Article

Supply chain management skills to sense and seize opportunities

Authors:
To read the full-text of this research, you can request a copy directly from the authors.

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the supply chain management (SCM) skills that support the sensing and seizing of opportunities in a changing business environment. Design/methodology/approach Based on the previous literature on the T-shaped model of SCM skills, data were collected through a mail survey among Australian business executives. The resultant skill sets are grouped along factors that support the sensing vs seizing of opportunities. Findings Interestingly from an SCM perspective, functional logistics-related skills are important to maintain competitiveness but are not the ones contributing to a firm’s ability to sense opportunities and threats, and to seize opportunities in a changing business environment. The authors, therefore, support the notion that supply chain managers should be managers first. Factual SCM knowledge is the solid basis, but otherwise only an entry requirement in this field. Research limitations/implications Problem-solving skills, along with forecasting and customer/supplier relationship management, stand out as important components that support the ability of supply chain managers to sense and shape opportunities and threats in a turbulent business environment. This focus would tend to suggest the importance of supply chain integration and collaboration as management approaches. Other SCM skills from warehousing and inventory management to transportation and purchasing are more prevalent for maintaining competitiveness. Practical implications The results of the survey and the consequential analysis indicate that the content of tertiary-level educational programmes should be significantly reviewed to deliver two distinct (but partially overlapping) streams that focus on the generalist and functionalist managers who must work together in the management of the increasingly global and complex supply chains. Social implications Functional skills often form the basis of training and education programmes for supply chain managers. Whilst these form the solid foundation for their jobs, they are entry requirements at best. In a changing business environment, other skills are needed for success. Given that turbulence is becoming the norm rather than the exception, this finding necessitates rethinking in training and education programmes, as well as in the recruitment of supply chain managers. Originality/value Testing the T-shaped model of SCM skills from a dynamic capabilities perspective, the results of the factor analysis lead to a regrouping of skill sets in terms of sensing and seizing opportunities in a turbulent business environment.

No full-text available

Request Full-text Paper PDF

To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.

... Skills requirements are not static. They can change in times of economic turbulence during which companies need to re-orientate themselves from current operations to seize new opportunities (Tatham et al. 2017), and in times of technological change, i.e. when companies have been seizing such new opportunities. There are many trends in SCM that would indicate such changes, from the impact of 3D printing on production and distribution, to the digitalization, robotization and automation of supply chains, and the possibilities in understanding markets and demand better when applying big data analysis, to name but a few. ...
... Importantly, the individuals possessing certain skills are also the catalysts for developing new capabilities in the firm (Azadegan et al. 2008). From a theoretical perspective, therefore, skills models have been discussed either through the lens of the Resource-Based View (RBV) (Wong and Karia 2010;Kovács, Tatham, and Larson 2012), or, if embracing the role of catalysts and looking at the link between skills and the dynamic environment a firm operates in, through the dynamic capabilities model (Tatham et al. 2017). ...
... However, studies on SCM education have embraced and widely applied the T-shaped model (i.e. Naim et al. 2000;Mangan, Lalwani, and Gardner 2001;Allen et al. 2013;Wu et al. 2013;Tatham et al. 2017). ...
Article
Full-text available
This study explores the differential skill requirements within supply chain management (SCM) across commercial and humanitarian contexts and career levels. Analysing 116 responses regarding context and 96 concerning career levels, the research confirms the applicability of the T-shaped model, highlighting the distinct skills critical for each sector. Significant discrepancies were found: humanitarian SCM prioritizes functional logistics, while business SCM places a larger emphasis on information technology, customs, transportation, and port/airport management. These findings suggest a dynamic skillset evolution, where functional skills, essentialat entry-level positions, give way to general management capabilities as one progresses. This shift is more pronounced by experience rather than job title in the humanitarian sector. The implications for educational institutions and SCM practice are profound, necessitating curriculum updates to meet changing industry demands and support logistics practitioners transitioning between sectors.
... Furthermore, logistics management skills play an integral role in smooth operations within the supply chain network. Having knowledge of international logistics and regulations helps to facilitate cost reduction initiatives and ensures on-time product delivery processes -particularly advantageous for multinational companies seeking global efficiency (Ayodeji et al. 2023;Dobroszek 2020;Tatham et al. 2017). Lastly, performance management skills serve as a bridge between SCM goals and broader business goals. ...
... In addition, several important interpersonal skills for SCM professionals are well documented in the literature as critical competencies for SCM professionals. These skills, including communication, leadership, relationship management and negotiation, are essential for successful SCM (Bak, Jordan & Midgley 2019;Durach & Machuca 2018;Tatham et al. 2017;Wagner, Sancho-Esper & Rodriguez-Sanchez 2020). Communication, which is central to efficient operations, is highlighted in various studies. ...
... Critical thinking enables an unbiased analysis of problems and information while analytical thinking aids in identifying patterns and enhancing supply chain processes. Strategic thinking plays a crucial role by aligning supply chain strategies with broader business objectives and identifying opportunities for innovation (Asghar et al. 2023;Tatham et al. 2017). Furthermore, problem-solving skills are vital when dealing with complex challenges as agility and rapid learning ability become increasingly important because of the ever-changing SCM landscape. ...
Article
Full-text available
Background: In the realm of talent acquisition and supply chain management (SCM), the establishment of a standardised competency framework is pivotal. However, a lack of consensus in the supply chain management literature persists regarding the prioritisation of competencies for SCM professional recruitment in South Africa. This necessitates a re-evaluation of SCM competencies to align with the dynamic business environment.Objectives: To understand the competencies necessary for supply chain professionals in South Africa’s SCM job market to inform curriculum development for the training of supply chain profession at higher education institutions.Method: A qualitative, grounded theory approach was followed. Content analysis was conducted on 29 SCM job advertisements posted on various employment agents’ websites. Atlas was then used to create codes and code groups and themes describing the SCM job market needs and expectations.Results: While technical competencies maintain their significance, strategic thinking and cognitive capabilities are increasing in their importance compared with interpersonal skills in the SCM job market.Conclusion: The required competencies for SCM roles are evolving, with an increasing emphasis on strategic and cognitive skills rather than just technical abilities. Interpersonal competencies, although still important, are becoming less crucial. Training institutions should adjust their curricula to ensure well-rounded SCM professionals.Contribution: The literature reflecting the fast evolving nature of SCM competencies is sparse. This study challenges the prevailing narrative that emphasizes technical and interpersonal competencies thereby opening new pathways for curriculum development and professional training of SCM professionals.
... In emerging markets, the importance of capable supply chain managers was highlighted by DHL in 2021. However, much of the existing research on logistics and supply chain skills and competencies has primarily focused on developed Western countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, France and the United States (Tatham et al., 2017). In studies related to Asia's growing economies, the focus has been on a single country, such as India (Dubey and Gunasekaran, 2015) or Singapore (Vinh et al., 2012). ...
... Many aspects of business have altered as a result of globalization, as has the industry, particularly the demand for human resources in organizations. The supply chain and logistics industries are among those that have been affected (Tatham et al., 2017). Consequently, supply chain and logistics managers' skill sets and qualifications have developed. ...
... In addition to leadership skills, sound decision-making skills are an important competency of supply chain managers. Economically, the cost of an ineffective decision and the value of an effective one can affect the bottom line of not only the organization but also those of its supply chain partners (Tatham et al., 2017). For instance, during Covid-19, the quality and timeliness of their supply chain decisions are critical. ...
Article
Full-text available
Purpose In recent years, technology diffusion, globalization and the Internet revolution have accelerated the growth of online transactions and altered corporate operations systems. The emergence of computer technology and the Internet have changed the way businesses work. The purpose of this study is to find and identify any common patterns in the logistics and supply chain industries for job requirements using job posting content in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach This study provides an exploratory assessment of the employability skill set required using online job posting advertisements. Online job posting advertising, also known as e-recruiting, is one field that has been significantly influenced by information technology. In addition, the current Covid-19 outbreak has created a new need for a long-term contactless talent acquisition process in the organization's operating systems. Findings Based on this study's findings, the top ten skills required by employers for logistics and supply chain positions are (1) supply chain analytics, (2) technological aptitude, (3) teamwork skills, (4) customer focus, (5) leadership skills, (6) interpersonal skills, (7) people skills, (8) creativity and resilience, (9) demand and supply forecasting ability, and (10) project management skills. Overall, the findings provide a road map for practitioners and academics interested in developing supply chain managers' necessary skills and competencies to manage current and future supply networks. It also allows companies to adjust their supply chain management hiring, training and retention methods. Originality/value Although the study was done in Malaysia, the supply chain skills and competencies stated in this study, as well as their categorization, can be applied in other developing countries.
... MacCarthy et al. argued that no one supply chain management system can be fixed for all types of enterprises rather a market at least needs two fundamentally different supply chains [23]. Supply chain management plays a role in the enhancement of productivity and profitability [24]. Technology and Innovation, Economics, Market Competition, Policy, and Regulation are the factors influencing supply chain evaluation. ...
... In a time of supply chain disturbance, research emphasized to maintain good relationships with the supply chain partners [22]. There should be a contingency plan like emergency funds to rebuild the supply chain structure or restore manufacturing facilities or supplier capacities in the post-COVID-19 era to strive against bad destiny [24]. ...
... Technology companies are moving towards airfreight as the products are lightweight, and valuable compared to the charge of air freight [31]. Having employees with better functioning skills than general management skills is the most effective solution for risk management of freight transportation providing enterprise [24]. ...
Article
Global supply chain management has been a critical aspect of the international business community for decades. With the rapid growth of globalization, companies have been expanding their businesses to different parts of the world, establishing cross-border partnerships and operations, and relying on global trade for their success. In recent years, the environment in which these supply chains operate has undergone significant changes. The COVID-19 pandemic, changes in government policies, and fluctuations in global trade and investment have created a more complex and challenging landscape for companies to manage their supply chains effectively. This has resulted in a need for companies to rethink their supply chain strategies, especially in developing countries such as Bangladesh. The study employs qualitative research methodology to develop an integrated freight transportation system in Bangladesh just after the changing environment of supply chain management due to COVID-19, geopolitics, and other negative impacts that brought supply chain risks/disruptions in the global freight movement from/to Bangladesh through Bangladeshi seaports. The findings of the research brought the transportation disruptions that lead to problems like operation shutdown, lost sales, late deliveries, and reputation loss remarkably. River transport emerges as the overwhelmingly preferred mode, presenting a substantial 60% of the respondents' choices whereas rail mode is only 30% but rail offers advantages in terms of efficiency and cost-effectiveness to make it a strong candidate for transporting goods Furthermore, 41.58% of respondents expressed the view that COVID-19 has significantly disrupted various activities, including the global supply chain and shipping trade. The purpose of this research is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the current state of global supply chain management in Bangladesh and to identify ways to enhance the country's integrated freight transportation system. This research will examine the existing infrastructure, policies, and practices, and suggest mechanisms for improving the efficiency and competitiveness of the supply chain in Bangladesh.
... Seperti hasil wawancara berikut" Terus yo bisa menguasai berbagai bahasa itu yo seru mbak, jadi pelanggan yang bukan dari e-commerce bisa kita ajak guyon(red: bercanda) gitu kan akhirnya terjalin kedekatan kan ,habis itu orang e kan yo percaya ke kita". Lebih lanjut pada tema menguasai bahasa dan seni kemunikasi ini termasuk pada Functional and Relational logistic skills seperti yang disimpulkan oleh Tatham et al., (2017) [18]. Jika dilihat lebih lanjut, tujuan dari penelitian yang dilakukan oleh Tatham et al., (2017) ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki ketrampilan yang dibutuhkan untuk mengelola rantai pasok dengan latar belakang lingkungan bisnis yang bergejolak di Australia. ...
... Jika dilihat lebih lanjut, tujuan dari penelitian yang dilakukan oleh Tatham et al., (2017) ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki ketrampilan yang dibutuhkan untuk mengelola rantai pasok dengan latar belakang lingkungan bisnis yang bergejolak di Australia. Terlebih khusus lagi Tatham juga menemukan catatan khusus bahwa hasil penelitiannya mengkonfirmasi literatur yang ada dengan mengkritisi fokus ketrampilan fungsional logistik dan menyarankan untuk bergeser pada ketrampilan relasional SCM [18]. ...
