An impact of manufacturing flexibility and technological dimensions of manufacturing strategy on improving supply chain responsiveness: Business environment perspective

The main objective of this research is to investigate the impact of manufacturing flexibility and technological dimensions of manufacturing strategy on responsiveness in the supply chain. Based on the theoretical background of dynamic capability, this study also examines the role of the business environment on the relationship between manufacturing flexibility and supply chain responsiveness. 144 structured surveys were collected and the partial least squares of structural equation modelling approach were utilised for data analysis. The result establishes relationships among various dimensions of manufacturing flexibility. Although the technological dimensions in manufacturing strategy of such advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) and e-procurement do not have any direct impact on new product and market flexibility, they increase supply chain responsiveness, which helps to react quickly against supply chain disruptions. More importantly, the business environment has a moderating effect on the relationship between market flexibility and supply chain responsiveness.     

Organizing a virtual manufacturing enterprise: an analytic network process based approach for enterprise flexibility

Virtual manufacturing is a dynamic enterprise structure that will enable future competitiveness in the fast changing business environment. This is made possible through quick IT based integration of flexible and core competent business entities capable of providing value-added product and services. Flexibility elements represent change capabilities of enterprise wide processes and resources in time and cost dimensions. Value chain considerations require synergy among the participating flexible resources. Also decision information synchronization delays need to be managed so that other entity flow processes in the enterprise remain well synchronized. This may require a capability of dynamic changes in flexible structures leading to effective virtual enterprises. There is a need to develop suitable enterprise architectures for virtual enterprises that offer an increasing focus on agility. Infrastructure support for integration of flexible capability to attain synergy among resources is necessary for enterprise agility. We conceptualize virtual manufacturing (VM) as an integrating infrastructure of flexible resources made possible through alliance of enterprises that are individually core competent in specific business function. Such a VM can attain the required cost, flexibility and responsiveness characteristics in its operations to provide solution to the demanding customer in a global dynamic market. Modelling frameworks depicting these composite flexibility states have complex and tacit interrelationship with plural business goals. Analytical network process (ANP) has been used to model the interrelationship of different decision domains with a view to prioritize enterprise wide flexibility dimensions. The ANP modelling framework takes into consideration the interdependency among sub-strategies. We demonstrate through sensitivity analysis that strategic shift is required to accommodate changes due to dynamic condition in the business environment.     

Sustainable supply chain flexibility and its relationship to circular economy-target performance

The circular economy (CE) is an evolving economic and sustainable development model. In this new environment, companies face a more dynamic, uncertain, and complex market environment. These challenges arise from material closed-loop flows necessary for a functioning CE. It is important to build flexibility capabilities into sustainable supply chains to address CE operational challenges. Building this operational capability needs to occur without incurring performance degradation, increasing costs, or compromising product quality. Supply chain designers have recognised the importance of sustainable supply chain flexibility (SSCF) efforts for meeting CE-targeted performance. CE-targeted performance includes reuse of materials and energy, closed flow of materials, and pollution reduction. Exploration of relationships between SSCF efforts and CE-targeted performance is limited. An objective-DEMATEL method is used to evaluate the relationship between a new SSCF measures framework and CE-targeted performance. A field study helps to identify and refine significant SSCF measures (efforts) to effectively improve CE-targeted performance. Managerial implications and future research directions for sustainable supply chain flexibility within the CE environment are presented.     

制造企业管理数字化的问题与对策

管理数字化是企业数字化的重要组成部份.在分析制造企业管理信息化现状的基础上,指出不完全信息化是当前企业信息化中存在的主要问题.研究了管理信息化与管理数字化之间的差异,提出完全信息化是管理数字化的基础,基于管理数字化的信息系统必须支撑过程集成和企业集成,管理数字化最重要的支撑系统是一个以业务管理为核心的基于ERP、PDM和SCM的企业集成大系统.同时,论述了管理数字化的目标与内容,最后,对推进企业管理数字化的策略和关键技术进行了阐述.     

