Richard Lamming

An initial classification of supply networks

The articulation of supply networks, as an extension of supply chains, seeks to accommodate and explain the commercial complexity associated with the creation and delivery of goods and services from the source of raw materials to their destination in end‐customer markets. In place of the simplistic, linear and unidirectional model sometimes presented for supply chains, the supply network concept describes lateral links, reverse loops, two‐way exchanges and so on, encompassing the upstream and downstream activity, with a focal firm as the point of reference. A review of classifications of supply networks reveals that none of the existing approaches appears adequate for managers facing the practical problems of creating and operating them on a day‐to‐day basis. This research identifies differing emphases that may be required for managing within supply networks, according to the nature of the products for which they are created. Taking an established categorisation of supply chains as its starting point, the research first develops the conceptual basis, using strategy literature, and then tests the resultant initial model in 16 case studies. Finally, a new categorisation for supply networks is presented, using the type of product as a differentiator.

Squaring lean supply with supply chain management

Lean supply ‐ the system of purchasing and supply chain management required to underpin lean production ‐ has been characterized as “beyond partnership”. Re‐examines this idea, comparing the techniques which constitute lean supply with those contained in supply chain management, partnership sourcing, and strategic purchasing. The observations and conclusions are based on research principally in the automotive and electronics industries in the UK, Italy, Scandinavia, the USA and Japan.

Developing the concept of supply strategy

This article proposes a conceptualisation for supply strategy – an explanation for how organisations arrange and conduct themselves within modern economic environments, in order to satisfy markets in the long and short terms. After an explanation of the emerging global environment within which organisations must compete, the previous approaches to explaining this area of business are explored and found to be insufficient for the new context. There follows a conceptualisation and an account of new, supporting research – a Delphi survey, conducted to test, extend and validate some of the features of the concept. Finally, some suggestions are made for the further development of supply strategy as a useful subject area for managers and researchers.

Putting supply chain learning into practice

As firms struggle to cope with an increasingly turbulent and uncertain economic environment there is widespread recognition of the importance of organisational learning. One option is to look at the potential of shared learning between firms, where common interests and interdependence provide motivation for experience sharing and other forms of synergy in learning. A particular version of inter-firm learning is the use of supply chains as a mechanism for upgrading and transferring “appropriate practice” and this article reports on exploratory research on this theme. It draws on a literature survey and a detailed study of six UK supply chains at various stages of implementing supply chain learning.

Horses for Courses: Explaining the Gap Between the Theory and Practice of Green Supply

Researchers and policy-makers have become increasingly enthusiastic about greening purchasing and supply management activities. In theory, greening supply should both limit environmental damage from industrial activities, and deliver bottom line benefits to implementing firms. However, compared with other environmental initiatives, few firms have implemented extensive green supply programmes.

The role of risk in environment‐related supplier initiatives

This paper extends previous literature on the greening of supply chains by giving explicit consideration to two main areas – the role of risk, and the motives for undertaking different sorts of environment‐related supplier initiatives. A model is presented which describes the extent and type of environment‐related supplier initiatives that may be undertaken by firms as a result of the interaction of the perceived losses to the firm associated with inaction, and the actual level of strategic purchasing in the firm.

Beyond vendor assessment: Relationship assessment programmes☆

Abstract As the limitations of ‘traditional’ buyer-supplier relations are becoming more recognised, the vendor assessment techniques associated with them are proving incapable of supporting the new relationship-focused paradigm of supply. This has led to a search for ways of establishing, or simulating, equity at the interface between customer and supplier. The theory of relationship assessment has been proposed as a replacement for vendor assessment within one of the leading paradigms, lean supply relationships. The principle of relationship assessment is based upon the perceived need for both parties within a supply contract to assess the relationship jointly, in order to work together to improve its performance and value adding/waste reduction potential. Relationship assessment programmes (RAP) may be seen to be both a development of vendor assessment schemes (ie a quantified analysis process coupled with a corrective action agenda) and a radical departure from traditional methods (the assessor is the joint customer-supplier team; the subject of the assessment is the relationship , in which both share, but for which neither can take sole responsibility). In order to understand RAP it is necessary to study both the development of vendor assessment and the principles of lean supply. This paper will present an account of recent UK research, which led to the development of a conceptual model for relationship assessment programmes. The model itself is presented, in the context of established literature, followed by a discussion of the steps that are currently being taken to operationalize the model and produce a relationship assessment management tool. The research is based upon case studies and postal questionnaires. The conceptual model has been constructed by the research team from Bath, in conjunction with several industrial collaborators: ICL Ltd, British Airways plc, Shell Downstream Procurement Ltd, and Partnership Sourcing Ltd. The paper concludes with a discussion of the practical barriers that must be overcome in the implementation of such a tool, and the potential benefits expected.

Supply management: is it a discipline?

Purpose – To examine management literature for guidance on what constitutes a discipline. To examine supply management publications to determine whether the field constitutes a discipline or an emerging discipline. To contribute a structured evaluation to the body of supply management theory/discipline development knowledge. Design/methodology/approach – Literature review of what constitutes a discipline and an initial assessment of whether supply management is a discipline. Development of research questions used to design tests, using combinations of qualitative pattern matching, journal quality rankings, and social science citations index impact factor. Application of the tests, to evaluate field coherence, quality and the existence of a discipline-debate, to determine whether supply management is an emerging discipline. Findings – An initial literature review finds supply management not to be a discipline, as the field lacks quality of theoretical development and discussion, and coherence. Tests for increasing evidence of coherence, quality and impact yield positive results, indicating that supply management is progressing in its theoretical development. The test findings combined with the existence of the start of a discipline-debate indicate that supply management should be judged to be an emerging discipline. Originality/value – Drawing from the management literature, the paper provides a unique structured evaluation of the field of supply management, finding it not to be a discipline, but showing evidence of being an emerging discipline.

Managing supply in the firm of the future

Abstract This article raises fundamental questions regarding the ways in which organizations may seek to balance the assets they depend upon in the search for competitive strengths, combining practical management challenges with the need to embrace, dissect, and apply theories about the nature of the firm, strategy and innovation. It is argued that a fundamental, imminent change is taking place in the way firms approach the management of relationships with other firms and within themselves, and that this challenge is being faced by managers with one hand tied behind the back—there appears to be a lack of conceptual understanding. Building this understanding into practice requires the dismantling of traditional and existing perspectives about managing supply. This article does this by raising some of the key conceptual issues and managerial themes, in an uncompromising style, subsequently juxtaposing them with perspectives in management. The conclusion sets out the ways forward that are available for the functional management of inter-organizational relationships.

Supplier relations in the UK car industry: good news—bad news

This paper reports on extensive field research conducted in the worldwide automobile industry, on the subject of developing close relationships between vehicle manufacturers and their component suppliers. A postal survey was conducted in Europe, Japan and the USA in 1993 and 1994, receiving detailed responses from over 1400 suppliers * . Using a simple definition for supply partnerships, the paper concludes that suppliers in some regions are observing improved collaborative attitudes on the part of their customers but that the expected benefits from such strategies have yet to be realised. Some reasons are suggested for this. This paper focuses especially on the UK industry, in comparison with other regions.