Considers the concept of vendor‐managed inventory (VMI). Reviews its success since it was first implemented by Wal‐Mart and K‐Mart. Asserts that although a number of factors make…
Abstract
Considers the concept of vendor‐managed inventory (VMI). Reviews its success since it was first implemented by Wal‐Mart and K‐Mart. Asserts that although a number of factors make the efficient operation of VMI difficult, the process is still relevant to supply chain management. The strategy is effective when the relationship between major retailers and major suppliers is constructive and open, and the party who is most able and in the best position to manage the supply relationship is in control of the supply chain.
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Addresses the perennial issues of effective supply‐chain management ‐ balancing stock inventories, service delivery mechanisms and retaining requisite profit margins while…
Abstract
Addresses the perennial issues of effective supply‐chain management ‐ balancing stock inventories, service delivery mechanisms and retaining requisite profit margins while ensuring customer loyalty ‐ against the background of increasing business competition in the 1990s. Considers the potential contributions of partnerships, inventory management, sales‐based ordering and promotion planning to the logistical quest for equilibrium at a profit.
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W. Rocky Newman, Mark D. Hanna, Thomas Gattiker and Xiaowen Huang
This paper proposes a framework that describes the boundary spanning supply chain management (SCM) initiatives taken by leading companies. Supported by existing literature and…
Abstract
This paper proposes a framework that describes the boundary spanning supply chain management (SCM) initiatives taken by leading companies. Supported by existing literature and interviews with managers from large companies reflecting a cross section of businesses, the framework suggests four motivating domains or factors that could support SCM initiatives. They are supply chain understanding, design, improvement, and coordination. Based on the sand cone model, the framework also suggests four levels of SCM integration over which these motivating factors are relevant to the firm and/or supply chain. They range from no integration outside the functional silos of a single firm to a fully integrated multi‐tier supply chain. Unlike existing frameworks that are based upon the flow of material and information through the supply chain, our framework is derived by combining the concept of integration with the motivating domains that characterize SCM initiatives. It captures the combined and overlapping impact of supply chain initiatives from a more strategic perspective and is a useful additional resource for practitioners who seek to chart potential improvements to their supply chain from a competitive standpoint.
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Abdul Hamid Abu Bakar, Ismail Lukman Hakim, Siong Choy Chong and Binshan Lin
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the efficiency levels of the decision‐making units within the public hospital laboratories in using their supply chain towards meeting…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the efficiency levels of the decision‐making units within the public hospital laboratories in using their supply chain towards meeting the satisfaction of doctors.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from two senior laboratory administrators and 30 doctors of two hospital laboratories in Malaysia using two sets of structured questionnaires, which comprised of two dimensions, i.e. doctor satisfaction dimension (DSD) and supply chain inputs (SCI). The dimensions of DSD and SCI were developed and that SCI has been relabeled as hospital laboratory inputs (HLI) to suit the nature of current study. The resulting data were positioned on an importance‐performance matrix. By using the data envelopment analysis software, the efficient frontier for both hospital laboratories was calculated under different scenarios.
Findings
Results reveal that one of the laboratories satisfies doctors efficiently using the present levels of HLI for each scenario while the other failed.
Research limitations/implications
The paper focuses only on two hospital laboratories.
Practical implications
The findings offer insights on the important dimensions of DSD and HLI that the hospital laboratories should concentrate on when measuring doctor satisfaction through the utilization of resources they possess. This will undoubtedly lead to better hospital‐doctor‐patient relationships.
Originality/value
Many prior supply chain studies have focused on patient satisfaction. This paper is probably one of the first attempts that comprehensively examines satisfaction from the perspective of doctors.