Showing papers on "Value chain published in 1991"

New Strategic Tools for Supply Chain Management

Abstract: Intense global competition has created a highly demanding customer. To serve his needs for highvariety, low cost, sound quality and easy availability, organisations are looking beyond their own boundaries to the management of their supply chains. In this they have been inspired by the typical Far Eastern, and the very best Western, practice. But supply chain management is still a hope not a reality for many companies. On the one hand there is an array of “panaceas” on offer for our “sick” businesses; new technology, computer integrated manufacturing, the Just-in-Time approach, total quality management, and more besides. On the other hand supply chain management has few specific tools of its own. To the manager busy holding on to his market share it is difficult to see where to start the process of making his operation more competitive. A three-stage approach to help companies see just which actions are likely to get the supply chain into better competitive shape is proposed. Also introduced are two simple graphical tools to help management develop a strategy for enhanced supply chain effectiveness: the pipeline map and the supplier relationship grid.

The Influence of a Convergence in Understanding Between Technology Providers and Users on Information Technology Innovativeness

Abstract: The objective of this research was to determine if a convergence in understanding between providers and users of a technology would result in greater innovativeness regarding that technology. Two mechanisms were proposed for achieving greater convergence: (1) more frequent communication and (2) the use of richer communication channels. Here, convergence represents the degree of mutual understanding between the technology providers and the other business personnel about the firm's business activities and the importance of the technology in supporting those activities. Frequency of communication indicated the degree to which the technology providers and the business personnel had communication contact, while richness of communication was determined by the type of communication channel used. These means of communication ranged from face to face, computer mediated, to written channels of communication. The convergence construct was operationalized in terms of the value chain framework where 14 business activi...

Strategic Aspects of Supply Chain Management

Abstract: Supply chain management can be seen as an approach to obtaining the benefits of Vertical Integration without ownership. Vertical Integration has the potential to offer benefits of increased control as well as cost reduction, but supply chain approaches can theoretically provide these same benefits through effective organisation. The concerns with supply chains are discussed under the headings of: innovation, competence and value added, investment flexibility, networks rather than single chains, proprietary design knowledge and dependence. The conclusion is that, where supply chains are identified (even within vertically integrated organisations), then an approach based on effective management of each of the customer‐supplier relationships is key to success. Reference is made to work and materials produced by the Supply Chain Management Group at the University of Glasgow Business School which emphasises the need to implement “best practice” at each point in each chain.