... Informan I percaya, dengan dia bukabukaan terkait produknya dan menjelaskan detil di youtube akan mampu menarik kepercayaan dari pembeli sekaligus pelanggannya. [18,19]. Sebuah tema yang lebih jelas menata terkait definisi dari SCM terkait pengelolaan Hulu dan Hilir hubungan dengan pemasok dan pelanggan untuk memberikan nilai pelanggan yang unggul dengan biaya yang lebih rendah terhadap rantai pasok yang secara keseluruhan dijelaskan oleh Christopher & Holweg (2011) [20]. ...
Article
Full-text available
This study aims to find ways to build an anti-fragile supply chain based on the perspective of SMEs in Kediri Regency. This research conducts observations on phenomena intensively and is practice-oriented using case study qualitative methods. The findings of the theme show that the character of MSME actors who master the fields, language, art of communication, can establish closeness with customers through interaction, reduce dependence on suppliers and the willingness to grow in uncertainty and/or disruption are the keys for MSMEs to be able to build and manage anti-corruption supply chains fragile. Abstrak Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menemukan cara membangun rantai pasok anti rapuh berdasarkan perspektif UMKM yang ada di Kabupaten Kediri. Penelitian ini melakukan pengamatan pada fenomena secara intensif dan berorientasi pada praktik (practice oriented research) menggunakan metode kualitatif studi kasus. Adapun hasil temuan tema menunjukkan bahwa karakter pelaku UMKM yang menguasai bidang, bahasa, seni berkomunikasi, dapat menjalin kedekatan dengan pelanggan melalui interaksi, mengurangi ketergantungan dengan pemasok serta kemauan untuk bertumbakuh dalam ketidakpastian dan/ gangguan menjadi kunci UMKM dapat membangun dan mengelola rantai pasok yang anti rapuh.
... The current situation with COVID-19, characterized by uncertainty and volatility, even accelerated the need for DT (Wade and Shan, 2020), fueling complexity and the increasing pace of novelties and changes in managing SCs (Vecchiato, 2015). Although the management of SCs has reached a high level of sophistication in many contexts and settings, there is an increasing perception that the basic structures may need revisiting in light of emerging changes in these global business environments (Tatham et al., 2017). Partially, it is even considered fortunate that the pandemic occurred in this digital age as such advanced technologies provide an opportunity to approach the extraordinary challenge of managing the pandemic and find strategies to sustain and thrive during the crisis (Bello et al., 2020). ...
... Brexit), natural disasters, the pandemic and ongoing globalization, have changed the environment of SCs on a large scale, leading to more complex worldwide logistic networks, extended lead times and high uncertainty with regard to planning, resulting in an increased practical need for DT in SCs (Fan and Stevenson, 2018;Lechler et al., 2019;Spieske and Birkel, 2021;Wade and Shan, 2020). Furthermore, scholars and practitioners alike powerfully argue that organizations are challenged by an increasing and persisting level of business turbulence (Tatham et al., 2017). Thus, the emerging changes, volatility, uncertainty and complexity have even fueled the need for DT while experiencing an increasing pace of novelties and changes in managing SCs (Vecchiato, 2015;Tatham et al., 2017). ...
... Furthermore, scholars and practitioners alike powerfully argue that organizations are challenged by an increasing and persisting level of business turbulence (Tatham et al., 2017). Thus, the emerging changes, volatility, uncertainty and complexity have even fueled the need for DT while experiencing an increasing pace of novelties and changes in managing SCs (Vecchiato, 2015;Tatham et al., 2017). ...
Article
Purpose This paper addresses the emergence of strategic agility as adaptive capability to face the need to adapt to a constantly changing environment. Special emphasis is paid to governance mechanisms as a microfoundation of dynamic capabilities, investigating the dynamics and outcome in regards to the digitalization of supply chains and its socio-economic relations of its members. Design/methodology/approach A multiple-case study method is applied to explain the impact of a digitalization initiative in the form of an I4.0 implementation in a supply chain context. Building on qualitative in-depth interviews of experts in managerial positions, 16 cases from the manufacturing industry involving an I4.0 implementation across the supply chain were analyzed. Based on a conceptual design science approach, the CIMO logic (context, intervention, mechanisms and outcome) framework is used to investigate the interplay between agility as a dynamic capability and governance mechanisms. Findings The studied cases demonstrate an intensification of synergistic combinations of inter-firm resources to manage digitalization across the supply chain (SC). With the implementation of I4.0, competitive advantage along the SC takes higher priority over the competitive advantage in the individual or dyadic perspective. Strategic agility as a dynamic capability to cope with and adapt to the changing environment is hereby crucial emphasizing relational SC governance (SCG) as essential as a microfoundation to adjust the structure and management of SCs. Relationships, which allow competitive advantage as a SC balance out traditional power mechanisms within the SC hierarchy. Trust, collaboration and flexibility, aligned with common incentives in generating competitive advantages enable the SCs to mitigate uncertainty and risk while preventing opportunistic behavior. Practical implications The study offers SCM managers in-depth insights into strategic agility and how to address the recent challenge of digitalization successfully. Identifying crucial dynamics within SCG mechanisms based on first-hand use cases, practical success factors for implementing I4.0 to optimize effectiveness and efficiency can be derived how to structure and manage future SCs. Originality/value This paper contributes to the first insights examining the implications of digitalization and the role of strategic agility as a capability to adapt. Investigating the microfoundation of governance within this capability, this research provides insights on the socio-economic level, while discussing specific mechanisms how relationships of SCs evolve proposing relevant insights for future research.
... The second stream of research relates to onshore maritime workforce skills, which could be further divided into two categories: supply chain professionals and maritime business professionals. The research in the supply chain realm is fragmented in terms of the competency requirements of these professionals, with little agreement among researchers on the type of skills, categories and their terminologies (Tatham et al., 2017). According to Mageto and Luke (2020), six supply chain skills frameworks have received attention in the literature, including the business, logistics and management framework (Murphy and Poist, 1991), T-shaped framework (Mangan and Christopher, 2005), expertise level (Wu, 2006), supply chain management skills (Rahman and Qing, 2014), hard and soft skills (Abreu and Alcântara, 2015), and competence-performance framework (Lorentz et al., 2013). ...
... Understanding concepts and industry practices in supply chain discipline Tatham et al., 2017;Mageto and Luke, 2020 Emerging Technology Synthesis ...
... It is crucial for MBE to be equipped with supply chain skills as manufacturing and distribution practices have an impact on the maritime industry. Supply chain skills have been discussed under various frameworks, with little agreement among researchers on the type of skills, categories and their terminology (Tatham et al., 2017). Further, in view of the changing environment, researchers have advanced the existing frameworks. ...
Article
Full-text available
In light of digitalization, the objectives of this study are to (1) identify the emerging, core competencies of maritime business educators (MBE) and (2) examine their effects on perceived teaching performance. A systematic review of the contemporary literature was first performed to build a competency framework. Subsequently, an online survey was administered to 196 faculty members of the top 10 leading maritime universities as identified from the Worldwide Maritime School Rankings produced by Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The collected data were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis to extract the main competencies of MBE. The results uncovered five key competencies from 22 sub-competencies. Thereafter, Hierarchical Regression Modeling was used to examine the effects of the key competencies on perceived teaching performance. After controlling for teaching experience and job position, it was found that the five competency requirements, in descending order of their importance, have significant positive effects on teaching performance: Pedagogy, Maritime, Interpersonal, Business and Digital. Academically, this study consolidates the literature and identifies the emerging core competencies that are expected from MBE in the digital era. The study also implicates education policy formulation, offering directions for institutions to allocate their resources, develop suitable training and assessment programs, and facilitate benchmarking.
... Although the importance of human resources has become the focus of recent SCI research, there is still a significant gap in literature. Given the perception of a shortage among professionals with the necessary skills to manage processes that are strategically important for the supply chain (Ellinger and Ellinger, 2014;Flöthmann, 2018;Huo et al., 2016;Makarius ans Srinivasan, 2017;Newaz et al., 2020;Wagnaer et al., 2020), many researches have discussed reformulating training courses for managers to develop the required skills, decreasing the need for qualified labour (Jordan and Bak, 2016;Makarius and Srinivasan, 2017;Rahman and Qing, 2014;Tatham et al., 2017;Wagner et al., 2020). The process of reformulating training courses is, however, slow, and may not reach professionals who are already in the market. ...
... This is due to the difficulty in determining which characteristics and qualifications are necessary for managers and other employees, both of which constantly change as a result of market evolution (Makarius and Srinivasan, 2017). In a context of increasingly complex supply chains, with more competitive markets and a growing turmoil in the business environment, the list of needed skills must adapt at a rate that companies have found difficult to follow (Jordan and Bak, 2016;Madani and Rungsrisawat, 2019;Tatham et al., 2017). ...
... The growing emphasis on relational abilities leads to the need to focus on the importance of groups and teams in supply chain management, instead of individual work (Tatham et al., 2017). Organisational structures based on team work can expand the initial knowledge base and create ideal conditions to expand this knowledge base as the individuals learn from each other (Ilgen et al., 2005;Levi and Slem, 1995). ...
Article
Staff attitudes, skills, and personality traits reflect in the way how the organisation executes its actions, with a direct impact on performance. However, little is known about the abilities needed to contribute to SCI levels. In this sense, this article seeks to show that, besides technical skills, there is also a set of soft skills needed to contribute to increasing the level of SCI. From an integrative review with systematic search, based on the search and selection process of ProKnow-C method references, it was possible to compile a set of soft skills that are essential for SCI. Some of them are more focused on management positions, and others that are fundamental for all positions within an organisation. The development of these abilities through human resource management practices tends to produce extremely positive results for SCI.
... Firms must search for the processes of learning, behaviour change, and improvements to survive in dynamic and turbulent environment (Christopher, 2000). From an enterprise perspective, a firm needs capabilities to sense and understand these diversities in the global environment (Tatham et al., 2017). During the learning stage, information plays a vital role to help firms to learn from intra-and inter-organisational cooperation and integration in supply chains (Smith et al., 1995). ...
... During the responding stage, firm adopts and responds rapidly to the changes from internal operations, markets, and environments. The firms need to identify and prioritise the changes and opportunities from the previous stage and respond to the changes accordingly (Tatham et al., 2017). The responding stage involves more than just reacting; to respond quickly, companies must have strong problem-solving and decisionmaking capabilities (Enyinda and Szmerekovsky, 2008). ...
Article
Full-text available
This paper presents supply chain capabilities in a three-stage circular model. Different from most studies exploring supply chain integration (SCI) from the perspective of processes, this paper studies SCI from a holistic approach. By applying dynamic capability view (DCV), this study develops a measurement of SCI capability based on the three-stage circular model. The scale items were drawn from existing literature. A survey study gathered 187 responses from firms in New Zealand. Factor analysis was conducted to validate the measurement of supply chain integration in the New Zealand businesses. The paper defines the SCI capability as a second-order construct including several well-studied dynamic capabilities such as visibility, agility, and flexibility. The three-stage circular model enables firms to learn, response, and reconfigure to achieve rapid continuous improvement in supply chains. This paper provides new insights and practical implications in SCI and supply chain capability studies and practices in the Industry 4.0 era.
... If the supply chain innovation results in balanced performance of economic, social and environmental dimensions […] it is called a sustainable supply chain innovation (SSCI)". Tatham et al. (2017) and Aslam and Azhar (2018) defend the adoption of the theory of dynamic capabilities in studies on SSCI. According to Chowdhury and Quaddus (2021), organizations need to create dynamic capabilities to identify, adapt and respond to their stakeholders' sustainability requirements, as it helps mitigate the vulnerability caused by the risks involved in the lack of sustainable practices, such as consumer boycotts, reputational damage, financial losses and legal costs. ...
... From the perspective of studies on supply chain management, the approach may enable an understanding of how joint capabilities are formed among stakeholders. According to Tatham et al. (2017), the understanding of dynamic capabilities enables more efficient answers for the current competitive landscape, which is characterized by shorter lifecycles for products and technology, leading to a constant need for adaptations. Aslam and Azhar (2018), for instance, found that dynamic capabilities applied to supply chains have a positive impact on cost reduction, increased profitability, and customer satisfaction. ...
