Supply chain

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Russian: Цепь поставок

The supply chain.

Supply chain is a set of several independent companies that are involved in sourcing of materials, manufacturing, distributing and selling the product for ultimate customer. The term supply chain appeared along with the term “supply chain management”, however the supply chain exists whenever it is managed or not. Unlike the definitions if supply chain management, the definitions of supply chain are homogeneous enough:

  • A supply chain is a set of firms that pass materials forward [1].
  • A supply chain is the alignment of firms that bring products or services to market [2]
  • A supply chain consists of all stages involved, directly or indirectly, in fulfilling a customer request [3]
  • A supply chain is a set of three or more entities (organizations or individuals) directly involved in the upstream and downstream flows of products, materials and/or information from a source to a customer[4].

It is important to note that these definitions of supply chain include the final consumer as part of it. Other authors see supply chain as a network of organizations, which is more closely to the reality:

  • A supply chain is a network of facilities and distribution options that performs the functions of procurement of materials into intermediate and finished products, and the distribution of these finished products to customers [5]
  • A supply chain is the network of organizations that are involved, through upstream and downstream linkages, in the different processes and activities that produce value in the form of products and services delivered to the ultimate consumer[6].

It is also important to note that any one organization can be part of numerous supply chains.

Contents

Types of channel relationships

The core role in supply chains play the relationships between the actors (buyers and sellers). Supply chain type depends on what kind of relationships are between players. Below there are two classifications of relationship types (or strategies): given by J. Mentzer et al. (2001)[7]. and by N. Campbell (2002)[8].

Types of relationships by J. Mentzer

Types of channel relationships

According to J. Mentzer and his colleagues, there are three degrees of supply chain complexity: a "direct supply chain" an "extended supply chain" and an "ultimate supply chain" (see figure).

  • A direct supply chain consists of a company, a supplier, and a customer involved in the upstream and/or downstream flows of products, services, finances, and/or information. This might be either very big vertically integrated corporation that doesn’t have important second tier suppliers or small one without resources or need to monitor second tier suppliers.
  • An extended supply chain includes suppliers of the immediate supplier and customers of the immediate customer, all involved in the upstream and/or downstream flows of products, services, finances, and/or information. This is traditional supply chain.
  • An ultimate supply chain includes all the organizations involved in all the upstream and downstream flows of products, services, finances, and information from the ultimate supplier to the ultimate customer.

Types of relationships by N. Campbell

N. Campbell described three types of relationship strategies:

  • Competitive – independent relationships, price establishes by competitive market forces,
  • Cooperative – interdependent relationships, developing new value,
  • Command – dependent, one party has a dominant position of strength.
Types of relationships strategies

Any of this strategies might be implemented by one of the sides: by buyer or by seller, depending on what bargaining power does it have, what are the plans of this player, etc. Some of parameters are listed here:

  • Product
    • Frequency of purchase
    • Switching cost due to physical and human investments
    • Product complexity
    • Industry characteristics
  • Concentration
    • Number of alternative partners
    • Intensity of competition
    • Traditions and norms
  • Company characteristics
    • Relative size
    • Preferred infrastructure style
    • Relative familiarity
    • Centralization of purchasing
  • Individual characteristics
    • Relative familiarity
    • Preferred interaction style
    • Perceived importance of the purchase
    • Risk aversion


Relatioship strategies and recommendations
Buyer's strategy Seller'strategy Combination title Recommendation for buyer Recommendation for seller
Buyer's strategy Seller'strategy Combination title Recommendation for buyer Recommendation for seller

References

  1. La Londe and Masters (1994)
  2. Stock, Lambert, Ellram, 1998
  3. Chopra, Meindl, 2003
  4. Mentzer J., DeWitt W., Keebler J., Soonhoong M., Nix N. Smith C., Zacharia Z. (2001) Defining supply chain management Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 22 Issue 2, p1-25,
  5. Ganeshan, Harrison, 1995
  6. Christopher M. (1992) Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Strategies for Reducing Costs and Improve Services. – London: Financial Times; Pitman. – 320 p.
  7. Mentzer J., DeWitt W., Keebler J., Soonhoong M., Nix N. Smith C., Zacharia Z. (2001) Defining supply chain management Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 22 Issue 2, p1-25,
  8. Campbell N. (2002) An international approach to organizational buying behavior. In: Ford D. (ed.). Understanding Business Marketing and Purchasing. 3rd ed. Thomson Learning: London; 389-401

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