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Charts a development in organisational philosophy and design through three major phases – the traditional model, the human relations model and the systems model – and points to an emerging paradigm for the 1990s. This new model focuses on vision before analysis, individuality before teamwork, fluidity and task focus, decentralisation of decision making downwards towards the customer interface, and indirect control via values and vision rather than direct command.

The fundamental weakness in traditional supply‐chain management thinking is that of trying to change the behaviour of everyone involved by exhorting them to create and maintain a shared vision and strategy. This is fruitless, particularly in global and cross‐cultural situations. A pragmatic, market‐based approach is needed which is repeatedly proven by practical applications and relies on identifying and accepting the differing objectives and styles of other supply chain members, and clustering these seemingly disparate groups into their “natural logics”. These can be aligned, by restructuring the organisation, to allow the natural flows to emerge and operate efficiently. The resulting alignment of the organisation to its markets enables it to achieve near‐perfect customer service.

The purpose of this paper is to put forward a demand chain management (DCM) framework underpinned by the alignment theory and applies it to investigate the fashion apparel (FA) industry in China under the impacts of the latest economic transition.

An exploratory multiple case study methodology involving five Chinese FA firms, each with a different business model and ownership type, was employed. Semi-structured interviews, onsite observations and review of company documents were conducted to collect information for analysis.

Using a conceptual DCM framework as a guide for analysis, the study finds that companies with a higher level of alignment with the external market situation and among the three internal DCM dimensions, namely, market management, supply chain management (SCM), and organization management, appear to perform better under the rapidly changing economic conditions in China.

This study contributes to knowledge by reviewing thoroughly the literature on SCM evolution and develops a DCM framework based on alignment theory that represents the state of the art in this area. By extending the administration-integration-production-development (A-I-P-D) logic set adopted in the alignment theory, this study has also equipped the proposed framework with an empirical tool to measure alignment.

By applying the framework to examine the Chinese apparel industry under the impacts of the latest economic transition, this study provides practitioners in the industry with a framework to help formulate strategies and a tool to measure alignment. The findings of the case study also offer insights to the industry to thrive in the rapidly changing businesses environment with dynamic uncertainties.

This study extends the application of the A-I-P-D logic set under the alignment theory to the SCM field. This endeavor successfully transforms the proposed DCM framework from a theoretical concept to a practical tool to help evaluate empirically the alignment and strategic fit of a firm and potential relationship with firm performance. As the Chinese FA market has increasingly evolved under the impact of the globalization, the findings of this study not only assist the local FA companies in coping with the dynamic uncertainties but also shed light on the future developments of the global FA industry. Besides, the alignment measurement tool embedded in the proposed DCM framework can help enhance the chances of business success during implementation.

This case study aims to examine the role of demand management in balancing distribution efficiency and responsiveness to customer needs in the downstream of a retail supply chain.

A major machine part supplier in Australia is used as a case study to investigate the challenges faced by the industry in distributing goods to customers. The use of demand management techniques to help improve distribution efficiency without significantly impacting on responsiveness is also explored.

The findings of the case study reveal that appropriate demand management measures, such as customer segmentation and price discrimination, can help improve overall distribution efficiency of the supply chain while providing the required responsiveness to meet genuine customer needs. Other management attempts, such as vendor‐managed inventory and rationalisation of retail network, can facilitate demand aggregation and improve vehicle utilisation in distribution with minor impact on customer service. These changes require a full understanding of customer requirements and supply capabilities of the company as well as corresponding adjustments in business strategy, leadership style, and organisational culture.

This study lends insight into the use of demand management techniques to improve efficiency in downstream wholesale and retail distribution, thereby enhancing sustainability and profitability of business. To serve mainly as a case study and an illustration of the approach, the scope of the study is limited to six stores in the distribution network of the case company.

Retailers can explore the use of demand management techniques to increase distribution efficiency and hence competitiveness of the company. The approach can also assist managers in adopting best practices among stores and facilitate more effective allocation of distribution resources to serve different market segments.

Using demand management techniques to increase distribution efficiency can reduce delivery frequency and total travel distance. This will help lessen energy usage, carbon emission, traffic congestion, and other negative impacts on the environment.