Article
Full-text available
The involvement of supply chains in the creation of competitive advantages can drive change and innovation, particularly when considering the current need for sustainable practices in line with the demands of the consumer market. In this context, this study aims to investigate the impact of the dynamic capabilities of market sensing and innovation on sustainable innovation practices in supply chains and on market performance. For this, a survey was performed with 137 Brazilian experts in supply chain management using Structural Equation Modeling. We found a positive impact of the dynamic capabilities of market sensing and innovation on sustainable innovation practices in supply chains and on market performance. The investigation indicated paths for the adoption of a multilevel theoretical perspective based on the exploration of dynamic capabilities in line with marketing objectives.
... Businesses in developing economies have seen a shift towards becoming more sophisticated than had previously been the case. Tatham, Wu, Kovács, and Butcher [18] allude to an increase in the perception that the basic structures of businesses may need to be revisited, considering emerging changes in the global business environment. Even routine SCM issues have become complex, given the breadth of intertwined issues that must be considered [19]. ...
... Undeniably, supply chains have increased greatly in complexity in many circumstances and settings, with an increasing perception that the basic structures of SCM may need reassessing in the light of changes in the global business environment [18]. Therefore, due to factors such as globalisation, training and development for sustainable innovation and competitiveness is crucial in narrowing the gap between developing economies and developed economies. ...
Article
Full-text available
The supply chain leadership (SCL) concept has gradually gained traction among various stakeholders such as legislators and specialists because of its dependable practices for companies in sustainable innovation and competitiveness across developing economies. The effective implementation of SCL strategic actions in a company can initiate sustainable innovation and competitiveness at each level of the company. Statistical data collection was performed for 46 of the top 100 Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)-listed companies through an online Survey Monkey questionnaire. The primary purpose of this study was to identify the SCL strategic actions that are undertaken by companies in a developing economy regarding sustainable innovation and competitiveness. The findings significantly reveal empirical insights for companies to include and leverage in SCL strategic actions that influence sustainable innovation and competitiveness in an emerging economy. The findings show that firms operating within developing economies must adopt, and recognize the importance of, sustainable innovation and competitiveness in their practices for the betterment of the goods and services provided to the market. A major contribution is offered to the literature for the assistance and planning of sustainable innovation and competitive practice in developing economies in a global environment. This study further offers a robust recognition of, and information about, the characteristics and strategies that commonly lead to SCL being prioritised by the top 100 JSE-listed companies.
... According to Onar et al., (2013), hard skills are more important than soft skills in the supply chain. Against this view, many authors indicate that soft skills or a group of skills falling under soft skills play or will play a greater role in the supply chain (Giunipero and Pearcy, 2000;Jordan and Bak, 2016;Keller & Ozment, 2009;Tatham et al., 2017). Most recently, Mageto and Luke (2020) conducted a systematic review of the literature to arrive at 37 individual skills required for supply chain managers. ...
... Firstly, we offer empirical insights to the theoretical discussion (Giunipero and Pearcy, 2000;Mageto and Luke, 2020) about which skills are most relevant for supply chain managers. In doing so, we also contribute insights to the debate as to whether soft skills or hard skills play a great role in supply chain management (Giunipero and Pearcy, 2000;Jordan and Bak, 2016;Keller and Ozment, 2009;Tatham et al., 2017). Secondly, we further the discussion around conceptualizations of resilience in supply chain (risk) management (Novak et al, 2020;Wieland and Durach, 2021), by offering insights as to which perspective is dominant amongst practioners. ...
Conference Paper
In this research, we explore the concept of supply chain resilience and which skills are most relevant for supply chain managers to deal with changes (limitations/risks/etc). To shed light on these topics, we employed an exploratory approach. Based on the results of a survey distributed amongst supply chain professionals in The Netherlands, we offer insights about the skills required of supply chain decision makers to ensure organizational resilience, as well as which conceptualization of resilience (engineering versus social-ecological) is dominant amongst these managers. We provide insights for educators to take into account when developing the intended learning outcomes of supply chain education.
... In the face of market changes, the supply chain enterprises with good market perception ability is more likely to make a positive response quickly. Market perception helps enterprises to prepare for market changes and formulate structure, technology and policies to respond to market changes in an effective way [28]. In the input of raw materials, fuel and power, the manufacturing industry has significant characteristics of natural monopoly and high market entry threshold [29], which shows that the existence of market perception is very important for enterprises. ...
... The enterprise absorbs the external information collected by the supply chain sensing and transforms it into the enterprise thinking to provide the supply chain agility [38]. Therefore, when the highly volatile external environment appears, the supply chain sensing can assist each node company in the timely awareness of the business opportunities and challenges in the external environment, and it is convenient for the company to adjust strategic measures in time to make a more agile and positive response, and make forward-looking preparations for the long-term development of enterprises in the future [28] . ...
Article
Full-text available
This study aims to explore the impact of supply chain dynamic capabilities on the construction of sustainable competitive advantage. Taking Chinese private manufacturing enterprises as the research object, statistical methods such as correlation analysis and hierarchical regression method are used for empirical testing. Research shows that supply chain sensing has a positive impact on supply chain agility and supply chain adaptability respectively; supply chain agility and supply chain adaptability have a positive impact on the sustainable competitive advantage of enterprises; environmental dynamics does not have a significant regulating effect on the relationship between supply chain sensing and supply chain adaptability. This research provides guidance for Chinese private manufacturing companies to focus on the cultivation of supply chain dynamic capabilities, so as to reasonably respond to changes in the market environment, thereby promoting the establishment of sustainable competitive advantages.
... From these articles, skills requirements were obtained (see: Appendix 1), and a list of PSM job requirements was derived (displayed partly in Table 2). (based upon the requirements mentioned in: Anderson & Katz, 1998;Baily, Farmer, Crocker, Jessop, & Jones, 2008;Bals, Schulze, Kelly, & Stek, 2019;Burt, Dobler, & Starling, 2003;Carr & Smeltzer, 2000;Carter & Narasimhan, 1996;Cavinato, 1987;Cousins & Spekman, 2003;Cruz & Murphy, 1996;Dowd & Liedtka, 1994;Eltantawy, Giunipero, & Fox, 2009;Faes, Knight, & Matthyssens, 2001;Flöthmann, Hoberg, & Gammelgaard, 2018;Giunipero, Denslow, & Eltantawy, 2005;Giunipero & Handfield, 2004;Giunipero, Handfield, & Eltantawy, 2006;Giunipero & Pearcy, 2000;Keough, 1993;Kern, Moser, Sundaresan, & Hartmann, 2011;Killen & Kamauff, 1995;Knight et al., 2014;Kolchin & Giunipero, 1993;McKeefry, 1998;Mulder, Wesselink, & Bruijstens, 2005;Muller, 2001;Murphy, 1995;Pagell, Das, Curkovic, & Easton, 1996;Schulze, Bals, & Johnsen, 2019;Tassabehji & Moorhouse, 2008;Tatham, Wu, Kovács, & Butcher, 2017;Trent & Monczka, 2003;Zawawi et al., 2014) The data were subjected to further statistical analyses. Fawcett and Rutner (2014, p. 180) stated that PSM practices in firms have "evolved dramatically over the past generation". ...
... Interestingly, international or (cross-) cultural awareness was mentioned as a requirement for purchasers in only nine of the 33 articles (i.e. Bals et al., 2019;Faes et al., 2001;Gammelgaard & Larson, 2001;Giunipero & Handfield, 2004;Pagell et al., 1996;Tassabehji & Moorhouse, 2008;Tatham et al., 2017;Trent & Monczka, 2003). Most authors seemed to assume that those job requirements as such would not be different in separate cultural settings. ...
Article
Full-text available
This research analyses the cultural differences in purchasing and supply management (PSM) job requirements from three European countries. The PSM job requirements in job advertisements have been compared with two cultural models: GLOBE and Hofstede. The universalism claim is tested based on comparing requirements in job advertisements for purchasers from Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands. According to Hofstede, these three belong in different cultural clusters but just to one cultural area according to the GLOBE model. Results reveal that about 20 per cent of the observed requirements were shared and about 80 per cent were dissimilar. That cultural differences exist in job requirements has important implications for research and education practice, which may need to overcome this neglect to take cultural differences into account to come up with accurate and practically fitting results since the universal purchaser seem not to exist; country-specific cultural circumstances influence PSM job requirements.
... The results of the Fornell-Larcker criterion for discriminant validity are shown in Table 5, where the bolded values indicate square roots of AVEs on the diagonals that are greater than correlations between constructs (represented by the corresponding row and column values). Given that the constructs are more intricately connected with their respective indicators than other model constructs are (Fornell and Larcker, 1981;Chin, 1998), this shows that the constructs have excellent discriminant validity (Hult et al., 2017) ((Tatham et al., 2017. The correlation between exogenous components is also smaller than 0.88 (Awang, 2014). ...
Article
Full-text available
This study recognizes that corporate environmental responsibility (CER) can be put into practice in both tactical and strategic ways. Companies often embrace environmental responsibility (ER) as a commitment to the environment as they deal with constraints on their resources while seeking competitive advantages (CAs). Companies are under tremendous pressure to fulfill their social and environmental responsibilities because of accelerating environmental issues. This study uses environmental innovation (EI) as a mediating variable to study the relationship between ER, environmental strategy (ES), and CAs. The study also attempts to understand how EI affects companies' ability to compete. This paper fills the gap in the relevant literature where there is insufficient evidence regarding the practices of ER, ES, eco-innovation (EN), and competitive advantage (CA). This is due to the growing trend of EN and the resulting increase in research interest. A questionnaire was conducted on 45 of the largest local and foreign companies operating in the Republic of Yemen to achieve the objectives of the study. 250 survey questionnaires were distributed. Descriptive and inductive statistics, including structural equation modeling using Smart Plus 4 software, were used to analyze the data. The results of the study showed that the studied companies used EI strategies to a reasonable extent. We discovered a positive effect and relationship between ER and ES, as independent variables, and EI. We also discovered a direct positive effect and relationship between EN and CA. In addition, we concluded that there is a positive influence relationship and a mediating relationship between CA using EI as a mediating variable and ER and ES as independent variables.
... Krupskyi and Grynko (2018) present a positive correlation with the different dimensions of the dynamic capabilities of tourism companies, in which these capabilities are influenced by the cognitive characteristics of managers. Tatham et al. (2017) also support that problem-solving skills, and customer and supplier relationship management, are important components of supply chain managers for the company to obtain the ability to identify and shape opportunities and threats in its business environment. Mazzucchelli et al. (2019) created a conceptual model that analyzes how individual skills and behaviors affect strategic innovation DISPONÍVEL EM: PERIODICOS.UNIVALI.BR DOI: https://doi.org/10.14210/alcance.v30n2(maio/ago).p67-83 ...
Article
Full-text available
Objetivo: Desenvolver um quadro conceitual de como se dá o desenvolvimento da capacidade relacional no contexto das parcerias estratégicas, considerando as competências gerenciais como importantes antecedentes dessa capacidade. Design/metodologia/abordagem: O estudo é baseado em ideias e pressupostos teóricos que têm significativa importância na definição e construção dos conceitos discutidos nesta análise. A revisão da literatura foi baseada na leitura, análise e fichamento de artigos nacionais e internacionais que possibilitou a discussão de pontos de interseção do tema parcerias estratégicas, capacidade relacional e competências gerenciais. Por fim, apresenta uma agenda de pesquisa com questões emergentes. Resultados: O modelo conceitual desenvolvido propõe a atuação do gestor a partir de suas características que envolvem experiência, formação, cognição e comportamento. Aspectos da intelectualidade e conduta da alta administração tem sido positivamente relacionados na literatura aos modelos de negócios, e à capacidade da empresa de se relacionar com outros agentes do ecossistema de negócios do qual faz parte. Sugere-se que o conhecimento, as habilidades e características do gestor são necessárias para promover ações entre empresas parceiras para detectar e desenvolver novas oportunidades de negócios. Originalidade: O estudo propõe uma estrutura dos componentes das competências gerenciais no desenvolvimento da capacidade relacional, necessária para parcerias estratégicas de empresas. A estrutura proposta apresentada contribuições ao conceito da capacidade relacional e seu papel sobre o desempenho dos negócios de empresas parceiras, e agrega a interação entre as dimensões individuais e organizacional necessárias para o desempenho de empresas parcerias.
