Raymond Obayi, S.C. Koh, David Oglethorpe and Seyed M. Ebrahimi
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of three important relational capabilities – absorptive capacity (AC), transactive memory systems (TMS), and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of three important relational capabilities – absorptive capacity (AC), transactive memory systems (TMS), and organisational interoperability (OI); on the flexibility of buyer-supplier relationships and performance in retail supply chains. Drawing on the relational view of strategic management, the impact of relational capabilities on two forms of supply chain flexibility is examined – configuration flexibility (CF) for switching suppliers with minimal penalties, and planning and control flexibility (PCF) for altering supply schedules, quality, and delivery lead-time.
Design/methodology/approach
Strategic- and tactical-level managers from 211 retail stores in the UK were surveyed. The authors validated a measurement model with structural equation modelling and tested four hypotheses on the mediating role of relational capabilities on supply chain flexibility and retail performance, controlling for size, duration of relationship, and market segment.
Findings
Results showed that the three relational capabilities partially mediated the positive effect of CF and PCF on operational performance in big middle and niche retailers. Examining the interaction effect of the forms of flexibility on the relational capabilities and performance, the authors found positive interaction effects on TMS and OI but a non-significant effect on AC.
Practical implications
In addition to providing novel theoretical insights on supply chain flexibility, the findings have practical implications for supplier selection and buyer-supplier relationship management.
Originality/value
Overall, the study highlights the impacts of relational capabilities on adopted operational strategies such as flexibility, buyer-supplier relationships, and retail performance.
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David Oglethorpe and Graeme Heron
The purpose of the research is to identify the observable operational and supply chain barriers and constraints that occur in local food supply chains, especially with smaller…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the research is to identify the observable operational and supply chain barriers and constraints that occur in local food supply chains, especially with smaller producers, as they seek to increase market penetration across a wider geographic area.
Design/methodology/approach
The research adopts a multiple case study approach using mixed methods of data collection where case study companies are interviewed and complete a questionnaire. This process allows us to create a supply chain map and create a narrative which records the burdens and impacts occurring in local food supply chains and smaller producers looking beyond local markets. This evidence is then set against the theory of constraints (TOC) to provide a theoretical underpinning and to examine consistency of the findings.
Findings
Seven broad categories of constraint type are observed: constraints due to the nature of the market; due to scale and the nature of products; constraints related to employment and skills; institutional constraints; constraints in supply chain relationships; certification, policy and regulatory constraints; and constraints around personal beliefs and anthropomorphism. Each is described as to its origin, its limitation to business and where possible, how it might be remedied. The constraints point to some counter-intuitive results as far as common perceptions of local food are concerned but suggestions for improvement are made through collaborative producer efforts, alternative institutional intervention, supply chain re-engineering and logistics innovation.
Practical implications
Practical suggestions are made to improve the inclusiveness of distribution networks, to better utilise regional food groups (RFGs), to develop opportunities to set up autonomous supply chain centres, or to broaden the function of farmer co-operatives. The paper also provides an alternative model of the TOC specifically adapted for local food producers, the focus of which plays to their strengths and focuses on building competencies across, up and down the supply chain.
Originality/value
The adaptation of the TOC provides an advancement of knowledge in the area of food supply chain analysis and is done in a way that is more practical in use. The paper also provides the opportunity to take a similar approach to examining other niche supply opportunities in the sector, which may be dependent on other geographically defined barriers, such as seasonal or ethnic products.
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David Oglethorpe and Graeme Heron
The increasing focus on environmental sustainability and social responsibility within business agendas often leads to expectations that solutions lie in the downscaling…
Abstract
Purpose
The increasing focus on environmental sustainability and social responsibility within business agendas often leads to expectations that solutions lie in the downscaling, decentralising and deconsolidating of supply chains and logistics systems. This is no more acute than within the climate change agenda, the single biggest environmental challenge to industry today. The purpose of this paper is to challenge these notions and suggest that environmental burden actually decreases across increasing logistical scale and supply chain sophistication.
Design/methodology/approach
Primary and secondary life cycle analysis and carbon auditing case evidence detailing and describing operations throughout the food supply chain is used to show what happens to resource efficiency when we chose possible “downscaling” routes.
Findings
The paper contends that the principle of economic efficiency leading to environmental efficiency (or “lean is green”) is more generally applicable against our previous expectations and that supply chain sophistication and logistical scale is more likely to lead to environmental benefit rather than cost.
Practical implications
From a commercial and industrial point of view, the paper provides evidence to promote conventional supply chain management good practice as a means of driving the demand needed for the technological change required to achieve climate change targets. This is good news for suppliers and distributors, particularly in the light of global economic conditions. From a consumer and policy perspective, the upshot of the paper is a call for more pragmatic thinking and a reminder that critical evidence‐based decision making should be used when judging how best to formulate supply strategies.
Originality/value
This paper represents a fresh way of thinking utilising more robust evidence amongst a set of issues that have become precariously muddled and confused.
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Alireza Shokri, David Oglethorpe and Farhad Nabhani
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the level of concern and practice of sustainability development and also policy failure in the fast food supply chain.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the level of concern and practice of sustainability development and also policy failure in the fast food supply chain.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire using Likert scoring recorded variations in current practice and attitudes toward sustainable business. A two-stage cluster analysis was conducted to analyze the multi-attribute ordinal data obtained from the questionnaire.