Research in retail distribution efficiency to date focuses mainly on delivery optimisation through routing and scheduling. Attempts to link demand with supply and use demand management techniques to improve distribution efficiency are relatively limited. This paper fills the gap in the literature by investigating the value of demand management in distribution and explores empirically the significance of the approach to achieve higher wholesale and retail distribution efficiency.

Operationalizing R-imperatives in firms is seen as vital to bolstering circularity through reduce, reuse and recycle and building circular supply chains (CSCs). However, this process introduces various uncertainties to firms within CSCs. This is a gap that still requires an in-depth analysis, particularly to answer the question of how firms align the operationalization of R-imperatives with uncertainty management to improve sustainability performance and accelerate the transition toward CSCs.

This paper fills this gap through a multiple-case study, whereby nine firms from varying structures, regions and manufacturing industries were examined. Qualitative content analysis was employed to examine the collected primary (27 semi-structured interviews) and secondary data (internal management reports, publicly available corporate reports and website content).

The findings support the evidence that the operationalization of R-imperatives is not a straightforward process. Within-firm and SC uncertainties largely emerged and made the building of CSCs complex. Consequently, strategies aimed at reducing uncertainty were paramount to managing uncertainties and enhancing sustainability performance. For instance, implementing durable or modular designs helped firms easily reuse, repair and recycle products. In turn, firms achieved material efficiency and contributed to extending the life cycle of products.

This paper explains how firms can align R-imperatives operationalization with uncertainty management to improve sustainability performance and enhance CSCs. Accordingly, firms should complement R-imperatives operationalization with proactive uncertainty management and an assessment of all environmental, economic and social sustainability dimensions.

This paper fills a critical gap in circular supply chain management literature by unveiling its linkage with uncertainty management and sustainability performance. Empirical insights from nine firms within CSCs are provided to guide scholars and managers interested in implementing R-imperatives.

Aims to conduct an exploratory study on the organisational implications of strategic alignment within the steel stockholder supply chain by analysing the responses of a case study organisation. Increasingly fragmented and volatile markets result in pressure on organisations to strategically align all aspects of their supply chain to ensure rapid and appropriate responsiveness. There is a paucity of research in this area in the steel stockholder supply chain. A strategic alignment model was selected which incorporated alignment from four key aspects, namely markets, strategy, culture and leadership style. The model is used as an analysis framework for a case study in the steel stockholder supply chain. Data collection included a survey of a stratified sample of customers, company archive and organisational material and semi‐structured interviews. The implications for the supply chain and the organisation’s response are discussed and evaluated.

Social and environmental actors have been added to the stakeholder balancing act required of organizations in today’s competitive marketplace. To address this, the firms may create orientations to convey their strategic priorities. The purpose of this paper is to explore how different levels of environmental orientation (EO) and social orientation (SO) influence firm outcomes. This paper leverages logic from the too-much-of-a-good-thing effect to predict that firms must strategically align their resources with performance goals to optimize these resources.

The paper outlines a step-by-step guide that combines latent moderated structural equation modeling with response surface analysis to estimate curvilinear relationships. The approach leverages the benefits of both techniques to produce precise results and more nuanced – and meaningful – implications.

The procedure is effective in uncovering a curvilinear relationship between the indicator variables. Specifically, firms optimize environmental performance when EO is higher than SO. The opposite is the case for the outcome of social value and manager trust. Economic performance is highest when both indicators are simultaneously high.

This study tests the relationships between social and EOs and performance. As such, the exploratory data in this study are US-centric and self-assessment in design. These limitations open the door to confirmatory studies using objective outcome data and cross-cultural comparisons. Such studies should embrace more variables and examine potential moderating influences. Most importantly, future research should work to expand and verify the development of the eco-SO construct presented here, as the dynamics of these relationships have been overlooked in most social responsibility and sustainability research. Future studies should adopt this construct into extant models and also consider the dynamics and inter-organizational fit for partner firms with competing orientations.

For managers, the results show that conveying an environmental or social outcome has unique benefits to the firm. Further, there is an incentive to try and do both simultaneously. However, there is a critical point where the effects taper off, which can guide managers as they implement social and/or environmental strategies.

