Joseph Roh, Morgan Swink and Judith M. Whipple
This research examines the long-held belief in the adaption-related literature that a firm’s ability to adapt organizational structure to changing environments is related to…
Abstract
Purpose
This research examines the long-held belief in the adaption-related literature that a firm’s ability to adapt organizational structure to changing environments is related to superior performance. We create and test a construct that reflects an organization’s ability to change structure, which we call Supply Chain Structural Adaptability (SCSA), rather than relying on proxies (e.g. structural form or organizational modularity) used in prior studies.
Design/methodology/approach
Quantitative data was collected from 218 firms to test our conceptual model.
Findings
We find that SCSA has a mixed effect on profitable growth under various environmental conditions.
Originality/value
We find evidence that refutes two widely held assumptions in organization research, namely, that structural form serves as a reasonable proxy for structural adaptability and that the benefits of adaptive capabilities always increase as environmental dynamism increases.
Details
Keywords
Angela L. Jones, Jason W. Miller, Judith M. Whipple, Stanley E. Griffis and Clay M. Voorhees
In the competitive retailing environment, retailers who provide service experiences that stand out from the competition can gain a competitive advantage. Increasingly, an…
Abstract
Purpose
In the competitive retailing environment, retailers who provide service experiences that stand out from the competition can gain a competitive advantage. Increasingly, an important aspect of the service experience involves product returns, in particular, the fairness of returns policies and procedures. Previous research studies support that interpersonal justice and informational justice relate positively to consumer attitudes and behaviors. In this paper, the authors examine the relative effects of interpersonal justice and informational justice on return satisfaction, positive word-of-mouth (PWOM) and trust. Additionally, the authors examine the moderating effects of returns process convenience and returns policy restrictiveness as indicators of procedural justice.
Design/methodology/approach
A scenario-based experiment methodology was used to test the relationships of interest.
Findings
Results support that the effects of interpersonal justice on the outcome variables are stronger than the effects of informational justice. There is also support for a moderating effect of returns process convenience on the relationships between interpersonal justice and each outcome variable, as well as partial support for the moderating effect of returns policy restrictiveness on the relationship between interpersonal justice and PWOM.
Originality/value
The research extends previous work on the effects of justice on customer outcomes. Results support the importance of retailers treating customers with fairness during the returns experience and further support the benefits of providing a convenient returns experience.
Details
Keywords
Angela L. Jones, Jason W. Miller, Stanley E. Griffis, Judith M. Whipple and Clay M. Voorhees
Both online and brick and mortar retailers have invested heavily in developing omni-channel service offerings. Though seen as a competitive necessity, these omni-channel service…
Abstract
Purpose
Both online and brick and mortar retailers have invested heavily in developing omni-channel service offerings. Though seen as a competitive necessity, these omni-channel service offerings increase costs and complexities. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of strategies involving bundles of omni-channel services related to order fulfillment and returns management on retailer performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Archival data were obtained for 152 retailers and analyzed using ordinary least squares regression. Robustness tests using an alternative dependent variable and a model-based classification strategy corroborate our findings.
Findings
Retailers offering full sets of high integration omni-channel services (buy online pick up in store, ship from store and in-store returns) have better performance (e.g. sales, growth and competitive position) and web sales than retailers that offer only a partial mix of these high integration services. Retailers offering a partial bundle of high integration services, in turn, have better performance and web sales than retailers that offer none of these services.
Originality/value
The research extends work that has examined the performance effects of omni-channel services on individual retailers. Our results indicate retailers benefit the most when offering a full set of high integration omni-channel services, suggesting retailers who have only adopted a subset of these services could improve performance through broader adoption of services. The results further indicate partial adoption of high integration services is better than no adoption.