... The swift development and rapid advancements of technologies in information and communication have resulted in a paradigm shift and radical evolution; this has urged businesses to prioritize digital transformation as a strategic goal due to these advancements [36,37]. Accordingly, the need for digital transformation has grown even more as a result of the introduction of innovations and the complexities and unstable shifts and changes that are occurring and emerging in the environment of business [38,39]. ...
Article
Full-text available
In today’s ambiguous and complicated business environment, businesses are required and mandated to be agile and think rapidly. Building on the theory of dynamic capability, the present research makes a strong argument that strategic agility is a key component in managing continuous change effectively. The primary objectives of this research are to examine the impact of strategic agility on digital transformation and environmental sustainability and to explore the effect of digital transformation on environmental sustainability. Additionally, we investigated the indirect impact of strategic agility on environmental sustainability via digital transformation. To achieve these objectives, a self-administered questionnaire was developed and used to gather data from 284 managers in manufacturing companies in Jordan. To test the research hypotheses, structural equation modeling (SEM) with Amos 24.0 was used. The results revealed that strategic agility positively impacted both digital transformation and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, digital transformation positively affects environmental sustainability. Additionally, digital transformation partially mediated strategic agility’s impact on environmental sustainability. The results indicate that businesses use and employ strategic agility as a means to achieve the desired results, and it may operate as a proactive facilitator and catalyst, allowing organizations to optimize most of their available resources, achieve the desired digital transformation, and accomplish the expected environmental sustainability objectives and results.
... Referring to the results of this study, supply chain management variables have a significant influence on organizational culture variables. In this case it can be stated that, with a good supply chain management system, thus the application of organizational culture will also be good (Arora et al., 2016;Tatham et al., 2017). Organizational culture in this study is interpreted by the values that the company or organization has, and all its members can understand and feel. ...
Article
Full-text available
This research is motivated by the important role of companies in the context of globalization, where dependence between countries is increasing. The company is a vital element in meeting the needs of the global community. The main objective of this study is to analyze how organizational culture mediates the relationship between motivation, leadership, and supply chain management to employees' green behavior. The population of this study was employees of PT. X which has a total of 592 employees, the sampling technique used is simple random sampling so that a sample of 86 employees from PT. X. The research method used is quantitative research by applying Partial Least Squares (PLS) as a data analysis tool. The results showed that motivation and leadership had a significant and positive influence on employees' green behavior. Motivation also has a significant positive influence on employees' green behavior through mediating organizational culture. In addition, organizational culture also has a significant effect on the green behavior of employees at PT. X. in Indonesia. The results of this study have important implications in the context of human resource management that cares for the environment. These results can assist companies in developing strategies to improve employees' green behavior and achieve sustainability goals.
... Logistics management is essential to any business sector as it is an integral part of the supply chain. It is the process of organizing, implementing and supervising the smooth and efficient flow of goods, services and related information from the point of origin to the point of consumption, with the aim of satisfying the needs of consumers [60]. Logistics activities consist of many activities, most of which focus on transportation and storage. ...
Article
Full-text available
Finding the best transportation project and logistic service provider is one for the most important aspects of the development of a country. This task becomes more complicated from time to time as different criteria are involved. Hence, this paper proposes an approach to the linguistic three-way decision-making (TWDs) problem for selecting sustainable transportation investments and logistic service providers with unknown criteria and expert weight information. To this end, we first propose a new tool, the Pythagorean double hierarchy linguistic term sets (PyDHLTSs), which is a combination of first hierarchy linguistic term sets and second hierarchy linguistic term sets which can describe uncertainty and fuzziness more flexibly in decision-making (DM) problems. In addition, we propose some aggregation operators and basic operational laws for PyDHLTSs. A new decision-making technique for PyDHLTSs based on decision-theoretic rough sets (DTRSs) is proposed in the three-way decisions. Next, the conditional probability is computed using grey relational analysis in a PyDHLTSs environment, which improves decision-making. The loss function is computed by using the proposed aggregation operator, and the decision's results are determined by the minimum-loss principle. Finally, a real-world case study of a transportation project and logistic service provider is considered to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed methods.
... A supply chain leadership model in a developing economy with reference to operational excellence and innovation In all contemporary business settings, businesses have seen a shift towards becoming more sophisticated than they previously had been, particularly in developing economies. Tatham et al. (2017) allude to the high degree of sophistication in many contexts and settings that the management of supply chains has reached, leading to an increase in the perception that the basic structures may need revisiting, considering emerging changes in the global business environment. The global competitive landscape of contemporary SCM is, therefore, more complex than that of just a few years ago in the sense that companies are grappling with broad and multi-facetted supply chain issues, such as global value creation and delivery; healthcare service delivery; sustainability initiatives that drive environmental, social as well as economic improvements; and capturing market opportunities in emerging markets through improved food distribution networks (Sanders et al., 2016). ...
Article
Full-text available
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: There seems to be insufficient knowledge and awareness of strategic actions in supply chain management (SCM) from a developing economy perspective. This has culminated in a lack of understanding of supply chain leadership (SCL), operational excellence and innovation in a developing economy PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The transformation in SCM activities has prompted companies to reconsider the set goals and objectives alongside those in the global competitive landscape of contemporary SCM for the achievement of SCL in a developing economy. The primary objective of the study was, therefore to develop a model that allows for companies to identify strategic actions to be taken in SCM to attain SCL in a developing economy DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The study used a mixed-methods survey method that was conducted among 100 companies purposively drawn from 400 JSE-listed companies and 8 industry specialists for quantitative and qualitative surveys, respectively FINDINGS: The study found that it is critical for companies to identify the strategic actions for implementation in SCM about operational excellence and innovation to achieve SCL. Leadership elements (LE), sustainability elements (SE), operational elements (OE) and innovation elements (IE) were found to be the best predictors of SCL in a developing economy because they are independent and complement one another to achieve SCL RECOMMENDATIONS/VALUE: It is critical for companies to identify the strategic actions about operational excellence and innovation for implementation in SCM to achieve SCL in a developing economy MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS: The adoption of a model for SCL with four primary elements (LE, SE, OE, and IE) could serve as a comprehensive strategy for any company in a developing economy to attain SCL JEL CLASSIFICATION: L25
... Supply chains were seriously affected globally during the pandemic and its spread, with a rapid shift in demand and panic buying, which resulted in most supply chain managers being unable to cope. However, few scholars agree on the required supply chain management skills (Tatham et al., 2017). Therefore, at this time, there is a need to evaluate the relevant skills pertaining to SCM education that is required in the post-COVID-19 era. ...
Article
Full-text available
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this study was to document and review the supply chain management skills that are required for supply chain management education in the post-COVID-19 era DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: We opted to use the qualitative method and employed a systematic literature review design. The collected data were analysed by means of content analysis, and each selected article was coded using a qualitative data analysis software known as ATLAS.ti 8 FINDINGS: The identified skills were grouped under eight umbrella dimensions: management; total concept; negotiating; time and diversity management; software knowledge; demand forecasting; transport; and warehousing skills. These skills relate to soft and hard skills RECOMMENDATIONS/VALUE: In the future, industry experts and academics need to collaborate so as to develop programmes collectively which include business needs that can be adapted into the university curriculum, thereby creating a link between academic and industry learning. Such collaborations will also assist in exploring new ways of working. The value of these findings revealed that these identified skills could be a catalyst for supply chain management practitioners and academicians to focus on a possibility-based approach to understanding the skills required for the post-COVID-19 era MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS: The shift which the pandemic introduced has altered the pedagogic landscape in terms of the need for more specific and relevant skills. Thus, supply chain educators need to continually develop their skills in order to remain relevant in their field JEL CLASSIFICATION: M119
... Under OP, the most important skill is found as 'Compliance and regulatory expertise' (CR) skill (PV = 0. Harri et al. (2013) found top five skills for supply chain are 'customer and distribution channel management', 'demand forecasting' and 'supply chains planning and control', 'production planning, and sourcing and supplier management, which are in line with the results under OP. Further, referring to the literature, a study by Tatham et al. (2017) found that for supply chain managers, core operations-related skills are essential to maintain competitiveness and managerial skills. ...
Article
Full-text available
Understanding required skills for supply chain professionals, especially in the context of Industry 5.0, is evolving rapidly. The ability to attract, develop and retain supply chain professionals who can drive an organization’s strategy is crucial to remain competitive. The right mix of employees must be ready to take over future responsibilities. Hence, present study attempts to identify and develop the right capabilities for supply chain professionals in the context of Industry 5.0. To achieve the goals, skills and capabilities are initially identified with extensive literature review and discussions with industry leaders in manufacturing industries. Data is collected from sixteen manufacturing companies. For identifying the right skills, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is applied to identify the skills and the degree of importance of each skill in the context of Industry 5.0. Prioritization of skills toward supply chain human capital is conducted through AHP. The results indicate that managerial skills are critical, followed by operational and advanced technical skills in human capital. Further, to identify the relationship and the patterns among skills, DAMATEL is adopted. This study contributes the prioritization among key skills and indicating the cause and effect among sub-skills among managerial, operational and advanced technical skills. The study concludes with implications for practice and theory to further align skills around Industry 5.0.
... Realization of the importance of combining OC and individuals for CSN helps expand and strengthen BOM (Tsanos et al., 2014), demonstrating that human and organizational behavior are influencers of CSN (Tatham, Wu, Kovács, & Butcher, 2017). The organization's ability to manage and integrate the network of inter-organizational relationships is inextricably linked to the behavior of the individuals who lead this relationship (Stank et al., 2011). ...
Article
Full-text available
The aim of this study was to investigate whether combinations of factors regarding organizational culture and the personality traits of purchase managers and sales managers are relevant to explain collaboration in the supply network (CSN). Our theoretical framework comprises Behavioral Operations Management, Organizational Behavior and Supply Network. We used a self-administered electronic questionnaire based on instruments that are well-known in the literature. We used Qualitative Comparative Analysis with dichotomized conditions. CSN with suppliers showed different associations with behavioral constructs compared to CSN with customers, which shows behavioral differences between purchase and sales managers. Our findings concerning CSN suggest that the behavioral requirements for hiring purchase and sales managers are different, and that customer relations are a priority within the organization.
... Research work that discussed this vital issue, however, is still limited. The core importance of skills is that they are essential for the development of dynamic capability of firm in order to sustain its competitiveness in turbulent business environments such as supply chain and logistics (Tatham et al., 2017). Accordingly, well-trained and skilled logistics professionals are in high demand ( Van Thai & Yeo, 2015). ...
Chapter
In the light of the ongoing and probably future disruptive events in maritime logistics, having an overview of essential skills for future jobs in the industry becomes critical in achieving a sustainable business entity. This chapter attempts to project the skills that are required in the maritime logistics field over the next decade by holistically examining key global and industry-based challenges and identifying opportunities in a futuristic manner. The chapter suggests future calibres be in place with critical thinking, innovative and technological competencies in order to align with the digitalisation and automation epoch in the maritime logistics industry.KeywordsProblem-solving skillsEnterprise skillsTechnological and digitalisation competences
... Second, procurement professionals should possess the skill of managing stressful situations. 'Stress management' skills were not mentioned by Bals et al. (2019) but had been previously referred to by Carr and Smeltzer (2000) and Tatham et al. (2017). The importance of stress management is increasing due to the strategic and influencing roles of purchasing. ...
... • Resources: Beyond the economic capital [52] and the availability of raw materials and components [53], the survival of SCM depends on a qualified human capital [54], with better access to technical skills 9 [55], which favors SCs closely linked to its environmental context. Thus, EW for the SC can take many forms (Erreur ! ...
... The statement that supports this competent factor is that entrepreneurs must be able to identify the conditions that occur and understand the ins and outs of the business to solve the problems that occur themselves. In this statement, business actors indirectly convey that they are competent, considering that the indicators of Competence having a role in the management of a business have been widely discussed by researchers both at home and abroad [21][22][23][24].The entrepreneur's Competence in understanding the ins and outs of this business is related to the skills in the functional logistics field, which are essential in maintaining competitiveness; this is because knowledge and Competence are a strong foundation in a business. The need for these competencies from time to time will continue to increase along with the speed of change in the business world. ...
