Wojciech Piotrowicz

Introduction to the Special Issue Information Technology in Retail: Toward Omnichannel Retailing

The increased deployment of new technologies such as smart mobile devices and social networks and the growing importance of in-store technological solutions create new opportunities and challenges for retailers. As the line between online and physical channels is blurred, a new approach to channel integration is emerging—the omnichannel, which aims to deliver a seamless customer experience regardless of the channel. This introduction presents the results of focus group discussions on the role of information technology in retail, new business models, and the future role of traditional stores as e-commerce advances. Key issues that emerged from the discussion include the need for channel integration, the impact of mobile technologies, the growing role of social media, the changing role of physical brick-and-mortar stores, the need to respond to diverse customer requirements, the balance between personalization and privacy, and, finally, supply chain redesign. The four papers in this Special Issue explore these themes further.

Performance measurement systems in supply chains: A framework for contextual analysis

Purpose - The purpose of this article is to propose a common framework for the empirical analysis of supply chain performance measurement systems used in different supply chain contexts. Design/methodology/approach - This is a conceptual paper, which includes an extensive literature review and an illustrative case study. The content, context, process framework is applied to structure the body of knowledge and the case study. Findings - Supply chain performance measurement is a context-dependent process, tailored to specific supply chain requirements. To understand how a performance measurement system in a supply chain has developed and is used there is a need to capture its context, process and content. Research limitations/implications - The framework is illustrated by a single case study. Further empirical research is required to fully appreciate the breadth of application of this framework. Practical implications - The proposed framework can help to develop performance measurement systems that are suitable for certain organisational and supply chain contexts in which a company operates, as well as to compare different systems used across different supply chains. Originality/value - The paper demonstrates an approach for analysing existing supply chain performance measurement systems that can be applied across different supply chains and sectors. This will create an opportunity to use a consistent data collection process across a variety of supply chain situations and thus generate data for further theory development.

Supply chain best practices – identification and categorisation of measures and benefits

Purpose - This research aims to identify, categorise and compare supply chain measures and benefits listed in literature-based case studies that were named as “best practices”. Design/methodology/approach - The research applies iterative triangulation which is a method used to build theories from existing case studies. Selected case studies collected by project partners are used as a source of secondary data. The paper applies various approaches to classifying supply chains as well as identifying the difference between measures proposed in the literature and those used by case companies. Findings - The analysis of the selected sample of cases indicated that the most common measures were related to economic aspects and to operational level activities. There is a lack of shared supply chain measures at the inter-organizational level, while social and environmental aspects are largely ignored. Originality/value - The majority of the measures identified in the collected cases were economic (relating to cost, time, quality and customer). Metrics at an operational level dominate, while supply chain metrics are hardly used. Findings indicate that current performance measurement approaches do not generally include social and environmental issues, which are becoming increasingly important in business.

Sustainability – a new dimension in information systems evaluation

This paper received Outstanding Paper Award 2010, Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to introduce sustainability as a new dimension of information systems (IS) evaluation. Customers, policymakers and business partners increasingly require the monitoring and reporting of the organisational impact on sustainability. However, traditional IS evaluation approaches are not able to capture the impact of information technology (IT)/IS on sustainability, especially in relation to social and environmental dimensions, so the authors want to stimulate discussion and research related to this area. Design/methodology/approach - This paper is conceptual. However, it is based on the results of an existing related research project focussed on supply chain evaluation. Findings In order to stimulate discussion and research, the authors propose a framework that was originally developed to evaluate supply chain practices, in which IS often play a major role. The framework is built on three dimensions economic, social and environmental which are divided further into three sub-dimensions. It can be used as a starting point to develop a framework for sustainability-oriented IS evaluation. Research limitations/implications - The framework was originally developed for supply chain evaluation; however, it has generic features that can be adjusted or modified in order to be applied to a whole range of IT/IS initiatives Practical implications - Sustainability and its new dimensions create new challenges for information systems evaluation. Companies require frameworks and tools that can help them to measure and evaluate the impact of IS on sustainability. The researchers role is to answer such needs and focus on this emerging research topic; this paper aims to stimulate such research. Originality/value - Sustainability is a new dimension in IT/IS evaluation. Current approaches do not include all sustainability dimensions (environmental aspects are excluded, evaluation of the social impact is limited). This paper is based on the paper submitted by the authors for the European and Mediterranean Conference on Information Systems EMCIS 2008, 25-26 May, Al Bostan Rotana, Dubai (ISVN 978-1-902316-58-1). For more details about EMCIS, please visit www.emcis.org

Analysing B2B electronic procurement benefits: information systems perspective

Purpose – This paper aims to present electronic procurement benefits identified in four case companies from the information technology (IT), hi‐tech sector.Design/methodology/approach – Multi‐case study design was applied. The benefits reported in the companies were analysed and classified according to taxonomies from the information systems discipline. Finally, a new benefits classification was proposed. The framework was developed based on information systems literature.Findings – The research confirmed difficulties with benefits evaluation, as, apart from operational benefits, non‐financial, intangible benefits at strategic level were also identified. Traditional evaluation methods are unable to capture all benefits categories, especially at strategic level. New taxonomy was created, which allows evaluation of the complex e‐procurement impact. In the proposed taxonomy, e‐procurement benefits are classified according to their level (operational, tactical, strategic), area of impact, applying scorecard d...

