Posts inspired by academic articles I have read
A picture says more than a thousand words, and here is one paper that has it all and that literally illustrates the differences between different sourcing strategies, defining three basic cost elements in global sourcing: static, dynamic and hidden cost.
The norm in supply chain management is that variability is detrimental to performance as it causes cost in the form of stock-outs, poor capacity utilisation, and costly buffers. This paper questions this approach and argues that in the light of increasing turbulence a different approach to supply chain management is needed.
Sustainability has become a huge buzzword, both in today’s business world and within the broader facets of society. Sustainability has evolved from a perspective and investigation of standalone research in social and environmental areas, through a corporate social responsibility perspective, and towards a convergence of perspectives of sustainability as the triple bottom line.
Resilience is related to three overarching concepts: 1) the vulnerability to unpredictable shocks, 2) the resources or wealth available to a system to help it change, and 3) the internal controllability of relationships in a system, i.e. its rigidity or flexibility.
What are the main change and trend drivers for international supply chains? How will future cross-border supply chains look like? In a study commissioned by the World Customs Organization in 2006, they sought to identify a set of foreseeable drivers of change and their predicted impact on global supply chain management for the next 20 years.
Supplier development and supplier performance are dependent on the current relationship life cycle phase. The different stages in the supplier relationship life cycle should play an important role in determining how the supply chain can be improved.
This article paints an interesting picture of how supply chain professionals view risk, which risk they perceive and what they do in reaction to these risks.
Material damage and occupational accidents are little understood elements of the overall supply chain. This research looks at the paper industry in Finland and the occupational accidents that occur in the supply chain from the paper mill to the harbor of arrival.
What defines a crisis? Are there different types of crises? In this article, crises are classified according to how predictable and influenceable they are. This generates four types of crises: Conventional, Unexpected, Intractable and Fundamental crisis.
Crises build up from an accumulation of day-to-day imperfections that are small and unnoticeable (almost) and which progressively make the organization more vulnerable to any potential threats. The Devil lies in the details of these small anomalies (hence the title) and not in the sudden onset of exceptional events.
Hamilton’s circle of risk describes the interaction of all elements of the risk management process, from assessment and control to financing and communication. This circle really shows how fragmented, yet interconnected risk management really is.
How far does corporate social responsibility go? While corporate social responsibility looks good on paper, how far are companies willing to not just talk the talk, but also walk the walk?
Is China really to blame for the 2007 recall crisis, or are the drivers and causes of this crisis originating from much closer to home? What can we learn from the toy industry?
Indonesia. A logistical challenge for any supply chain, if not a logistical nightmare, and thus prone to supply chain disruptions. One would think that supply chain risk management would find fertile soil here, but does it?
This is an investigation of the effects on shareholder wealth of supply chain glitches that resulted in production or shipment delays, using a sample of 519 announcements made during 1989-2000. On average, shareholder value is decrease by near 11% following an announcement of supply chain problems.
Disasters. The result: Damaged infrastructure. End result: Disrupted supply chains. But how do disasters really impact supply chains? Is it different upstream or downstream the supply chain?
How the toy industry handles supply chain risk is applicable to many other industries as well. While few of the risks faced by toy makers are unique to the industry, the combination of risks is daunting.
Supply networks are constantly changing. Perhaps not controlling, but letting things happen and letting supply networks emerge is the best management strategy?
Resilience. A key ingredient in supply chain risk management. Also a key ingredient in logistics risk management. Cognitive resilience, behavioral resilience and contextual resilience must all come together for a resilient enterprise to emerge.
An empirical analysis of supply chain risk management in the German automotive industry shows that the group using reactive supply chain risk management seems to do better in terms of disruptions resilience or the reduction of the bullwhip effect, whereas the group pursuing preventive supply chain risk management seems to do better as to flexibility or safety stocks.