Details
Keywords
Joseph Roh, Virpi Turkulainen, Judith M. Whipple and Morgan Swink
Managing internal supply chains is becoming increasingly complex, requiring managers to balance diverse needs. As a result, managers continuously face the need to change how they…
Abstract
Purpose
Managing internal supply chains is becoming increasingly complex, requiring managers to balance diverse needs. As a result, managers continuously face the need to change how they organize their internal supply chains. The purpose of this paper is to examine this phenomenon by addressing why multinational supply chain management organizations (SCMOs) change their designs, as well as how managers respond to pertinent change phenomena using complementary theoretical perspectives.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative data, collected from 50 executives within 24 multinational manufacturers, is used to develop an understanding of the organizational design change phenomena. A theory elaboration approach is taken to illustrate how various theoretical perspectives explain organizational design change.
Findings
This study identifies and elaborates organizational design change phenomena in the context of multinational SCMOs, including internal and external drivers of design change. Managers also discussed key supply chain management capabilities that were developed in order to meet perceived changes in business needs.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to academic understanding of organizational design issues affecting SCMOs. Four theoretical perspectives are elaborated upon to illustrate their applicability for examining SCMO organizational design issues.
Practical implications
This study provides managerial application of several organizational design change theories by elaborating principles for framing, interpreting, and implementing design change initiatives in internal SCMOs.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies to investigate organizational design change in multinational SCMOs. This research highlights the complexity and evolving nature of SCMO organizational design decisions by describing the adaption, integration, and reconfiguration of firm resources and competencies in changing environments.
Details
Keywords
Sunil Babbar, Xenophon Koufteros, Ravi S. Behara and Christina W.Y. Wong
This study aims to examine publications of supply chain management (SCM) researchers from across the world and maps the leadership role of authors and institutions based on how…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine publications of supply chain management (SCM) researchers from across the world and maps the leadership role of authors and institutions based on how prolific they are in publishing and on network measures of centrality while accounting for the quality of the outlets that they publish in. It aims to inform stakeholders on who the leading SCM scholars are, their primary areas of SCM research, their publication profiles and the nature of their networks. It also identifies and informs on the leading SCM research institutions of the world and where leadership in specific areas of SCM research is emerging from.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on SCM papers appearing in a set of seven leading journals over the 15-year period of 2001-2015, publication scores and social network analysis measures of total degree centrality and Bonacich power centrality are used to identify the highest ranked agents in SCM research overall, as well as in some specific areas of SCM research. Social network analysis is also used to examine the nature and scope of the networks of the ranked agents and where leadership in SCM research is emerging from.
Findings
Authors and institutions from the USA and UK are found to dominate much of the rankings in SCM research both by publication score and social network analysis measures of centrality. In examining the networks of the very top authors and institutions of the world, their networks are found to be more inward-looking (country-centric) than outward-looking (globally dispersed). Further, researchers in Europe and Asia alike are found to exhibit significant continental inclinations in their network formations with researchers in Europe displaying greater propensity to collaborate with their European-based counterparts and researchers in Asia with their Asian-based counterparts. Also, from among the journals, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal is found to exhibit a far more expansive global reach than any of the other journals.
Research limitations/implications
The journal set used in this study, though representative of high-quality SCM research outlets, is not exhaustive of all potential outlets that publish SCM research. Further, the measure of quality that this study assigns to the various publications is based solely on a publication score that accounts for the quality of the journals, as rated by Association of Business Schools that the papers appear in and nothing else.
Practical implications
By informing the community of stakeholders of SCM research about the top-ranked SCM authors, institutions and countries of the world, the nature of their networks, as well as what the primary areas of SCM research of the leading authors in the world are, this research provides stakeholders, including managers, researchers and students, information that is helpful to them not only because of the insights it provides but also for the gauging of potential for embedding themselves in specific networks, engaging in collaborative research with the leading agents or pursuing educational opportunities with them.