Firms’ integrating efforts to mitigate the tradeoff between controllability and flexibility

We consider three manufacturing capabilities: controllability, flexibility, and integrating capability. Controllability is a firm's ability to control its process to enhance efficiency and accuracy and to better meet specifications. Flexibility is a firm's ability to cope with uncertainty and variation, both internal and external. Integrating capability is a firm's ability to integrate and coordinate diverse functions and parts of its supply chain, embodied in overall operations effectiveness and new product innovation. We put forth two hypotheses. First, there is an inherent tradeoff between controllability and flexibility. Second, a firm's integrating effort across its supply chain enables it to overcome such a tradeoff, making it possible to improve both controllability and flexibility simultaneously. Using data from 193 manufacturing companies, we test our hypotheses. It turns out that the relationship between controllability and flexibility is convex-shaped, indicating there are two distinct regions: one in which the relationship is negative and the other, positive. Further, the firms in the positive relationship region make significantly more effort to integrate, that is to say coordinate and communicate, across their supply chains, implying that as the firm strives to integrate its supply chain functions, it can mitigate the tradeoff between controllability and flexibility to a considerable extent.     

Integration of global manufacturing networks and supply chains: a cross case comparison of six global automotive manufacturers

Striving for new business opportunities automotive original equipment manufacturers established overseas plants in emerging markets and global manufacturing networks evolved. In this regard so-called knocked down supply chains have been the key for the establishment of successful overseas operations. Importing all parts required from the original plants in form of easy to be handled kits secures a high product quality and stable supply despite lacking qualification of local workforce and supplier bases. Over time the overseas plants and global manufacturing networks have matured by increasingly taking over value adding processes and integrating local suppliers. However, the supply chain structure and management have not been adapted accordingly and still comprise high inventory buffers and lead times. There is little research on the integrated design of global manufacturing networks and knocked down supply chains. This research aims to contribute to close this research gap by means of a cross-case study with six globally operating OEMs investigating the fit of knocked down supply chains and global manufacturing networks. On the basis of transaction cost theory, we develop an integrated framework to align global manufacturing networks and knocked down supply chain design that can serve as guideline to open logistics performance and cost potentials.     

基于物流的供应链系统的敏捷化集成

回顾了制造系统集成所经历的不同发展阶段．论述了对制造系统进行过程集成的必要性。探讨了物流活动与制造资源或制造企业、物流活动之间的不同逻辑组合以及物流活动状态变化等关系，提出了分布异构环境下，供应链系统不同参与企业之间基于系统已有的资源实现物流集成的流程定义、工作流机及服务端等结构模型，以及进行物流或制造资源集成的集中与分布的运行控制与协作方式。并基于供应链系统中的物流信息，提出了供应商、制造商与分销商等之间在运行过程中的信息交互、协作与运行监控的机制。     

物流信息能力对供应链绩效影响的实证研究

构建了物流信息能力、配送能力和柔性能力与供应链服务质量、响应性和财务绩效的关系模型,利用结构方程模型进行了检验.研究结果表明,物流信息能力对供应链绩效没有直接影响,但是可以通过配送能力和柔性能力的影响,而影响供应链服务质量以及最终的财务绩效,而且物流信息能力还通过显著影响配送能力极大地影响了供应链的响应性.     

Modelling,measurement and evaluation of sequencing flexibility in manufacturing systems

Sequencing flexibility refers to the possibility of interchanging the order in which required manufacturing operations are performed. In this paper, we address several issues related to the modelling, measurement and performance evaluation of this flexibility in manufacturing systems. In particular, we introduce several representation and measurement schemes for sequencing flexibility and discuss the usefulness and limitations each. We then propose a new performance-based approach for quantifying the value of flexibility. To this effect, we study the relationship between flexibility and system performance under a variety of design assumptions and operating conditions. These relationships are used to identify key characteristics of a measure of flexibility that is reflective of system performance. This measure is to allow system designers and managers to predict performance based on existing levels of flexibility and/or determine the amount of flexibility required to achieve a certain level of performance. This measure is shown to be easier to calculate than traditional performance measures and to be possible to use as a substitute for these measures in estimating the effect of flexibility on performance.     