Article
Full-text available
Developing a framework for MSMEs to become more fragile is the goal of this research. As it is known that the business world has fluctuated a lot and is facing turbulence, so we need an anti-fragile MSME framework concept. Using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), this research is then analyzed to produce 5 (five) factors that build an anti-fragile MSME framework, namely Network Building, Growth Mindset, and Willingness to Develop, Focusing on Sustainability, Support, and Ability to Overcome Risk and the last is Competence. So far, there has been no research on the anti-fragile concept for MSMEs in Indonesia, so it is hoped that the results of this study can be a reference for future researchers and business actors in running their businesses.
... Other works emphasize the identification of relevant sets of necessary LSCM technical and soft skills to provide academics, graduating students, and professionals with the capacity to manage and operate in the industry according to current and future trends, for instance, concerning Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0 [6]. Some other authors highlight the need to develop soft skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and teamwork, proactivity and negotiation, and ownership and responsibility as enablers for professional activities and work coordination [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]. These previous works refer to educational innovation in competencies development, which emphasizes a learning integration of knowledge and abilities for practical work in which learning is assessed and evaluated by observing students' learning outcomes. ...
Conference Paper
This work presents a conceptual framework for educational innovation within Logistics and Supply Chain Management (LSCM) to develop relevant learning experiences in the discipline. Nowadays, education is shifting from traditional passive approaches in which students listen and see into active settings involving learn-by-doing real-life experiences to develop appropriate competencies. LSCM educational innovation commonly refers to fragmented aspects such as the appropriateness of contents or specific teaching methods; however, the educational model transformation has little attention and the recognition of a high pertinent and engaging learning. Therefore, we presented a comprehensive framework for educational innovation to define a structure of educational components to recreate active learning experiences. Finally, we described the implementation of this framework, the progression within the MIT SCALE Network in Latin America, and insights for future work.
... The models also use different classification systems to structure and organize their competencies. In this context, two approaches can be extracted: a taskoriented (Derwik and Hellström, 2017;Kern et al., 2011;Knight et al., 2014;Mangan and Christopher, 2005;McKevitt et al., 2012;Mulder et al., 2005;Schulze et al., 2019;Stek and Schiele, 2021;Tatham et al., 2017) and a capability-oriented classification Giunipero et al., 2006;Prajogo and Sohal, 2013;Tassabehji and Moorhouse, 2008). These different types of classification are related to the formulation of individual competencies. ...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Public procurement is currently expected to deliver better quality in a cost-effective, innovative, sustainable, and business-supportive manner. To realize these and future requirements, the European Commission has initiated a professionalization drive to improve public procurement. One element of this drive is a specially developed and publicized competency framework for public procurement professionals called ProcurComp EU. We used a systematic literature review and a complementary backward citation search in the field of purchasing and supply management (PSM) to create an overview of skills currently required by PSM professionals. This paper shows that only 25 of the 42 competencies extracted from the literature are reflected in the European competence catalog. ProcurComp EU thus represents a subset of the competencies that PSM professionals should have. In addition, archival data analysis in combination with a qualitative content analysis of job postings in Germany shows that 27 of the 30 competencies in the ProcurComp EU are currently reflected in competency requirements for public procurement professionals. Nevertheless, there is a dominant administrative and operational focus. General competencies such as "organizational awareness" are mentioned two to twenty-five times more often than specific competencies such as "negotiation" or "market analysis and engagement". In conclusion, a change in the understanding of needed competencies is necessary as is a move away from traditional process-based to strategic design-based public procurement in Germany.
... Furthermore, national and international laws are essential for SC managers, given the current global nature of SCM where they need to deal with trading partners from different countries which have different laws and regulations relating to supply chain matters (e.g. export/import, tax, chemical substances, etc.) (Murphy & Poist, 2007;Tatham et al., 2017). ...
Article
Full-text available
The recent global outbreak of COVID-19 has created a huge global crisis, breaking down many global supply chains. Decision makers in the supply chain are faced with very challenging situation as the application of supply chain resilience mechanisms are questionable and unreliable during the post pandemic. Hence, leaving them to continue learning new ways to cope, adapt and mitigate the risk to navigate through the uncertainties. This imply that knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies of decision makers have become the centre stage for organizations' survival and sustainability.The purpose of this paper is to identify the key factors that influence decision making competency in the supply chain of the Malaysian manufacturing firms. This is a conceptual paper focusing on developing a theoretical framework through the integration of the behavioural decisional theory and competency model. The theoretical framework with respect to the construct of decision making competency are elaborated. This paper hopes to provide a valuable pragmatic framework and roadmap for managerial decision-making in the context of supply chain. By understanding the supply chain decision-making in operations, this can help to contribute to de-risking of supply chain beyond the usual risk response into the proactive reduction of risks for future supply chain sustainability.
... According to Dotson, Davè, and Miller (2015), some skills have great importance for logistics professionals, including listening, critical reasoning, problem-solving, motivation, ability to perform under pressure, and ability to prioritise. Tatham, Wu, Kovács, and Butcher (2017) named the logistics professionals as managers. They argued that logistics professionals are managers first and then logisticians. ...
Article
Full-text available
This paper provides an assessment of the skills needed for entry-level logistics professionals in Bangladesh’s apparel industry and suggests the critical skill areas that require improvement. Two studies were conducted to get the responses from supply chain and logistics professionals who have direct interactions with entry-level logistics professionals in the workplace. In study 1, an Importance-Expertise Matrix (IEM) analysis was conducted to provide an assessment of the relative importance and expertise of 40 skill items and investigate the skill gaps. The results reveal that 27.5% of the skill items have a noticeable gap between their importance and expertise level, indicating further improvement is needed. In Study 2, a qualitative approach was used, and the findings reinforced those of Study 1 and offered new and important information about skill and knowledge requirements amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This research offers implications for the apparel industry, academia, policymakers, and training agencies in Bangladesh.
... SCM professionals´ initial work has been in other sub-disciplines, such as transportation and warehousing, and as they ascend the management tree the requirements to make decisions go beyond their previous experience (Tatham et al., 2017). Significant changes in SCM processes and increasing importance of SCM functions on firm's competitiveness is leading to new demands of SCM professionals, requiring more managerial and analytical competences than technical skills (Hohenstein et al., 2014;Derwik and Hellström, 2017). ...
Article
Full-text available
Goal: This paper aims to examine the competences required from supply chain management professionals in Brazil. Design / Methodology / Approach: A survey with 239 professionals explored 44 different competences they deemed important. Results: Competences can be grouped in eight categories, some of which updated to reflect the changes in the SCM practice. It reinforces the importance for general behavioral, technical, analytical and business competences, suggested in previous research, and provides a more granular view and emphasizes differences of technical expertise depending on the scope of the manager's function. Technology, information systems and quantitative skills are different competences required to support changes in e-commerce and digital transformations. Limitations of the investigation: Differences among industry sectors or functions should be investigated in more detail due to respondent´s heterogeneity Practical implications: Our study can serve as a guide when searching new talents and training SCM professionals, as it emphasizes competences common to all SCM functions and specific depending on their scope. Originality / Value: Firms operating in service sectors generally demand higher levels of business awareness competences than the ones in manufacturing sectors. This reflects the service-dominance logic, where service is the fundamental basis of exchange and firms need to be more customer oriented.
Article
Full-text available
The paper aims to investigate the direct impact of accounting measurement, Social Capital Disclosure (SCD), and Accounting Conservatism (AC) on the Quality of Accounting Information (QAI), focusing on consistency in the context of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The study involves industrial companies in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a. Hypotheses are developed and tested through the collected data from a questionnaire distributed to 178 employees. Results indicate a positive impact of accounting measurement, SCD, and AC on the quality and reliability of accounting information. However, when considering CSR as a moderating variable, these factors do not show a significant positive effect. The study is limited to industrial companies in Sana’a, and broader implications may require consideration of various other sectors.
Article
Purpose This study aims to present a conceptual framework aimed at promoting educational innovation in supply chain management and logistics (SCM&L). The framework can help to design active learning experiences regarding student learning outcomes that tackle current challenges in the discipline. Emphasizing the significance of linking students’ learning to real-world scenarios, the framework enables reflective learning through hands-on engagement in a constructive alignment, overcoming existing pedagogical limitations in the field. Design/methodology/approach This study presents a qualitative research methodology that relies on the case study method. Three instances are presented to illustrate educational efforts of active learning in countries of Latin America, Bolivia, Mexico and Peru, linking real-world relevant situations to disciplinary teaching and learning. Findings The innovative learning experiences introduced in this study transform real-world SCM&L operations into distinctive educational opportunities. These experiences facilitate learning not only within traditional classrooms but also in urban areas of the Latin American region, enabling students to interact with educational partners in authentic settings to achieve their intended learning outcomes. These experiences are characterized by their focus on establishing meaningful connections between learning and local communities, businesses or specific contexts. Research limitations/implications The study recognizes various limitations of conceptual, methodological, execution-related and research process aspects. First, not all academics in the SCM&L discipline may universally acknowledge the importance of educational innovation and active learning experiences because of limited pedagogical awareness. Moreover, execution-related limitations arise from the demanding nature of incorporating active pedagogical approaches into courses, as they can be resource-intensive and time-consuming. Regarding research process limitations, the case study limits generalizability and broader inferences because of its particular views and locations, which require further investigation with other instances across other disciplines and geographical regions for validation. Practical implications The practical implementation of this framework within the MIT SCALE network for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) demonstrates its potential in meeting diverse academic and institutional expectations and providing educational benefits to students. Social implications The study makes a valuable contribution to prioritizing and coordinating pedagogical research by investigating the success of learning outcomes achieved through active and experiential implementations in various contexts. It provides inspiring examples of innovative learning experiences that can drive new developments not only within the LAC region but also in other areas, prompting a shift away from traditional educational approaches. Originality/value This research presents a conceptual framework, which is developed from the insights obtained in the three learning experiences to guide future efforts in SCM&L education. The findings demonstrate how to structure active learning experiences based on authentic assessment and illustrate the potential for increased cooperation among institutions in Latin America. It also promotes the recognition of novel SCM&L active learning experiences and highlights some of the benefits of this approach.
Article
Full-text available
It is thought that there is a low level of awareness of key competencies that drive material waste reduction at the construction stage of a project which has led to the low impact of waste minimization in the construction industry. This study, therefore, explores the key competencies for driving waste minimization at the construction stage of projects. Twenty-four (24) key factors that drive CW minimization at the construction stage of projects were derived from a thorough review of existing literature. The research adopted the quantitative approach whereby a questionnaire survey involving 53 construction professionals was conducted. Factor analysis was the statistical tool employed for the analysis of the data gathered. The findings of the study revealed four major competencies that drive CW minimization: Awareness Competency (AC), Managerial Competency (MC), Personnel Ability Competency (PAC), and Communication Competency (CC). The imple- mentation of the key competencies from the findings of the study is highly recommended for the achievement of low waste in building projects. In view of this, it is recommended that government should enact legislative and fiscal measures to instill waste management habits in the construction industry. Several studies have investigated strategies or measures for CW minimization. However, this study focused on the knowledge and skills of construction stakeholders as the main component of waste minimization competencies.
Article
Full-text available
El objetivo es analizar la literatura científica sobre las habilidades gerenciales empleadas en el ámbito turístico, para identificar las principales teorías utilizadas en torno al tema, las metodologías aplicadas, las habilidades requeridas y los contextos de aplicación en que se han venido empleando. La investigación se realizó a través de una revisión sistemática de literatura de artículos científicos que fueron publicados entre el año 1980 y 2021 en la base de datos Web of Science. El análisis de la revisión se hizo con base en los criterios de la declaración PRISMA en cuatro etapas: identificación, cribado, elegibilidad e inclusión. En el análisis bibliométrico, se identificaron las redes de colaboración entre investigadores, los términos más empleados y los países líderes en generación de conocimiento acerca del tema en estudio. El análisis de contenido permitió conocer los autores, métodos, conceptos, contexto de aplicación y marco teórico que sustenta a las habilidades gerenciales. La revisión indica que las principales teorías utilizadas son la teoría del capital humano; la teoría de recursos y capacidades; la gestión de talento humano; y la teoría de la ventaja competitiva. Las metodologías aplicadas son: 80% estudios cuantitativos; 13% estudios cualitativos y 7% estudios mixtos. Las habilidades requeridas se pueden agrupar en habilidades de gestión, habilidades empresariales y habilidades interpersonales. Por último, los contextos en donde se aborda el estudio de las habilidades gerenciales es el sector empresarial de diversas empresas de servicios como turismo, deportes, educación, seguros, farmacéutica, tanto públicas como privadas.
