area firms, the size of the firm does not affect visibility.

Linking Supply Chain Visibility to Firm Performance: An Empirical Investigation

In the last decade competition has shifted from firm-to-firm to supply chain against supply chain (Christopher 2000; Christopher and Towill 2001). This shift can be attributed to a business environment that is characterized by constant change, shorter product life cycles, increasing customer requirements, product proliferation, and global sources of supply, manufacturing, and demand that has resulted in longer lead times. To compete in this environment, the firm and other members of the supply chain must be capable of delivering goods and services to consumers as quickly and inexpensively as possible (Lee 2004). In addition, firms must be capable of operational excellence in multiple channels of product distribution. Achieving these goals in the most efficient and effective manner possible necessitates that information regarding all aspects of supply chain activities be available to supply chain members. Moreover, the information flows must be seamless from end-to-end and available on a real-time (or near real-time) basis and visible to all members to create the desired value. The ability to “see” from one end to the other in the supply chain implies a clear view of upstream and downstream inventories, demand and supply conditions, and production and purchasing schedules.