Supply chain planning in the German automotive industry

Following the evolution in the computer industry, quite a lot of car manufacturers currently intend to move from a built-to-stock oriented production of standardized cars towards a customized built-to-order (BTO) production. In the premium segment of Germanys automotive industry, the share of customized BTO cars traditionally is comparatively high. Nevertheless, German car manufacturers have spent a lot of efforts in recent years to further increase this share in order to realize short delivery times, high delivery reliability and a fast responsiveness. Surprisingly, comprehensive overviews of the short- and mid-term planning landscape of car manufacturers cannot be found in the scientific literature. Thus, the first part of the paper discusses supply chain planning, as traditionally established in the premium segment of the German automotive industry, and reviews methods of Operations Research (OR) that are able to support the various planning tasks involved. In the second part, the major change in strategy, currently to be observed in the German automotive industry, is briefly summarized in order to derive its impacts for the planning system and for the respective planning methods. In this way, challenges for a future application of OR methods in the automotive industry can be identified.     

Antecedents and enablers of supply chain agility and its effect on performance: a dynamic capabilities perspective

This paper investigates the fundamental building blocks of supply chain agility, which are conceptualised as supply- and demand-side competence. While the former refers to production and supply management related activities, the latter refers to distribution and demand management related activities. The model further assesses the influence of supply chain agility on operational performance, as well as its mediating role in the relationship between supply- and demand-side competence and performance. Within this framework, process compliance, i.e. how well supply chain management processes are internally executed by the firm's employees, is viewed as an enabler (moderator) on the relationship between supply chain competencies and supply chain agility. Theoretical substantiation is provided by the resource-based view of the firm augmented with the dynamic capabilities perspective. The model is tested with data from 121 supply chain management professionals. Implications for both academic theory development and supply chain and production management practice are provided.     

A systematic literature review of the capabilities and performance metrics of supply chain resilience

ABSTRACT

Research on supply chain resilience (SCRE) capabilities and its performance measurement has been growing in recent years. However, the investigation of these concepts has primarily been conducted independently despite the interdependence of these concepts. A systematic literature review of 153 papers was conducted based on the principles of rigour, transparency and replicability required by the methodology. For the first time, we structurally reviewed the 11 SCRE performance metrics categories and its capabilities in SCRE Capabilities-Performance Metrics Framework (SCPM) developed based on the three resilience dimensions (readiness, response and recovery). The framework enables researchers to seek fundamental knowledge and to pursue further research regarding SCRE assessment. This study also provides practical value offering a guidance for decision-makers considering the trade-off among different capabilities and performance metrics.     

Supply chain information technologies and organisational initiatives: complementary versus independent effects on agility and firm performance

This research investigates the roles of supply chain information technologies (SCIT) and supply chain organisational initiatives (SCOI) in engendering agility and business performance in manufacturing firms. We examine two competing models, both of which incorporate agility as a mediator between the use of SCIT or SCOI and firm performance; the models differ in how the impacts of SCIT and SCOI are manifest. In one model, SCIT and SCOI are hypothesised to have separate effects on agility, which then impacts firm performance; in the second model, complementarities, or the interaction of SCIT and SCOI, impacts agility directly. Structural equation modelling results show that agility is full mediator, related to firm performance in both models. Further, the model with complementary interactions fits better. These results have implications for how manufacturing firms can position their investments in SCIT and SCOI to enhance agility and overall performance.     

Supply chain dynamics: analysis of inventory vs. order oscillations trade-off

The use of Advanced Planning Systems (APS) has become widespread in many industries. This paper presents an analysis of how safety stock policies, as modelled in many APSs, can induce variation in production and distribution order quantities along the supply chain. The effect is illustrated using a system dynamics model of the supply chain of a Mexican branch of a multinational food and beverage company. Real demand data is used in the simulation. An explanation is provided for these production order distortions and modifications to the operating policies and the APS linear programming model are proposed to reduce these effects. Computational results and illustrative examples are presented.     