Sustainable Supply Chain Management

A – MINOR REQUIREMENTS – 18 HOURS (18 advanced) A minor in Sustainable Supply Chain Management will provide students with the knowledge, skills and practices essential for operational decision making from a sustainability perspective. All three aspects of sustainability – economic, social and environmental – are emphasized. Graduates may be employed in either manufacturing or service organizations in the areas of supply chain, distribution, retail operations, or environmental management.

Performance measurement and metrics in supply chains: an exploratory study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the approaches and metrics used to measure supply chain (SC) performance, and to understand the relative perceived importance of such measures. Design/methodology/approach – This research is based on empirical data captured through a survey of SC professionals in a variety of business sectors. Findings – The research confirms the importance of the balanced scorecard (BSC) approach, with BSC, SCOR and economic value added being the most commonly used tools. Economic metrics dominate, focused on cost and customer service. While social and environmental-related measures are of emerging importance, they appear to be of similar importance to economic metrics only when backed up by a legal obligation. Research limitations/implications – The small sample of 51 companies was based on access and the group is not wholly representative of all businesses. Respondents were mainly managers from EU countries involved in procurement, logistics and transport activities. Su...

Information Technology and Systems in the Visegrád Group of Countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia): A Literature Review

There are two aims of this editorial article. The first is to present the current state of research related to widely defined Information Technology (IT) and Information Systems (IS) in the Visegrad Group (V4) of countries. The second is to introduce articles included in the special issue. While there are already reviews focused on the transition economies (Roztocki & Weistroffer, 2015), there is a lack of reviews which cover the four Visegrad Group countries—the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. All four countries share similarities, such as recent historical events; they joined the European Union (EU) in 2014 and NATO in 1999 (with exception of Slovakia which joined in 2004)—thus 2014, when this issue was completed, was a year full of anniversaries—10 years since joining the EU, 15 years since joining NATO (10 years for Slovakia); also it was the 25th anniversary of the first free 1989 elections in Poland. However, it is important to stress that there are also socio-economic and political differences between the V4 countries. The transformation process from the centrally planned economy to the free market, from communism to democracy, was not easy and smooth and was full of mistakes, problems, and delays; nevertheless, it is a remarkable achievement. Lessons learned from the transformation, including the role of technology in the creation of the modern economy, and relevant societal changes, should be collected and analyzed to be applied in different contexts. This is especially important when failed attempts of the transition and modernization processes in the Middle East, or some post-communist countries, such as Ukraine have been witnessed. This is also an important issue from the academic point of view, as, unfortunately, such lessons are neither widely captured, nor available internationally; Roztocki and Weistroffer (2015) pointed out that research focused on transition economies is very limited. There are some changes in this trend, following publications of special issues on the topic, edited by Roztocki and Weistroffer (2008a, 2008b, 2011a, 2011b); however, such publications were focused on all transitional economies. This special issue is likely to be the first one covering solely the Visegrad Group of countries—the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. This editorial article is structured as follows. First some main terms are defined; this is followed by a short methodology section, which explains the articles’ selection and literature review process. Afterward, the current status of IT/IS related research in V4 is presented, then the articles included in the special issue are overviewed, and finally some conclusions and directions for future research are offered.

A Structured Approach for Assessing Sustainable Best Practices in Supply Chains

This book chapter presents a structured approach to assess supply chain practices. The proposed solution incorporates sustainability dimensions into the evaluation process—considering social, economic and environmental impacts—and can be applied to select supply chain practices that can help to reduce the negative impact of transport, while improving long-term economic performance. Although there is no universal practice that can be applied across all business and national contexts, based on the extensive analysis of various supply chain practices across Europe, the most common ‘generic’ solutions used to improve supply chain are presented. The analysis of each ‘generic’ practice includes its social, economic and environmental impact, as well as its drivers and limitations, which should be considered when new implementation takes place.

Supply Chain Design and Management in Emerging Economies: Identifying Barriers and Critical Success Factors

This introductory chapter is composed of two parts. In the first section, the major barriers to Supply Chain management are identified and a framework for classifying barriers is proposed. The barriers are derived from a broad literature review. Three sources were analysed in depth: papers focusing on generic Supply Chain barriers (mainly in developed countries), papers focusing on barriers specific to Supply Chains in emerging (developing) markets, and finally the other chapters submitted for this book. The framework developed comprises several layers, from the external environment, via market, Supply Chain and inter-organisational levels, to outputs. Each category of barriers is briefly described. The second part of this chapter provides an overview and guide for the rest of the chapters in this book. The chapters cover topics including development, international trade, supply chain design, risk management, as well as more operational transport and logistics issues. Sectors covered include retail, logistics, food, apparel and automotive. The countries and regions described in the book are: Brazil, Sub-Saharan Africa, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Russia, Egypt, Nepal and the Czech Republic, providing a broad range of different emerging markets. This chapter summarises the literature focused on Supply Chain Management in emerging markets.