Article
Full-text available
One of the largest gaps about the superior educational system in Bolivia has been that undergraduate students enter the job market unready to face the complex reality and dynamic environment that companies have. Traditional methodologies in classroom establishes roles where the professor gives the student specific content to be learnt in the class and later applied in a fictional scenario. However, students may not see clearly how to take the content from lectures to a real context. Therefore, it is important to implement methodologies that bring students and teachers out of their comfort zone and allow them to analyse real companies’ problems, proposing solutions and developing competences that are relevant to reality. On the other hand, from big to small companies, face different concerns daily: Efficiency, productivity, customer service, among others. Many of those issues may be trivial, however, routine usually blind the decision-maker to identify and seek for solutions. With the help of a fresh perspective provided by higher education students, companies would be able to identify, display resources and attention to small routinary problems. The implementation of experiential learning methods, such as Challenge-based learning, is an important alternative for both universities and companies due it offers a win-win relationship between them with direct and clear benefits and advantages. This paper gives special attention to micro companies, which are often beyond the scope of industrial and educational innovation activities, due to lack of interest, knowledge, or the preconception that because of having simpler processes, these businesses should not be given attention to.
Article
Full-text available
Offshore Wind Farm (OWF) downtime causes huge financial loss to the stakeholders. One of the major concerns for them is to reduce the downtime of the offshore wind turbine as much as possible. To do this, inventory managers must keep the required number of spare parts in the inventory. It is important to forecast the type and amount of spare parts ahead of time. The maintenance team tries to figure out failure symptoms to predict the approximate time for failure. This prediction helps to purchase and stock spare parts systematically. There is a trade-off between the ordering cost, holding cost, and shortage cost. Proper inventory planning saves a manager from placing expensive emergency orders and also an extended period of holding spare parts. The desired service level should be determined earlier, based on which spare parts planning is done. In this paper, some prominent spare parts models have been studied, findings have been systematically presented, compared against some key determinant factors, critical analysis has been performed and the applicability of the models has been discussed. More than a 100 research articles on spare parts have been reviewed and major contributions from the most relevant articles in OWF have been presented in this paper. One advanced spare parts modeling reported up to 51% cost reduction compared to traditional spare parts planning. Another integrated spare parts planning reported 27% savings. This critical review aims to suggest some guidelines for the managers and other associates of wind farms about the effective and efficient spare parts management technique from the beginning of the turbine installation to the end of its life cycle.
Chapter
Full-text available
Industrial firms increasingly concentrate on their core competences and outsource non-core activities, affecting the personal (soft) skills requirements of purchasing and supply chain management (PSM) personnel in their boundary-spanning roles. In parallel, machines take over processes but cannot replicate humans' soft skills such as creativity and strategic thinking. The literature shows that learning objectives in PSM courses in higher education are evaluated for not covering soft skills. Moreover, there is evidence that soft skills development is challenging. It is questionable which soft skills can be developed and which didactics are applicable. This study presents an educational soft skills experiment with IEM graduates, and it provides evidence that soft skills learning can effectively be introduced in existing courses. The graduates self-rated their competence levels of 36 soft skills before and after the course that provided soft skills workshops and a case study. In the first survey, “strategic thinking” ranked low and could be improved the most in the second survey.
Chapter
Full-text available
Industrial firms increasingly concentrate on their core competences and outsource non-core activities, affecting the personal (soft) skills requirements of purchasing and supply chain management (PSM) personnel in their boundary-spanning roles. In parallel, machines take over processes but cannot replicate humans' soft skills such as creativity and strategic thinking. The literature shows that learning objectives in PSM courses in higher education are evaluated for not covering soft skills. Moreover, there is evidence that soft skills development is challenging. It is questionable which soft skills can be developed and which didactics are applicable. This study presents an educational soft skills experiment with IEM graduates, and it provides evidence that soft skills learning can effectively be introduced in existing courses. The graduates self-rated their competence levels of 36 soft skills before and after the course that provided soft skills workshops and a case study. In the first survey, "strategic thinking" ranked low and could be improved the most in the second survey.
Article
The globalisation and digitalisation trends trigger a demand for maritime logistics companies to continuously review the competency requirements of employees to enhance organisational performance. Therefore, this paper focuses on extending the business, logistics and management competency framework to identify and rank emerging critical competencies. Four key competencies and eighteen sub-competencies were identified and structured, anchored on the proposed business, logistics, management and digitalisation competency framework. A total of 42 responses from maritime logistics companies were collected through a questionnaire survey. The data collected were analysed using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process. The results indicate that the key competencies, in descending order of importance, are business skills, logistics skills, management skills, and digitalisation skills. This research enriches the stream of literature on competency framework by highlighting digitalisation skills and updating the requirements of competencies maritime logistics executives in the era of digitalisation. Additionally, this research implicates policy implications regarding the strategic management of human resources of maritime logistics companies.
Article
Full-text available
This study aimed to investigate whether combinations of factors regarding organizational culture and the personality traits of purchasing managers and sales managers are relevant for explaining collaboration in the supply network (CSN). Our theoretical framework comprises Behavioral Operations Management, Organizational Behavior, and Supply Network. We used a self-administered electronic questionnaire based on instruments that are well-known in the literature. We used Qualitative Comparative Analysis with dichotomized conditions. CSN with suppliers had different associations with behavioral constructs than CSN with customers did, which shows there are behavioral differences between purchasing and sales managers. Our findings with regard to CSN suggest that the behavioral requirements for hiring purchasing and sales managers are different, and that customer relations are a priority within the organization. KEYWORDS: Personality traits; organizational culture; csQCA; collaboration; supply network
Article
Full-text available
The success of purchasing and supply management (PSM) largely depends on PSM professionals' skills levels. Past research assumed that one universal PSM professional type exists, and they have proposed one-size-fits-all PSM skillsets. However, PSM professionals have different objectives. Based on the data of an extensive survey conducted amongst European PSM professionals (n = 366), this study presents skillsets for seven objectives (reducing costs and improving delivery, quality, sustainability, strategic competitive advantage, supplier satisfaction and innovation). A differentiation is made between “necessary” and “sufficient” conditions for each objective's effectiveness. Within a new PSM-skills taxonomy, a hierarchy of skills is detected as one of the first categories that provide quantitative evidence that soft skills or personal skills are necessary conditions for carrying out hard skills or professional skills. Based on the proposed skillsets, university educators and firm trainers can draft teaching plans that support the intended outcome, while individual PSM professionals may get an orientation on how to develop their skills further.
Article
Full-text available
Despite some movement toward consensus on the definition of supply chain management (SCM), there are multiple perspectives on the concept — and its association with logistics. This paper reports results of a survey of SCM professionals regarding their views of SCM, along with its facilitators and barriers. In general, these executives prefer broad, multi-functional perspectives as opposed to more narrow perspectives of SCM. According to the survey, the leading facilitators of SCM implementation were relational rather than technological. In addition, internal or employee resistance appears to be more of a barrier to SCM implementation compared to external (customer and supplier) resistance.
Article
Full-text available
This paper proposes a matrix structure for training Supply Chain Management (SCM) professionals. It is an innovative programme structure that combines two approaches: cross-border and inter-organisational. It enables the students to comprehend complex and specific business environments and to understand the diverse nature of SCM systems in both theory and practice. Based on the literature review and the analysis of SCM and logistics job advertisements in two countries – the USA and France, we identified the skills and competences required to be a SCM professional. Results of the job analysis show that, in most cases, the same responsibilities are assigned to both logistics and SCM professionals. However, we argue that the SCM programmes should have a broader scope than the logistics programmes.
Article
Full-text available
Supply chain management (SCM) remains an important topic among logistics managers, researchers and educators. This paper opens by describing four unique perspectives on the relationship between logistics and SCM. Next, the results of an international survey of logistics/SCM experts are reported. Over 200 questionnaires were faxed to leading logistics educators in North America, Europe, South America and Asia. Based on these experts' perceptions, cluster analysis confirms the existence of the four perspectives on logistics versus SCM—relabelling, traditionalist, unionist and inter-sectionist. The paper closes with a discussion on implications of the four perspectives for educators, researchers and practitioners.
Article
Full-text available
Purpose Without the adoption of a uniform agreed upon definition of supply chain management (SCM), researchers and practitioners will not be able to “advance the theory and practice” of the discipline. An integrated definition of SCM would greatly benefit researchers' efforts to study the phenomenon of SCM and those practitioners attempting to implement SCM. This paper aims to address these issues. Design/methodology/approach Using the qualitative analysis software NVivo , this study examines 166 definitions of SCM that have appeared in the literature to determine important components of an integrated definition of SCM. Findings Three broad themes of SCM are identified, including: activities; benefits; and constituents/components. An encompassing definition of SCM is developed from the qualitative analysis of these definitions. Research limitations/implications While a large number of SCM definitions have been included in the research design, there may be additional definitions that are excluded given the very large number of SCM publications. Practical implications A consensus definition of SCM will allow researchers to more precisely develop theory and practitioners to identify the scope and boundaries of SCM. Originality/value This paper is the first attempt to include a large number of SCM definitions for the purpose of developing a consensus definition of the concept. Previous literature has included only a subset of published SCM definitions.
Article
Full-text available
Purpose The purpose of this paper is first, to summarize the findings from the book The New Supply Chain Agenda (Slone, Dittmann, and Mentzer 2010). Second, it reviews associated academic research, identifies critical knowledge gaps, and suggests areas for future academic research that will aid scholars and managers in improving supply chain management (SCM) performance. Design/methodology/approach The paper summarizes and extends The New Supply Chain Agenda and juxtaposes the major elements of that book with a content review of existing literature in logistics and SCM to align gaps in knowledge with a call for future research. Findings The findings deepen understanding of the complexities and interrelationships prevalent among the five pillars and help identify new ways to improve the performance impact of SCM initiatives. Research limitations/implications Major areas for future research within the broad topics of talent management, technology, internal integration, external collaboration, and change management are identified. Academic research related to each area or pillar is summarized, gaps are identified, and future research directions are suggested to provide avenues in which theoretical grounding and scientific rigor may be applied to each pillar of The New Supply Chain Agenda . Practical implications Many of the proposed solutions to the challenges faced by supply chain professionals have not been subjected to the scholarly scrutiny that would determine their validity. This paper presents areas for meaningful academic research to help supply chain practitioners separate truth from hype. Originality/value The paper seeks to stimulate thinking and suggest new areas in which to do research related to the book's key premises.
Article
Full-text available
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the core literature pertaining to frontline logistics personnel and their managers that has been published in the leading logistics journals. An annotated, yet integrated, review presentation will aid researchers in better understanding the concepts developed and linkages between the most critical variables studied to date. The paper aims to present a comprehensive model containing the primary variables pertaining to the recruitment, development, supervising, and retention of high quality logistics personnel to meaningfully identify what is known and not known about personnel issues in logistics. Design/methodology/approach The findings in this paper are based on a comprehensive review of articles pertaining to frontline logistics personnel and their managers, which were published in the leading logistics journals. For analysis, the paper is divided into five related areas: student samples and student perspectives compared to those of corporate recruiters; research oriented toward the skills of managers and issues relating to career development; research pertaining to the work environment and success of non‐supervisory, frontline employees; literature relating to logistics reputation; and research pertaining to logistics diversity. Findings Prior to this review of the literature, substantially less is known about how research links together previous research findings to formulate an integrative depiction of important concepts pertaining to logistics personnel. The results provide a better understanding of the knowledge researchers have discovered to date, as well as identification of areas in need of further exploration. Research limitations/implications Most conspicuously absent from the paper is research pertaining to the interaction of logistics personnel and technology, the importance of logistics personnel in securing the supply chain, and the importance of elevating frontline logistics jobs to the next level of professionalism to achieve supply chain excellence. Practical implications To assist organizations in preparing managers, this paper has compiled and integrated the research relating to logistics personnel issues. This compilation should be valuable in aiding managers in recruiting, developing, supervising, and retaining high‐quality logistics personnel. Originality/value While there is a growing body of literature in the area of frontline logistics employees and their managers, a comprehensive review of the literature has not been published that links the results of various studies together to help identify gaps in the literature or conflicting results that should be further explored. This paper provides such a review as well as two theoretical models to help us better understand the important components necessary in hiring, developing, motivating, and retaining supervisors and frontline workers in various logistics operations.