Strategic supply chain management issues in the automotive industry: an Australian perspective

The automotive manufacturing industry is an extremely competitive one. Many companies are focusing on their supply chains for sources of competitive advantage. This paper presents the findings of an exploratory study that examined contemporary issues related to supply chains in the Australian automotive manufacturing industry. Data from interviews with managers from vehicle manufacturers, component suppliers, peak industry bodies and government agencies enabled the articulation of 10 key issues. These issues were validated as being relevant to the industry by another group of managers from the industry. Review of these 10 issues showed that the relationships between the parties in supply chains are complex, and despite the success of the industry, there are a number of structural weaknesses. These issues, when taken individually, pose significant risks to the industry. When considered collectively, these risks are magnified several fold. This paper also presents research questions in the form of formal propositions associated with the 10 issues that need to be rigorously tested in order to assess the long-term viability and success of the industry. The issues that are raised can also be relevant to other industries with similar supply chain dynamics.     

Design of supply chains: Unrealistic expectations on collaboration

A major assertion in the supply chain management literature is that there is an economic rationale for integration across the boundaries of firms. The purpose of the paper is to evaluate this fundamental assumption. Based on review of the relevant literature and the plethora of empirical evidence, two dominant models of supply chain organization have been found. Research findings from the literature for each of the collaboration models (viz. at arms length or tighter coupling) are presented. When such conceptual models are mapped to the real world and tested, it is found that what exists is an in-between state of loose coupling between the vendor and customer. We have endeavoured to determine why and conclude that it is the result of a natural equilibrium. Attempts by interested parties to push this to either end (viz. at arms length or tighter coupling) do not result in benefits at acceptable levels for both parties, and hence are unlikely to succeed. We advocate that the business context, market forces and behavioural aspects of organizations be well understood before designing an appropriate collaboration framework.     

Supply chain management practices as a mediator of the relationship between operations capability and firm performance

The current study uses mediated regression analysis and structural equation modelling to test the proposition that supply chain management practices mediate the relationship between operations capability and firm performance. Operations capability is defined in terms of a firm's new product design and development, total quality management and just-in-time capabilities. Results support the research model and also suggest the existence of a direct relationship between operations capability and performance.     

The performance impact of supply chain agility and supply chain adaptability: the moderating effect of product complexity

Even though research has suggested that supply chain agility and supply chain adaptability are distinct capabilities, little is known about their performance effects and about the contextual conditions under which they are effective. Based on a sample of 143 German firms, we empirically investigate the effects of supply chain agility and supply chain adaptability on cost performance and operational performance using hierarchical regression analysis. We ground our investigation in the dynamic capabilities view and contingency theory. We find that supply chain agility and supply chain adaptability positively affect both cost performance and operational performance. We further find evidence for a mediating role of supply chain agility in the links between supply chain adaptability and performance. Product complexity positively moderates the links between supply chain adaptability and cost performance, and supply chain adaptability and operational performance. The results contribute to the literature by offering a more nuanced understanding of the performance implications of supply chain agility and supply chain adaptability, thereby addressing the crucial question of why their benefits may or may not materialise under varying levels of product complexity.     

弹药包装对部队保障能力的影响分析

分析了我军现役弹药包装对部队保障能力的影响,及造成该现状的原因,提出了旨在提高部队保障能力的弹药包装设计理念和建议.     

Modelling a complex supply chain: understanding the effect of simplified assumptions

The benefits of coordinating activities and consolidating distribution points in supply chains are well highlighted and intuitively logical. However, the impact of these decisions on the overall performance of a complex supply chain may not be as obvious as usually perceived. This study models a relatively complex supply chain and evaluates the impact of simplifying demand and lead time assumptions under various supply chain configurations. Of particular interest is the investigation of the effect of risk pooling and the synchronization of production cycles in a multi-level multi-retailer supply chain under the influence of various parameters such as batch size, delivery frequency and ordering cycle. This study highlights the extent of complicated interaction effects among various factors exist in a complex supply chain and shows that that the intricacy of these effects can be better understood with a simulation model.     

The impacts of asset impairments on performance in the Taiwan listed electronics industry

This paper explores whether the recognition of asset impairments provides an opportunity for earnings management by examining changes in the performance. First, we apply a dynamic data envelopment analysis model to evaluate the operating performance of Taiwanese electronics firms for the period from 2004 to 2013. Statistical tests are next applied to assess the average efficiency variation between the periods before and after firms recognise asset impairments. Several empirical findings are as follows: managers recognise asset impairments when their firms have poor performance as compared to other firms that do not record any asset impairments recognition, and that their performance keeps on improving in both the year of recognising asset impairments and the year after asset impairments recognition. That is, managers tend to recognise asset impairments to improve operating performance, while the firms are performing poorly, supporting the opportunistic behaviour theory.     