Originality/value
This research is the first of its kind to identify and rank the top SCM authors and institutions from across the world using a representative set of seven leading SCM and primary OM journals based on publication scores and social network measures of centrality. The research is also the first of its kind to identify and rank the top authors and institutions within specific areas of SCM research and to identify future research opportunities relating to aspects of collaboration and networking in research endeavors.
Details
Keywords
Judith Schmitz Whipple and Julie J. Gentry
A large number of industrial manufacturers are forming alliances with partners throughout the supply chain with the focus on improving competitive position. These potential…
Abstract
A large number of industrial manufacturers are forming alliances with partners throughout the supply chain with the focus on improving competitive position. These potential improvements may vary by the type of alliance being formed. In spite of this, little is known regarding what motivates a manufacturer to form an alliance at various channel positions (e.g. supplier versus customer alliances) and what the resultant performance outcomes are from these different types of alliances. This paper examines the importance manufacturers place on various motives based on the channel position of alliance. Further, the paper compares the objectives actually achieved across alliances with manufacturers and partners at different channel levels.
Details
Keywords
Robert Frankel and Judith Schmitz Whipple
Establishing and maintaining successful alliances is an increasingly attractive, yet difficult strategic option for most firms in today's business environment. One component of…
Abstract
Establishing and maintaining successful alliances is an increasingly attractive, yet difficult strategic option for most firms in today's business environment. One component of the alliance process that has recently received considerable attention concerns the motivations of a firm and its potential partner to establish an alliance. This paper examines and compares alliance motives at three channel levels (manufacturer, distributor and logistical service supplier) and across three geographic trading regions (North America, Europe and the Pacific Basin). The managerial implications of the results are discussed with particular regard to developing and sustaining successful cooperative supply chain relationships.
Details
Keywords
Robert Frankel, Thomas J. Goldsby and Judith M. Whipple
Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) is an industry‐wide initiative that is commonly believed to have fallen far short of its promised efficiencies and value. Many believe that…
Abstract
Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) is an industry‐wide initiative that is commonly believed to have fallen far short of its promised efficiencies and value. Many believe that unrealistic expectations among grocery industry participants are primarily at fault for this shortcoming. The level of internal and external change required to make desired outcomes a reality have been underestimated and poorly understood by prospective participants. While change has been slower than desired, many firms have collaborated effectively and achieved significant results through coordinated supply chain activities. This research uses case studies to illustrate successful collaboration in the grocery supply chain and explores the success factors inherent in such efforts.
Details
Keywords
Judith M. Whipple and Joseph Roh
The purpose of this paper is to propose using agency theory for assessing the likelihood of quality fade in buyer‐supplier relationships and prescribing contractual mechanisms for…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose using agency theory for assessing the likelihood of quality fade in buyer‐supplier relationships and prescribing contractual mechanisms for reducing quality fade. In this paper, quality fade, an element of supply chain vulnerability, is defined as the unforeseen deterioration of agreed to or expected quality levels with respect to product and/or service requirements. The use of outcome‐based, behavior‐based, or mix contracts can be used to reduce the likelihood of quality fade and illustrate preferred scenarios for buyer and suppliers.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper proposes a conceptual model for using agency theory to explain and address a type of supply chain vulnerability called quality fade. A 2×2 matrix is proposed that contrasts outcome measurability with outcome uncertainty to illustrate buyer and supplier vulnerability and to suggest contractual mechanisms that can be used to mitigate vulnerability for both parties.
Findings
A typology of governance mechanisms is presented and described with the use of a manufacturer third‐party logistics provider example to illustrate the theoretical framework. Four different scenarios are discussed and described. Contractual mechanisms are provided to mitigate vulnerabilities and reduce quality fade.
Originality/value
Quality fade is a term that has not been described extensively in academic literature but is a term that is relevant in the broader discussion of supply chain vulnerability. Given that quality fade is a behavioral, as opposed to process oriented, approach, it requires a theoretical framework rooted in behavioral considerations. Agency theory is an appropriate framework for studying governance options.