Article
Full-text available
An expanded paradigm is needed to explain how competitive advantage is gained and held. Firms resorting to 'resource-based strategy' attempt to accumulate valuable technology assets and employ an aggressive intellectual property stance. However, winners in the global marketplace have been firms demonstrating timely responsiveness and rapid and flexible product innovation, along with the management capability to effectively coordinate and redeploy internal and external competences. This source of competitive advantage, 'dynamic capabilities', emphasizes two aspects. First, it refers to the shifting character of the environment; second, it emphasizes the key role of strategic management in appropriately adapting, integrating, and re-configuring internal and external organizational skills, resources, and functional competences toward changing environment. 5 Only recently have researchers begun to focus on the specifics of developing firm-specific capabilities and the manner in which competences are renewed to respond to shifts in the business environment. The dynamic capabilities approach provides a coherent framework to integrate existing conceptual and empirical knowledge, and facilitate prescription. This paper argues that the competitive advan is tage of firms stems from dynamic capabilities rooted in high performance routines operating inside the firm, embedded in the firm's processes, and conditioned by its history. It offers dynamic capabilities as an emerging paradigm of the modern business firm that draws on multiple disciplines and advances, with the help of industry studies in the USA and elsewhere.
Article
Full-text available
Purpose – An underlying principle of supply chain management is to establish control of the end-to-end process in order to create a seamless flow of goods. The basic idea is that variability is detrimental to performance as it causes cost in the form of stock-outs, poor capacity utilisation, and costly buffers. This paper questions this approach and argues that in the light of increasing turbulence a different approach to supply chain management is needed. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reports on the authors' work on a Supply Chain Volatility Index and shows how current supply chain practices may no longer fit the context most businesses now operate in – primarily because these practices were developed under assumptions of stability that no longer hold true. The paper illustrates the findings with case study evidence of firms that have had to adjust to various aspects of turbulence. Findings – The paper is able to show that most current supply chain management models emanate from a period of relative stability, and second, that there is considerable evidence that we will experience increasing turbulence in the future. This calls into question whether current supply chain models that feature some dynamic flexibility, yet are built on the general premise of control, will be suitable to meet the challenge of increased turbulence. Practical implications – It is argued that what is needed to master the era of turbulence is structural flexibility which builds flexible options into the design of supply chains. This marks a major departure from current thinking and will require revisiting the management accounting procedures that are used to evaluate different supply chain decisions. The paper presents guidelines on how to manage supply chains in the age of turbulence: by embracing volatility as an opportunity rather than viewing it as a risk, by understanding its nature and impact, and finally by shifting the exposure to risk by building hedges into the supply chain design. Originality/value – The paper questions the fundamental premise upon which current supply chain models are built and proposes an alternative approach to build structural flexibility into supply chain decision making, which would create the level of adaptability needed to remain competitive in the face of turbulence.
Article
Full-text available
Logistics researchers frequently use mail surveys to collect data. This paper documents the decline in response rates to surveys reported in JBL, and presents a content analysis of mail survey results reported in two leading logistics journals, the Journal of Business Logistics and the International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistic Management. One interesting finding is the more questionnaires mailed out in a given study, the lower the response rate.
Article
Full-text available
Europe in recent years has witnessed an increase in the amount of cross-border operations by retailers. The retail sector has undergone substantial structural change characterized by the emergence of a group of rapidly-growing large retailers, a redefinition of the balance of internalized and externalized functions and a need to respond to the cultural variety present in Europe that becomes evident as retailers move out of their domestic markets. The over-arching requirement for these large retailers is to grow and gain scale economies. Internationalization of operations has become a requirement for these large firms. It is argued that the established academic conceptualizations of internationalization are unsatisfactory in not addressing this overriding requirement for growth. There is great variety in the international activity in retailing, with the absence of pattern being one of the few generalities. It is proposed that consideration of opportunism may be a better way to gain understanding of retailer activity than trying to fit activity into deterministic strategic models. The experiences of five West European retailers entering and building retail networks in Poland is provided as evidence for this view. Suggestions are made for future work exploring this issue of opportunism as a process in international retailing.
Article
Agile supply chains are dependent upon timely, accurate and precise information. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies can provide real-time automated data collection from across the supply chain to improve decision-making. Hence, RFID has the potential to deliver even greater levels of agility. This paper discusses two RFID implementation case studies to evaluate the impact of RFID on supply chain decisions. It is found that RFIDenabled decision-making is reliant on cooperative working across the supply chain, and upon the competences of the decision-makers. Supply chains will be redesigned for RFID implementation, and must address its socio-technical impact for the technology to deliver its predicted benefits.
Conference Paper
This paper focuses on dynamic capabilities and, more generally, the resource-based view of the firm. We argue that dynamic capabilities are a set of specific and identifiable processes such as product development, strategic decision making, and alliancing. They are neither vague nor tautological. Although dynamic capabilities are idiosyncratic in their details and path dependent in their emergence, they have significant commonalities across firms (popularly termed 'best practice'). This suggests that they are more homogeneous, fungible, equifinal and substitutable than is usually assumed. In moderately dynamic markets, dynamic capabilities resemble the traditional conception of routines. They are detailed, analytic stable processes with predictable outcomes. In contrast, in high-velocity markets, they are simple, highly experiential and fragile processes with unpredictable outcomes. Finally, well-known learning mechanisms guide the evolution of dynamic capabilities. In moderately dynamic markets, the evolutionary emphasis is on variation. In high-velocity markets, it is on selection. At the level of REV, we conclude that traditional REV misidentifies the locus of long-term competitive advantage in dynamic markers, overemphasizes the strategic logic of leverage, and reaches a boundary condition in high-velocity markets. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Article
A handful of students within the business and engineering schools at San Jose State University in California are headed for careers in service-related industries with an expanded set of marketable skills. A specially devised curriculum shared by the two schools includes instruction in such areas as service design and computer science, as well as soft skills electives including leadership and communication. The university's goal is to help students develop an array of skills that are highly prized by organizations in service-related fields, explains Professor Stephen Kwan at the university's College of Business. For example, he says, "students in the program learn how information technologies can be used to create innovations within all types of service companies." San Jose State is not alone in offering this interdisciplinary approach, called the Service Science, Management and Engineering (SSME) program. In fact, it is one of more than 250 universities that provide SSME-related courses thanks in large part to IBM. It was Big Blue that developed the SSME curriculum in 2003 and that for the past five years has helped university faculties institute it as part of the IBM Academic Initiative-a program that helps accredited schools throughout the world develop a more competitive workforce. To date, the expansive IBM initiative has helped more than 8, 500 faculties at 4, 000 institutions teach 40, 000 courses to more than 2.5 million students.
Article
In 1937, in the midst of the US recovery from the Great Depression, President Roosevelt implemented spending cuts in pursuit of a balanced budget. Subsequently, the unemployment rate jumped nearly 6 percentage points over the next year and the US economy re-entered a major recession. In the midst of the current global recovery from the Great Recession, European and American policymakers again seem intent on pursuing the path of budget austerity. In light of slowing economic growth rates, shrinking consumer and business confi dence, and stubbornly high unemployment fi gures, could it be that Western economies are ignoring lessons from the past?
Article
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the curriculum design of logistics and supply chain management (LSCM) undergraduate courses offered by selected UK higher education (HE) institutions and compares them with employers’ job requirements in the UK. Design/methodology/approach – Desk-based research involving content analysis of 22 selected undergraduate LSCM courses from 18 UK HE institutions and job advertisements from an online recruitment web site during 12 weeks in 2011-2012. Findings – In general, LSCM recruiters highlighted the importance of professional skills and general management knowledge rather than specific LSCM subject knowledge. Work experience is important even at the entry level. As the roles become more senior, as indicated by higher salaries, more LSCM subject knowledge and work experience is required. The findings indicate an imbalance between the undergraduate curriculum and employer needs. Only some of the LSCM undergraduates programmes investigated provided such a balance of curriculum design. Research limitations/implications – This paper is based on published information in web sites and also job adverts. More studies of the detailed syllabuses for the courses and the overall learning experiences of students are required. Practical implications – This paper highlights the importance of general managerial skills and professional skills to meet the needs of employers. Graduates are expected to be able to manage and acquire additional LSCM knowledge when required indicating the importance of continuing professional development. Originality/value – The methodology of this paper takes advantages of the availability of up-to-date “live” data via the internet. As a result, this study provides new insights into the LSCM employer requirements for three salary brackets, from entry level to senior level, and it indicates the “right” balance of curriculum design for LSCM graduates in the present days.
Article
Purpose – The purpose of the research described in this paper is to disentangle the rhetoric from the reality in relation to supply chain management (SCM) adoption in practice. There is significant evidence of a divergence between theory and practice in the field of SCM. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a review of extant theory, the authors posit a new definitional construct for SCM – the Four Fundamentals – and investigated four research questions (RQs) that emerged from the theoretical review. The empirical work comprised three main phases: focussed interviews, focus groups and a questionnaire survey. Each phase used the authors’ definitional construct as its basis. While the context of the paper’s empirical work is Ireland, the insights and results are generalisable to other geographical contexts. Findings – The data collected during the various stages of the empirical research supported the essence of the definitional construct and allowed it to be further developed and refined. In addition, the findings suggest that, while levels of SCM understanding are generally quite high, there is room for improvement in relation to how this understanding is translated into practice. Research limitations/implications – Expansion of the research design to incorporate case studies, grounded theory and action research has the potential to generate new SCM theory that builds on the Four Fundamentals construct, thus facilitating a deeper and richer understanding of SCM phenomena. The use of longitudinal studies would enable a barometer of progress to be developed over time. Practical implications – The authors’ definitional construct supports improvement in the cohesion of SCM practices, thereby promoting the effective implementation of supply chain strategies. A number of critical success factors and/or barriers to implementation of SCM theory in practice are identified, as are a number of practical measures that could be implemented at policy/supply chain/firm level to improve the level of effective SCM adoption. Originality/value – The authors’ robust definitional construct supports a more cohesive approach to the development of a unified theory of SCM. In addition to a profile of SCM understanding and adoption by firms in Ireland, the related critical success factors and/or inhibitors to success, as well as possible interventions, are identified.
Article
Supply chain management (SCM) plays a major role in creating (or destroying) shareholder value by influencing the three major drivers of firm financial performance: revenue, operating costs, and working capital. Yet, the relationship between SCM competency and firm financial performance is not well-established. Drawing on the resource-based view of the firm, this study assesses this relationship using Delphi-style opinion data from AMR Research’s Supply Chain Top 25 rankings to assess SCM competency and Altman’s (1968)Z-score statistic as the measure of financial success. The study findings show that firms recognized by industry experts for SCM competency have significantly higher Z-scores than their close competitors and industry averages.
Article
Logistic skills are of importance for employment and career development, and prior research has highlighted differences in skill requirements for different logistics functions as well as for different groups of logisticians. However, the continuing incidence of natural disasters and complex emergencies and their associated challenges including the requirement to build relationships with diverse stakeholders, has increased the demand for humanitarian logisticians—but there is, as yet, little understanding of which skills are important in this context. This article develops a conceptual framework for skills in the field of humanitarian logistics, and evaluates the framework through a content analysis of job advertisements with a special focus on the 2010 Haiti earthquake. This analysis concludes that humanitarian logisticians need a broad spectrum of functional skills (such as procurement, and warehouse and transport management) that must often be held in some depth. In addition, however, humanitarian logisticians need “contextual” skills that reflect their particular field of employment (such as security management and a comprehensive knowledge of donor regulations). It is suggested that such contextual skills are likely to feature in other areas of logistic employment, and that further research to identify these would lead to improvements in training and education programs.