Issues on the reduction of demand variance in the supply chain

To streamline an agile manufacturing system of a global firm facing a high demand of market service, supply chain management (SCM) plays an important role. In SCM, a phenomenon called ‘the bullwhip effect’ has attracted considerable attention. This study examines the bullwhip effect caused by order variance from retailers. It shows that based on portfolio theory, supplier's demand variance can be reduced by adjusting the order quantities of retailers through co-ordination. The results indicate that our approach can be a useful means for alleviating the bullwhip effect.     

Supply chain management and environmental technologies: the role of integration

As corporations attempt to move toward environmental sustainability, management must extend their efforts to improve environmental practices across their supply chain. To date, the literature characterising environmental management within the supply chain has been slowly building, but remains sparse. Moreover, investment by plants in environmental technologies cannot be made independently of other organisations in the supply chain. The linkage between supply chain characteristics, such as the degree of integration with primary suppliers and major customers, and the resources invested in different environmental technologies is assessed with plant-level survey data. The results indicate that resources were increasingly allocated toward pollution prevention when plants developed extensive strategic-level integration with suppliers, including such aspects as product development and knowledge sharing. However, these effects were not mirrored with customers. Instead, greater supply chain integration with customers was significantly related to pollution control. Collectively, these findings suggested that downstream supply chain members tend to favour prevention while simultaneously shifting the burden for control to upstream members.     

A global view on ARAMIS, a risk assessment methodology for industries in the framework of the SEVESO II directive

The ARAMIS methodology was developed in an European project co-funded in the fifth Framework Programme of the European Commission with the objective to answer the specific requirements of the SEVESO II directive. It offers an alternative to purely deterministic and probabilistic approaches to risk assessment of process plants. It also answers the needs of the various stakeholders interested by the results of the risk assessment for land use or emergency planning, enforcement or, more generally, public decision-making. The methodology is divided into the following major steps: identification of major accident hazards (MIMAH), identification of the safety barriers and assessment of their performances, evaluation of safety management efficiency to barrier reliability, identification of reference accident scenarios (MIRAS), assessment and mapping of the risk severity of reference scenarios and of the vulnerability of the plant surroundings. The methodology was tested during five case studies, which provided useful information about the applicability of the method and, by identifying the most sensitive parts of it opened way to new research activity for an improved industrial safety.     

The impact of diversifying and de novo firms on regional innovation performance in an emerging industry: a longitudinal study of the U.S. ethanol industry

There is growing interest among strategy scholars and policy makers regarding the influence of diversifying and de novo firms on regional innovation activities in emerging industries. This paper examines how the population, entry, and exit of diversifying and de novo firms in regions influence regional innovation output in an emerging industry. Using longitudinal data from the U.S. ethanol industry, we find that the local population and exit of diversifying and de novo firms have differing impacts on regional innovation output. Our findings contribute to the literature on firm heterogeneity, agglomeration, and regional innovation systems.     

供应链与B2B电子商务：基于分布式工作流系统的方案研究

给出一个跨企业间的工作流模型,为支持构建供应链管理与B2B电子商务的实现,该模型在WfMC的基础上作了扩展,提出了基于合约的互操作关系。建立了一个支持该模型的体系结构,特别坚企业与企业之间工作 流系统的交互接口作了详细的设计。     

Quantitative approaches for the integration of production and distribution planning in the supply chain: a systematic literature review

Production and distribution are the two primary internal elements of the supply chain. This paper presents a systematic literature review (SLR) of quantitative approaches for the integration of production and distribution planning (IPDP) in the supply chain. We provide a classification framework with eight dimensions and give a brief overview of the quantitative approaches such as modelling approaches and solution approaches for the IPDP problem in the supply chain. The SLR has been carried out using two basic search databases Scopus and Web of Science. In all, we identify relevant articles in the period from 2000 to 2019. We also highlight certain research opportunities, suggestions, and research gaps for possible future research by assessing the current knowledge on the quantitative approaches for IPDP problems in the supply chain.     

Supplier managed inventory in the OEM supply chain: the impact of relationship types on total costs and cost distribution

We investigate the impact of four variants of supplier managed inventory on total costs and cost distribution in a capital goods supply chain consisting of a parts supplier who delivers parts to an original equipment manufacturer’s assembly plant. The four supplier managed inventory variants differ in the components of inventory costs that the supplier has to carry. The performance of the supplier managed inventory relationships is benchmarked with the situation where the assembly plant manages the inventories. Interesting managerial insights follow from this comparison.