The textiles and apparel industry has been neglected in terms of supply chain management research. Recently, the industry has undergone a great deal of change, particularly with global sourcing and high levels of price competition. In addition, textiles and clothing has market characteristics, such as short product lifecycle, high volatility, low predictability, and a high level of impulse purchase, making such issues as quick response of paramount importance. This article discusses characteristics of the textiles and apparel industry and identifies the perspectives of lean, agile and leagility (a combination of these) within existing supply chain literature, which have been proffered as solutions to achieving quick response and reduced lead times. Through case studies of textile and apparel companies, different approaches to supply chain management are illustrated.

Lean or agile: A solution for supply chain management in the textiles and clothing industry?

Purpose – The field of supply chain management (SCM) has historically been informed by knowledge from narrow functional areas. While some effort towards producing a broader organizational perspective has been made, nonetheless, SCM continues to be largely eclectic with little consensus on its conceptualization and research methodological bases. This paper seeks to clarify aspects of this emerging perspective.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 100 randomly selected refereed journal articles were systematically analyzed.Findings – A number of key findings emerged: the field is a relatively “new” one; several disciplines claim ownership of the field; consensus is lacking on the definition of the term; contextual focus is mostly on the manufacturing industry; predominantly “process” conceptual framing prevails; research methods employed are mostly analytical conceptual, empirical surveys or case studies; the positivist research paradigmatic stance is prevalent; and theories related to transaction cost e...

Supply Chain Management: A Structured Literature Review and Implications for Future Research

Supply chain management: a structured literature review and implications for future research

This paper presents an integrated conceptual model of supply chain flexibility. It examines flexibility classification schemes and the commonalities of flexibility typologies published in the literature to create a theoretical foundation for analyzing the components of supply chain flexibility. Even though there has been a tremendous amount of research on the topic of flexibility, most of it has been confined to intra‐firm flexibility concerns. As supply chain management goes beyond a firm’s boundaries, the flexibility strategies must also extend beyond the firm. This paper identifies the cross‐enterprise nature of supply chain flexibility and the need to improve flexibility measures across firms. Opportunities are identified for future cross‐functional research that builds on this theoretical foundation and leads to more effective formulation of supply chain strategies.

A conceptual model of supply chain flexibility

A review of Internet of Things (IoT) embedded sustainable supply chain for industry 4.0 requirements

Interest in supply chain management has steadily increased since the 1980s when firms saw the benefits of collaborative relationships within and beyond their own organization. Firms are finding that they can no longer compete effectively in isolation of their suppliers or other entities in the supply chain. A number of definitions of supply chain management have been proposed in the literature and in practice. This paper defines the concept of supply chain management and discusses its historical evolution. The term does not replace supplier partnerships, nor is it a description of the logistics function. The competitive importance of linking a firm’s supply chain strategy to its overall business strategy and some practical guidelines are offered for successful supply chain management.

Defining supply chain management: a historical perspective and practical guidelines

Maintains that, although service industries would benefit from research concerning the implementation of just‐in‐time (JIT) techniques, most research has focused on JIT only in manufacturing firms. A review of applied journals and articles, however, revealed JIT concepts migrating to non‐manufacturing environments. These articles describe JIT techniques successfully moving from the factory floor to other environments and suggest a potentially rich research opportunity. Summarizes these articles using Benson′s guidelines for applying JIT in service. Illustrates various JIT applications within each of the JIT categories.

JIT in Services: A Review of Current Practices and Future Directions for Research

A simulation analysis of sequencing alternatives for JIT lines using kanbans

A relationship exists between the supply chain and marketing activities.For most supply chains a balance exists between customer requirements and supply chain capabilities. When marketing activities strain the supply chain’s ability to meet demand,additional costs are incurred. All associated costs should be considered in supply chain planning, and marketing initiatives should be evaluated including the recognition of these costs across the supply chain. Questions related to the timing of marketing activities need to consider the impact on the supply chain and the overall profitability of the initiative.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/info/40469935

Rhonda R. Lummus

Papers

Defining supply chain management: a historical perspective and practical guidelines

JIT in Services: A Review of Current Practices and Future Directions for Research

A simulation analysis of sequencing alternatives for JIT lines using kanbans

Balancing Marketing and Supply Chain Activities