Bryan Ashenbaum, Arnold Maltz, Lisa Ellram and Mark A. Barratt
The purpose of this paper is to introduce and validate two new constructs with the potential to sharpen our understanding of how and why firms integrate their internal supply…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to introduce and validate two new constructs with the potential to sharpen our understanding of how and why firms integrate their internal supply chains and assess the governance structure of their supply chains. The first construct, organizational alignment (OA), is a reflective scale measuring the extent to which upper management attempts to foster integration between internal supply chain functions. The second, supply chain governance structure (SCGS), is a formative index, and is a first attempt at developing a measurement instrument to assess SCGS along multiple dimensions.
Design/methodology/approach
Following a literature review, measures of OA and SCGS are conceptualized. These instruments are used to collect data, after which they are refined and validated through parallel scale development (OA) and index construction (SCGS) processes.
Findings
OA shows acceptable content and construct validity, and SCGS shows acceptable results for content and item specification, as well as multicollinearity.
Practical implications
OA and SCGS may provide some insight into how to promote better internal supply chain integration within the firm, and may allow for an assessment of the governance structure of the firm's supply chain. In different industries and at different times, this knowledge may prove useful in supply chain design and supply base optimization decisions.
Originality/value
These scales have considerable applicability in logistics and supply chain management research. Together, they represent initial attempts to assess upper management influence on internal supply chain alignment (OA), and to assess the governance structure of a firm's supply chain.
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Despite its infancy, some authors are already suggesting that the writing may be on the wall for supply chain collaboration. It has been reported that supply chain collaboration…
Abstract
Despite its infancy, some authors are already suggesting that the writing may be on the wall for supply chain collaboration. It has been reported that supply chain collaboration has proved difficult to implement; there has been an over‐reliance on technology in trying to implement it; a failure to understand when and with whom to collaborate; and fundamentally a lack of trust between trading partners. This paper proposes that a supply chain segmentation approach, based on customer buying behaviour and service needs, is the most appropriate context for collaboration. The paper also proposes the need for a greater understanding of the elements that make up supply chain collaboration, and in particular how the relevant cultural, strategic and implementation elements inter‐relate with each other.
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This chapter introduces the book’s purpose: to explore the niche technology space of Web3 and use it as a lens to reflect on the internet’s future. I’ll discuss the internet’s…
Abstract
This chapter introduces the book’s purpose: to explore the niche technology space of Web3 and use it as a lens to reflect on the internet’s future. I’ll discuss the internet’s current state and key issues and then move into a definitional tour of Web3 and its underlying technology. The book’s core argument is presented: Web3 provides tangible social proof of what people want for the internet’s future. I’ll examine current challenges such as privacy concerns, unclear data ownership, and lack of transparency in online systems, which create power imbalances between technology controllers and users. The book argues for striving towards a more equitable and transparent digital future. This chapter serves as a starting point, offering insight into my decade-long research. It aims to familiarise readers with the case study approach and Web3 terminology used throughout the book. A chapter-by-chapter roadmap is provided to guide readers through the exploration of Web3 and its implications. Additionally, this chapter introduces my writing style and voice, preparing readers for the deeper analysis to come. While grounded in sociological knowledge, the chapter aims to make Web3 accessible and spark readers’ curiosity, encouraging them to pursue their own inquiries into this emerging field.
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Sirirat Somapa, Martine Cools and Wout Dullaert
The purpose of this paper is to present a literature review that aims to provide insight into the characteristics and effectiveness of supply chain visibility (SCV), as well as to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a literature review that aims to provide insight into the characteristics and effectiveness of supply chain visibility (SCV), as well as to identify metrics that capture these aspects in business processes.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic review of the supply chain literature is conducted to identify the characteristics and the effectiveness of SCV. The synthesis of SCV effectiveness and its metrics are based on the process-oriented approach which relates the effectiveness of SCV to improved business performance.
Findings
This study reveals that the characteristics of SCV can be captured in terms of the accessibility, quality, and usefulness of information. The benefits of SCV are found to extend beyond improvements to operational efficiency of business processes or to the strategic competencies of an organization.
Practical implications
This study underlines that clear agreements between all players involved in the SC can help to solve problems caused by information completeness (type and amount of information), and unlock the full potential of SCV projects.
Originality/value
By using a process-oriented approach, this review provides a comprehensive explanation of the functions of SCV, as well as its first-order effects, in terms of automational, informational, and transformational characteristics.
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The purpose of this paper is to introduce a Foucauldian concept into the theory and practice of OD and change management. The piece challenges Habermasian a priori assumptions…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to introduce a Foucauldian concept into the theory and practice of OD and change management. The piece challenges Habermasian a priori assumptions about organizational diagnosis and intervention.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a conceptual paper.
Findings
Literature points to the benefit of considering the possibility of parrhesiastic behavior in change management and organization development as part of a broader set of diagnostic tools.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should engage in practice driven test cases, interview practicing change managers, and refine the concept for use as a diagnostic tool.
Practical implications
Including discussions of parrhesia in change management and OD study and practices can better prepare change professionals for the realities of contemporary organizational practices.