考虑销售努力和运输时间的农产品供应链弹性契约

目的 进一步实现农产品供应链数量弹性契约利润最大化。方法 在市场需求随机的条件下,考虑销售努力和运输时间为影响需求的关键变量,建立起由供应商和零售商组成的农产品供应链数量弹性契约模型。基于该模型引入奖励与惩罚策略,以实现农产品供应链弹性契约的一致性和有效性。结果 结合农产品特征,通过具体的模型优化方法和算例分析得出最优值以及各变量与最优销售努力水平、最优运输时间、最优订货量和整体农产品供应链利润之间的相关关系。结论 农产品供应链弹性契约能实现协调下的利润最大化,对农业经营主体企业开展农产品供应链弹性研究具有重要的理论和实践价值。     

Requirements for forming an ‘e-supply chain’

In today's digital economy, web-based integration of the enterprises to form an e-supply chain is a critical weapon for orchestrating the whole supply chain towards competitiveness. This paper intends to discuss the requirements for forming an e-supply chain from different perspectives, such as integration with the legacy systems, timing and prior presence of ERP (enterprise resources planning) systems, BPR (business process re-engineering) needs of internal and external business processes and business intelligence/decision support needs. A look at technical knowledge and structure to construct an e-supply chain is provided. Challenges involved in forming an e-supply chain are also briefly mentioned as a separate section in this paper. During the study, requirements are gathered by making a review of recent literature.     

A Citation Analysis of the Research on Manufacturing and Supply Chain Flexibility

Manufacturing and supply chain flexibility has been discussed extensively in the scientific literature. Given the different definitions, types and dimensions of flexibility, the purpose of this paper is to explore the origins and structure of the scientific research on manufacturing and supply chain flexibility. We identified a sample of 153 internationally published papers and conducted a citation analysis to examine the connections between the many scientific papers and to explore the most influential works and their impact on flexibility research. Our analysis revealed that research on flexibility received the most scientific attention between 1996 and 2005. However, the majority of the currently valid types and dimensions of flexibility have been defined in the late 1980s and the early 1990s. The current paper provides the leading academic journals and papers in the field of flexibility research. Additionally, the results of our citation analysis indicate that flexibility research is significantly influenced by papers that have been presented at subject-specific conferences. Finally, our paper presents a clearly arranged structure of the most frequently cited papers dealing with manufacturing and supply chain flexibility. Furthermore, its contents and findings are briefly discussed to provide an overview of the previous academic research.     

Proactive environmental strategies and performance: role of green supply chain processes and green product design in the Chinese high-tech industry

Though many firms still believe that passive environmental strategies are sufficient, it is pertinent that they move beyond this belief and take a proactive supply chain-wide environmental stance so as to create a sustainable environment. In this paper, we seek to extend current work within green supply chain management by considering multiple green supply chain capabilities and performance measures. We hypothesise the linkage between environmental orientation, green supply chain capabilities and performance by drawing upon stakeholder theory and natural resource-based view. More importantly, our study is the first to distinguish between product and process-related capabilities in the green supply chain area and study their direct and mediating role with respect to environmental and financial performance measures. Using survey data collected from 256 Chinese-based high-tech firms, we analyse several hypothesised relationships. Our results provide strong support for the significant role that green product design and green supply chain processes can play in improving firms’ environmental and financial performance. Interestingly, our results also suggest that green product design may not have a direct impact on financial performance.     

The power of coordinated decisions for short-life-cycle products in a manufacturing and distribution supply chain

This paper explores ways of conceptualizing and studying the power of coordination and strategic alliances within a manufacturing and distribution supply chain consisting of one manufacturer and one distributor. The supply chain operates to meet price-sensitive random demand of a product with a short product life cycle. We derive closed-form multi-attribute measures of performance for the supply chain in the presence of and in the absence of coordination of pricing and production/ordering decisions. The optimal coordinated pricing and production/ordering policies, as well as each party's optimal policies in the absence of coordination, are developed. Our results yield insights into basic managerial issues for this type of manufacturing and distribution supply chains.     