The research questions ask if a company can simultaneously deliver: economic value to shareholders, environmental value to the planet and social value to consumers while maintaining the trust of its managers. The results generally support that to fully serve one group, a firm must underserve another.

The study introduces SO as a valid construct to mirror EO and then models their interaction in three-dimensional space to present an optimal firm strategy.

The purpose of this paper is to apply the aspects of decision theory (DT) to performance measurement and management (PMM), thereby enabling the theoretical elaboration of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity in the business environment, which are identified as barriers to effective PMM.

A review of decision theory and PMM literature establishes the Cynefin framework as the basis for extending the performance alignment matrix. Case research with seven companies explores the relationship between two concepts under-examined in the performance alignment matrix – internal dominant logic (DL) as the attribute of organisational culture affecting decision making, and the external environment – in line with the concept of alignment or fit in PMM. A focus area is PMM related to sustainable operations and sustainable supply chain management.

Alignment between DL, external environment and PMM is found, as are instances of misalignment. The Cynefin framework offers a deeper theoretical explanation about the nature of this alignment. Other findings consider the nature of organisational ownership on DL.

The cases are exploratory not exhaustive, and limited in number. Organisations showing contested logic were excluded.

Some organisations have cultures of predictability and control; others have cultures that recognise their external environment as fundamentally unpredictable, and hence there is a need for responsive, decentralised PMM. Some have sought to change their culture and PMM. Being attentive to how cultural logic affects decision making can help reduce the misalignment in PMM.

A novel contribution is made by applying decision theory to PMM, extending the theoretical depth of the subject.

This study aims to explore how green supply chain management (GSCM) strategies can be effectively implemented for business supply chain operations, relationship management and product design to gain green competitive advantages.

An exploratory in-depth case study was conducted with one of the largest Chinese electronics manufacturers that is considered a leading GSCM adopter in the industry, to understand how the company adopts green supply chain practices across its multiple product lines.

The findings show that businesses can build different green focuses across GSCM elements of green operation, green relationship management and green product design to form diverse hybrid strategic solutions. They include green control, lean, leagile, agile and clean innovation while taking consideration of supply chain type and product lifespan. A taxonomy of four key GSCM strategic combinations is proposed based on the findings. The strategies align with green demand and supply chain characteristics balancing a series of business competitive objectives in terms of reducing pollution and waste, improving green cost efficiency, enhancing green demand innovation and building green service effectiveness.

This study lends insight into the strategic alignment relationships between product supply chain types and approaches to GSCM.

The findings of this study can support industry practitioners in formulating aligned GSCM strategies based on product types to achieve optimal results.

Optimised green supply chain design, operations and relationship management incorporating product attributes can help further minimise negative impacts of business activities on the environment.

This research provides a systematic understanding of how product supply chain types can influence GSCM strategy formulation. It gives a holistic picture of how hybrid choices of strategies with green supply chain operations, relationship management and product design can be formulated based on product and supply chain characteristics.

This study proposes a methodology based on data source triangulation to measure the “strategic fit” for the automotive supply chain.

At first, the authors measured the responsiveness of the Indian automobile supply chain, encompassing the top ten major automobile manufacturers, using both sentiment and conjoint analysis. Second, the authors used data envelopment analysis to identify the frontiers of their supply chain. The authors also measured the supply chain's efficiency, using the balance sheet. Further, the authors analyzed the “strategic fit” zone and discussed the results.

The results indicate that both the proposed methods yield similar outcomes in terms of strategic fitment.

The study outcomes facilitate measuring the strategic fit, thereby leveraging the resources available to align. The methodology proposed is both easy to use and practice. The methodology eases time and costs by eliminating hiring agencies to appraise the strategic fit. This valuable method to measure strategic fit can be considered feedback for strategic actions. This methodology could also be incorporated possibly as an operative measurement and control tool.

Data triangulation meaningfully enhances the accuracy and reliability of the analyses of strategic fit. Data triangulation leads to actionable insights relevant to top managers and strategic positioning of top managers within a supply chain.