Originality/value
To date, the links developed in this manuscript have not been made in the management literature, though it builds upon emerging literature in critical management studies and human resource management. It has the potential to influence both theory and practices of both OD and change management.
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Although we have achieved a greater understanding of cryptomarket specifics, evidence on the consumer side of cryptomarkets is still needed – not only regarding the role of…
Abstract
Although we have achieved a greater understanding of cryptomarket specifics, evidence on the consumer side of cryptomarkets is still needed – not only regarding the role of cryptomarkets on individual drug-using careers but also on the motives for buying illicit drugs from cryptomarkets. Moreover, research has indicated that national differences exist regarding different variables relating to cryptomarket use and prevalence, as well as to why users are drawn to these markets. In this chapter, the author presents the results of a Belgian case study focusing on drug cryptomarket buyers. Using an online quantitative survey (N = 99) and semi-structured interviews (N = 10), we gain exploratory insight into the motives of Belgian buyers sourcing illicit drugs from cryptomarkets and how they believe these cryptomarkets affect their drug-using careers. Results indicate that most of the respondents had bought drugs offline before buying them from cryptomarkets and that the frequency of their drug use did not change once cryptomarkets were accessed. Almost 60% of our respondents, however, consumed different drugs or a wider range of drugs following their cryptomarket use. Furthermore, most of the respondents purchased from cryptomarkets for their personal consumption, and some of them also shared their supply with friends, that is, social supply. The alternative drug offer was the principal reason why they were using cryptomarkets, followed by curiosity and the price and the quality of the drugs. Although the respondents in this study were well aware of different risks related to market vendors, market administrators, and law enforcement, these risks were considered to be minimal and part of the cryptomarket environment. The results of this case study are informative and highlight areas requiring further research.
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Annibal Sodero, Yao Henry Jin and Mark Barratt
The purpose of this paper is to explore the social process of Big Data and predictive analytics (BDPA) use for logistics and supply chain management (LSCM), focusing on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the social process of Big Data and predictive analytics (BDPA) use for logistics and supply chain management (LSCM), focusing on interactions among technology, human behavior and organizational context that occur at the technology’s post-adoption phases in retail supply chain (RSC) organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors follow a grounded theory approach for theory building based on interviews with senior managers of 15 organizations positioned across multiple echelons in the RSC.
Findings
Findings reveal how user involvement shapes BDPA to fit organizational structures and how changes made to the technology retroactively affect its design and institutional properties. Findings also reveal previously unreported aspects of BDPA use for LSCM. These include the presence of temporal and spatial discontinuities in the technology use across RSC organizations.
Practical implications
This study unveils that it is impossible to design a BDPA technology ready for immediate use. The emergent process framework shows that institutional and social factors require BDPA use specific to the organization, as the technology comes to reflect the properties of the organization and the wider social environment for which its designers originally intended. BDPA is, thus, not easily transferrable among collaborating RSC organizations and requires managerial attention to the institutional context within which its usage takes place.
Originality/value
The literature describes why organizations will use BDPA but fails to provide adequate insight into how BDPA use occurs. The authors address the “how” and bring a social perspective into a technology-centric area.
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In this chapter, I unpack the sociotechnical frontier of Web3, anchoring its analysis in the historical intertwining of computational histories and cryptographic cultures. It…
Abstract
In this chapter, I unpack the sociotechnical frontier of Web3, anchoring its analysis in the historical intertwining of computational histories and cryptographic cultures. It explores the case study of cryptomarkets to illustrate the originating culture of a laissez-faire-valuing techno-elite. The chapter traces the computational and social origins of Web3, from Robert Axelrod’s work on cooperation to the cypherpunk movement and the development of digital currencies. The Silk Road cryptomarket serves as a microcosm of the larger Web3 ecosystem, offering insights into its potential to disrupt established systems and the complex policy considerations this disruption gives rise to. The chapter examines the community dynamics, social connection, and identity-building practices within cryptomarkets, revealing the tension between experimental energy and outsider perspectives. It situates the emergent form of the Web3 community within its history of technological development, moving beyond community dynamics to larger shifts in computational process and power. The chapter concludes by offering policy recommendations that address trust in decentralised systems, adapt to borderless digital communities, and empower innovative forms of activism through technology. The chapter maintains a critical stance throughout, acknowledging the diverse and sometimes contradictory nature of the Web3 community while exploring its potential to reshape digital interactions and challenge existing power structures.
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Zech’s so-called Nachdichtung or ‘adaptation’ Die lasterhaften Lieder und Balladen des François Villon is one of the most printed books of German lyric poetry and has been widely…
Abstract
Zech’s so-called Nachdichtung or ‘adaptation’ Die lasterhaften Lieder und Balladen des François Villon is one of the most printed books of German lyric poetry and has been widely misinterpreted as a translation of French medieval poet François Villon. The erroneous attribution of these texts has caused an immense amount of confusion and misinformation to spread in relation to the authorship of several poems due to the popularisation of these supposedly medieval texts by medieval metal bands In Extremo and Subway to Sally. Zech’s fascinating artistic fraud forms the framework for questioning how source material, which ranges from authentic historical texts through to ex nihilo pseudo-medieval writings, is situated between the related, at times conflicting, norms and traditions of medieval market music and mittelalter metal.