美国汽车业的供应链策略分析——互联网的影响

互联网的建立 ,实现了大量的信息流动 ,因而使供应链的本质起了极大的变化。汽车制造商为取得竞争优势 ,需要对其战略重新定位。为了得到更大的市场 ,公司必须做到以下两点 :一是缩短产品生产周期 ;二是缩短产品开发周期。为了降低成本 ,公司必须降低整条价值链中每一个环节的成本。商家通过互联网向顾客销售汽车及零部件 ,使得商家在配送和零售的模式上发生了很大的变化。这一变化不仅向公司提供了更好的市场透明度 ,更向消费者提供了直接挑选货品的机会。商家为顾客开启的大门还削减了传统销售中用于配送和零售的中介费用。本文的目的在于研究互联网中企业对企业的影响 ,以及今后应该如何置身于这一业务。供应商和汽车制造商应如何在互联网时代进行商业行为呢 ?本文的目的在于分析传统的 ,即以竞争和合作为特征的供应链关系的变化。我们将着眼于供应关系的改变、成本模式和样式转变等。本文结构如下 :第一节是对目前问题及其重要性的介绍 ;第二节主要讨论问题的一般表示形式 ,以及为取得战略竞争优势 ,解决问题的方法。第三节详细分析了汽车业的各个方面及其供应链。最后提出了企业的战略和结论。     

供应链伙伴关系、信息共享与企业运营绩效关系

本文以广东省珠三角地区制造企业为调查对象,对供应链伙伴关系、信息共享与企业运营绩效之间关系进行研究.研究结果表明,供应链伙伴关系对信息共享存在显著的正向影响,即增强供应链伙伴关系将有助于提高企业之间信息共享水平;信息共享对企业运营绩效存在显著的正向影响;供应链伙伴关系不仅直接影响企业运营绩效,而且通过信息共享间接地影响到企业运营绩效.另外,我们还发现在供应链伙伴关系中的信任对信息共享与企业运营绩效均有非常显著的影响.本文研究结论可为我国制造企业实施供应链管理策略提供理论指导.     

Managing product availability in an assemble-to-order supply chain with multiple customer segments

In this article, we propose a novel availability management process called Available-to-Sell (ATS) that incorporates demand shaping and profitable demand response to drive better supply chain efficiency. The proposed process aims at finding marketable product alternatives in a quest to maintain a financially viable and profitable product portfolio, and to avoid costly inventory overages and shortages. The process is directly supported by a mathematical optimization model that enables on demand up-selling, alternative-selling and down-selling to better integrate the supply chain horizontally, connecting the interaction of customers, business partners and sales teams to procurement and manufacturing capabilities of a firm. We outline the business requirements for incorporating such a process into supply chain operations, and highlight the advantages of ATS through simulations with realistic production data in a computer manufacturing environment. The models featured in this paper have contributed to substantial business improvements in industry-size supply chains, including over $100M of inventory reduction in IBM’s server computer supply chain.     

Information processing-related infrastructural antecedents of manufacturing flexibility – a real options perspective

The relationship between manufacturing flexibility and environmental uncertainty has been widely studied; however, research involving manufacturing flexibility and associated infrastructural antecedents is sparse. In this paper, using the real options perspective, we develop a research model to explicate management support’s influence on an organisation’s manufacturing flexibility. We use a second-order, multi-dimensional construct and survey data collected from US manufacturers to test our hypotheses. The study provides evidence to suggest that management support through teamwork, information systems effectiveness, and integrated supply chain effectiveness enhances an organisation’s manufacturing flexibility.     

Framework for flexibility in dynamic supply chain management

Effective Supply Chain Management (SCM) is a pivotal issue in the dynamically changing business environment. Dynamic SCM requires integrated decision-making amongst autonomous chain partners with effective decision information synchronization amongst them. By exploiting flexibility in supply chain structures, better performance can be achieved. Similarly, by judiciously employing decision flexibility and the associated dynamic control amongst autonomous supply chain nodes, many improvements are possible. The paper presents a study on the role of different flexibility options (i.e. no flexibility, partial flexibility and full flexibility) in a dynamic supply chain model based on some key parameters and performance measures. Supply chain flexibility has significant potential and needs a greater research attention. The paper attempts to advance the knowledge of dynamic control on effective flexibility exploitation in the context of dynamic supply chains. A simulation model of a dynamic supply chain is used for this purpose. The key results are highlighted along with industry implications. Here each supply chain node involves decision-making. Based on the order and sample information available from the immediate buyers or customers, the supplier selection decisions are dynamically made. A seemingly good decision at a stage based on local information often ends up as detrimental not only to the total chain cost, but also to the total costs of the node itself. These observations are important for the designers and managers of the flexible supply chain systems to arrive at appropriate types and a judicious level of flexibility to attain significant improvements in total cost reduction. The modelling of dynamic supply chains with a focus on flexibility can offer enormous potential to the industry. This paper addresses this interesting and challenging domain.