Findings
Significant differences were found among clusters of fast food businesses in terms of their sustainability concern and practice, which is of interest to policy makers, consumers and supply chain partners. Medium-sized fast food dealers emerge with high environmental and social concern, but poor practice; larger retailers and fast food chains appear to have both fair social and environmental awareness and practice; and there is a cluster of small takeaway-specific outlets that have particularly low levels of knowledge of sustainability or sustainable practices. Policy failure is prevalent amongst these businesses and without regulation this represents a possible threat to the sector.
Research limitations/implications
Reliance on stated rather than revealed preferences of the study may limit the implications of this analysis but it is a major step forward in understanding what has in the past been a very difficult sector to investigate due to data paucity.
Practical implications
Fast food is a sector with a lack of transparency which has attracted little academic attention to date, due to the difficulties of empirical analysis rather than lack of interest in a key food consumption sector. The message for the sector is to monitor its act, across all business types or face regulatory and policy intervention.
Originality/value
The research conducts a three-dimensional sustainability analysis of fast food supply chains to investigate the differences and trade-offs between different sustainability dimensions.
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Alireza Shokri, David Oglethorpe and Farhad Nabhani
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implementation of the Six Sigma methodology as a systematic business strategy and quality initiative to improve the critical…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implementation of the Six Sigma methodology as a systematic business strategy and quality initiative to improve the critical logistical measures within small-to-medium-sized food distributors.
Design/methodology/approach
The first stage was the conducting of structured questionnaires to verify the applicability in terms of capability, resources and culture in the targeted industry. The second stage was the implementation of two industrial case studies to investigate the impacts of Six Sigma on logistical measures.
Findings
It was found that Six Sigma is applicable and beneficial in small-to-medium-sized food distributors. It was also found that required training, personal characteristics of managers, size of the organisation, education level and workplace of the employees are the most effective elements to adopt Six Sigma for these organisations.
Research limitations/implications
Cultural factors including high level of secrecy in information exchange, ambiguity and lack of knowledge, sampling population and requirement of ISO9000 were found as key issues in implications of this research programme.
Practical implications
Six Sigma programme can be used as a problem solving practice, a performance measurement tool and a business strategy in small food distributors through more simplified approach to improve the ultimate food supply chain.
Originality/value
This research paper studies the application of Six Sigma in food logistics SME sector by having integrated research approach, and also provides a practical scientific and rigorous quality and profitability improvement methodology for smaller food distribution organisations with limited resources.
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Christian theologians and official church organisations frequentlyadmonish members and believers to allow their economic decisions to begoverned by concern for economic justice…
Abstract
Christian theologians and official church organisations frequently admonish members and believers to allow their economic decisions to be governed by concern for economic justice, the common good, or service to one′s neighbour. Friedrich Hayek, on the other hand, claims that today′s large population and living standards have been made possible by a shift from a morality of serving the known needs of neighbours to one of following abstract rules of the market. Elaboration and development of Hayek′s thesis shows that (1) individuals are probably unable to be efficient when they try to help others, (2) one may be able to serve 30 or 40 neighbours by seeking justice but larger numbers will be better served by following the rule of “buying cheap and selling dear”, and (3) many people would suffer economic hardship if the social teachings of theologians and the pronouncements of official organisations were taken seriously by Christians.
Thomas Li‐Ping Tang, David Shin‐Hsiung Tang and Cindy Shin‐Yi Tang
This research employs institutional characteristics and market‐related factors to predict undergraduate students' tuition at 190 private colleges and universities in the USA…
Abstract
This research employs institutional characteristics and market‐related factors to predict undergraduate students' tuition at 190 private colleges and universities in the USA. Results showed that the strongest correlations among variables for college tuition were reputation ranking and SAT scores. Results of a hierarchical multiple regression revealed that the type of institution, academic reputation ranking, the annual expenditures, geographic region, the existence of professional schools, the size of the faculty and the undergraduate student body, and university presidents' pay and benefits are all significant predictors of college tuition. After controlling all other variables, the unique contribution made by reputation ranking is still a significant predictor of college tuition. Research institutions charged their students more than liberal arts colleges, which, in turn, charged more than doctoral granting I institutions. Implications for parents and students, private colleges and universities, human resource management, and the Matthew effect are discussed.
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David Pearson, Joanna Henryks, Alex Trott, Philip Jones, Gavin Parker, David Dumaresq and Rob Dyball
This paper sets out to profile the activities and consumers of a unique and successful local food retail outlet in the UK that is based on weekly community markets.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper sets out to profile the activities and consumers of a unique and successful local food retail outlet in the UK that is based on weekly community markets.
Design/methodology/approach
The seminal literature on local food in the UK is reviewed prior to providing a case study on a local food outlet, the True Food Co‐op. This is followed by the results from a detailed survey of its customers.
Findings
The increase in availability of and interest in local food over the last decade has been matched by new research findings. Although there is a consensus on the reasons why people buy local food, there are significant gaps in other areas of one's understanding, such as the lack of a clear definition of what local food is. This is frustrating further developments in the sector.
Research limitations/implications
Business development strategies that rely on niche markets, such as local food, in fast‐moving consumer goods categories are enjoying rapid growth. However, there are many difficulties with research in this area that emerge from the multitude of purchases made by numerous people, of various products, and in different places.
Practical implications
Innovative community‐based food retail outlets, such as the True Food Co‐op, provide an example of a business model that links consumers and producers in local food networks. As such they contribute to food security by filling a vital role in a diversified, resilient and environmentally friendly food system.
Originality/value
The paper publicises recent research findings in the local food sector that have practical implications for policy. In addition, these findings are important for individual businesses in the local food sector which are aiming to develop and secure their position in the marketplace.