Article
Purpose – The aim of this paper is to evaluate job profiles in humanitarian logistics, and assess current task priorities in light of further training and educational needs. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents findings from a survey among humanitarian logistics practitioners and compares these to other studies in this area. It uses econometric models to evaluate the impact of managerial responsibilities in training needs, usage of time and previous training. Findings – The results show that the skills required in humanitarian logistics seem to follow the T-shaped skills model from Mangan and Christopher when looking at training wanted and time usage. Research limitations/implications – Survey respondents being members of the Humanitarian Logistics Association (HLA) may be more interested in developing the humanitarian logistics profession than other populations. Originality/value – This paper offers an insight in the specific skill requirements of humanitarian logisticians from members of the HLA and allows to understand which type of skills are linked to managerial responsibilities. The paper also establishes a link between logistics skill models and career progressions overall.
Article
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of logistics capabilities in achieving supply chain agility through a multi‐disciplinary review of the relevant research. The systematic literature review aims to provide the basis for formulating a conceptual framework of the relationship. Design/methodology/approach A systematic, comprehensive review of the literature on manufacturing, organizational and supply chain agility from 1991 through 2010 was conducted. The literature on logistics capabilities was also examined to identify the various elements that contribute to supply chain agility. Findings Supply chain agility has primarily been explored in the literature through a focus on manufacturing flexibility, supply chain speed, or lean manufacturing. The role of logistics capabilities in achieving supply chain agility has not been addressed from a holistic conceptual perspective. This research addresses that gap using a multi‐disciplinary approach. As such, it is the first phase in theory building on the concept of supply chain agility. Further research is needed to empirically test the conceptualized relationships. Research limitations/implications This research is a systematic, integrative review of the existing literature on the concept of agility and logistics capabilities. As such, the next phase of research needed for theory building will be the operationalization of constructs and testing of the hypothesized relationships proposed by the conceptual framework. Practical implications The level of agility in a supply chain can determine the efficiency and effectiveness of the collective efforts. It is important that firms become more knowledgeable about the role of logistics capabilities in achieving agility. Originality/value Through a systematic, comprehensive review of the literature in four distinct areas, the paper explores the relationship between logistics capabilities and supply chain agility.
Article
Eminent throught leader Martin Christopher provides a historical analysis of the evolution of the field of supply chain management, identifying three key elements that have changed this landscape, viz., globalization of supply chains, continued outsourcing, and widespread adoption of 'lean' practices. He then analyzes the impact of these three key elements on the need to manage across boundaries, the need for both left-brained and right-brained skills, and most importantly the understanding and creation of a broad skills-profile for successfully managing the complexity in the supply chain.
Article
In the new economy, the sustainable competitive advantage of business firms flows from the creation, ownership, protection and use of difficult-to-imitate commercial and industrial knowledge assets. Such assets include tacit and codified know-how, both technical and organisational, whether or not protected by the instruments of intellectual property such as trade secrets, copyrights and patents. Competitive advantage undergirded by such assets can be sustainable to the extent to which it is transferable and useable inside the firm, but difficult for outsiders to access and/or recreate. Knowledge management can be used to describe the panoply of procedures and techniques used to get the most from a firm’s knowledge assets. Information technology can assist knowledge management, but knowledge management involves much more than the astute use of IT tools. In particular, knowledge management requires the development of dynamic capabilities… the ability to sense and then seize opportunities quickly and proficiently. This is especially so in environments characterised by increasing returns, irrespective of the appropriability regime. Companies slow to respond to the new reality will be severely handicapped.
Article
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe collaboration between businesses, universities and industry associations in Australia with the aim of developing an appropriate set of competencies for supply chain professionals. Design/methodology/approach Three related initiatives are described involving questionnaire surveys (Initiatives 1 and 3) and a series of meetings involving representatives from businesses, universities and industry associations (Initiative 2). Findings Initiative 1 identifies that although supply chain professionals in Australia are highly educated, they had limited training in relation to supply chain management. Initiative 2 developed a set of 20 competencies for supply chain professionals and their importance was then assessed in Initiative 3. Generally, high importance is highlighted for the set of competencies. Maintaining momentum of the collaboration is identified as a challenge. Research limitations/implications One specific limitation is the somewhat low response rates achieved for the two questionnaire surveys conducted: 15 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively. Australia is unique in many respects; hence generalisation of the findings is limited. Practical implications The paper identifies Australian industry needs reflected in the set of competencies developed. The paper highlights the value of collaboration between business, universities/colleges and industry associations. Originality/value This paper identifies a set of supply chain competencies considered highly important by supply chain professionals in Australia. These can be used by academic institutions in developing future programs, by businesses for assessing performance of supply chain professionals that they employ and by industry associations in developing appropriate services for their members.
Article
The authors identify theoretical disconnects among resource-based theory (RBT), conceptualizations of intangible resources (intangibles), and measures of intangibles. Specifically, the authors’ survey of 186 recent empirical tests of RBT suggests that measures of intangibles are often assigned with little theoretical conceptualization of the intangible construct or connection with RBT. This lack of theoretical justification undermines confidence in measures and empirical findings, leaves central RBT questions unaddressed, and constricts the usefulness of RBT. Furthermore, their survey suggests that the dominant approach to measuring intangibles is mechanical and unidisciplinary (i.e., rooted in either economics or psychology). The authors argue that the challenge of measuring intangibles is primarily theoretical. Thus, mechanical and unidisciplinary approaches are problematic for they sustain theoretical disconnects among RBT and intangible conceptualizations and measures. Moreover, a multidisciplinary construct validation approach is required to remedy the respective deficiencies of economic and psychological approaches and integrate their complementary strengths. The authors present such an approach, which they call the multidisciplinary assessment process (MAP). The MAP guides scholars in creating theories of intangibles that are specific to their RBT study. These theories are the focal point of the MAP and clarify what, specifically, the intangible is and how firms use the intangible to create and appropriate economic value. In turn, these theories inform the measurement and validation steps of the MAP, so that intangibles are assessed with greater credibility.
Article
Neue Technologien, globale Wettbewerber und flexible Produktionseinrichtungen führen zur Aufheizung der Märkte überall auf der Welt. Mit dem Wort „Hyperwettbewerb“ wird dieses Umfeld des äußerst häufigen und intensiven Wandels bezeichnet, das die Vorteile etablierter Anbieter erodiert. Generische Wettbewerbsstrategien wie Kostenführerschaft, Differenzierung und Fokussierung erweisen sich als instabil — sind angestammte Wettbewerbsvorteile noch nachhaltig? Welche Wettbewerbsstrategien sind in einem solchen Umfeld noch erfolgreich?
Article
As we move into the new millennium, organisations are increasingly turning to the logistics function to gain competitive advantage. This implies that qualified and ambitious logistics managers will be required to achieve strategic organisational objectives. This paper seeks to assess Logistics Managers' perceptions of their profession. More specifically, it examines their educational qualifications, career progression, job content and reward perceptions. To assess the current position, a survey of logistics managers in Australia was conducted and 303 completed and usable responses were obtained. The data indicated that logistics managers are generally middle-aged employees with around 62.5% between 35 to 49 years old. The study found that Australian logistics managers are well qualified (75.7% had a higher degree or diploma), highly paid (56.1% earn over AUS $90,000 per annum) and find their jobs challenging and interesting. Respondents joined the logistics management function relatively early in their careers and 63.3% had worked in the logistics function for over 10 years. However, respondents indicated that working hours were too long and that benefits were not adequate. Logistics managers indicated a strong need for additional training in computers, business management, new technology management and logistics management. Respondents indicated that they require increased control of systems design, business to business e-commerce, transport management and warehouse operations. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents were members of a professional institution. The logistics profession still continues to be dominated by male managers. The paper discusses the implications of these findings.
Article
The dynamic capabilities view, by addressing the question of how firms can cope with changing environments, has gained increasing attention in the management literature in recent years, not only in the concept’s original domain (strategic management) but also in many other areas within business administration. However, such remarkable growth has been associated with a proliferation of definitions of the focal construct as well as the emergence of a complex and disconnected body of research. In addition, the approach has also received some recurring criticisms. In this study, the author reviews the diverse research streams on dynamic capabilities, identifies main limitations and challenges, suggests a new conceptualization of dynamic capability as an aggregate multidimensional construct, and provides guidance about promising avenues for future research.
Article
This paper reports the findings of an international survey of logistics academics on their views of journals used for research, teaching and outreach. Being a specialist field within business management, the rankings provide a guide to both logistics specialists and to our peers in other business fields as to the top journals in logistics and supply chain management. The results have been separated into US and rest of the world (mainly EU). The results have not been combined due to the larger number of returns from US academics, which would bias a single rankings list. This being said, the results do show that four out of the top five journals are placed on both lists, indicating that there is world-wide acceptance of the top journals in the field.
Article
The dynamic capabilities framework analyzes the sources and methods of wealth creation and capture by private enterprise firms operating in environments of rapid technological change. The competitive advantage of firms is seen as resting on distinctive processes (ways of coordinating and combining), shaped by the firm's (specific) asset positions (such as the firm's portfolio of difftcult-to- trade knowledge assets and complementary assets), and the evolution path(s) it has aflopted or inherited. The importance of path dependencies is amplified where conditions of increasing retums exist. Whether and how a firm's competitive advantage is eroded depends on the stability of market demand, and the ease of replicability (expanding intemally) and imitatability (replication by competitors). If correct, the framework suggests that private wealth creation in regimes of rapid technological change depends in large measure on honing intemal technological, organizational, and managerial processes inside the firm. In short, identifying new opportunities and organizing effectively and efficiently to embrace them are generally more fundamental to private wealth creation than is strategizing, if by strategizing one means engaging in business conduct that keeps competitors off balance, raises rival's costs, and excludes new entrants. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Article
One of the hopes for CAS theory is that it will open social science to the analytical approaches of physical science. This article considers the state of the art in modeling organizational behavior. Inroads using CAS techniques would be of particular value to business, because leaders often wish their organizations were other than what they are. A lot of effort goes into changing organizations—and by and large managers and their staff feel they get a very low return on the effort.This article looks at organizations as collections of relationships among agents, and at work being done to model this point of view. It ends with speculation about where this research may take us: toward simulation capability that can teach managers about better leadership interventions, especially those that foster adaptive organization and more connected, integrated individual experience of organization.
Article
In order to respond to competitive pressures, managers need to know more about the strategic aspects of supply chain management. This paper addresses this need by critically reviewing the supply chain management literature and by suggesting a research agenda for the future. A conceptual model is provided which helps to identify certain assumptions made in the literature that must be challenged. The model also provides a tool for identifying the major contributions in the literature. Finally, a research agenda is developed.
Article
Attracting and educating the right supply chain managers are a critical challenge to the realization of most supply chain objectives irrespective of the state of the economy (shortage of personnel several months ago or increasing lay-offs currently). This is because of the richness of capabilities required to do the job well. Much of our teaching in logistics and supply chain management focuses on the technical aspects of the role. However, the importance and criticality of the human aspects are becoming increasingly apparent. A new approach to the people dimension is called for. This paper uncovers a set of emotional capabilities, which, if combined with the technical capability that is undoubtedly needed as well, would transform the industry. One emotional capability, the ability to influence, is examined by way of illustrating what we mean by emotional capability. Suggestions are offered for furthering managerial capabilities in supply chain management.
Article
Purpose The logistics discipline has been characterized by tremendous change since the early 1990s. One result is that the logistician's relevant skill set has likely changed as well. To this end, the present paper aims both to update, and to provide a longitudinal perspective of, a 1991 study that investigated the skill requirements of senior‐level logistics managers using the business, logistics, management (BLM) framework. Design/methodology/approach Both studies used survey research of executive search firms to collect the relevant data. The surveys were transmitted via postal mail in the 1991 study and were transmitted electronically in the present study. Findings The results from the current study reinforce the 1991 study, which suggested that logisticians should be managers first and logisticians second. Comparison between the earlier and current study suggest a high degree of similarity in terms of the most important logistics skills, with less similarity in terms of business and management skills. The comparison also suggests that the contemporary logistician has more of a supply chain orientation than was the case in the early 1990s. Practical implications The manuscript discusses implications for various logistical constituencies. For example, educators could use the findings to plan and design continuing education programs. Originality/value The update to the original study should prove valuable by highlighting the relevant skills associated with successful logisticians in the contemporary business environment. The longitudinal comparison provides insights into the logistician's skill set in the early 1990s and today.
Article
The paper is based on the analysis of the responses of a questionnaire survey of logistics managers working in manufacturing firms in Ireland. The objectives of the survey were to establish the educational and training needs of the practising logistics manager. The questionnaire was designed to address issues including: the various logistics practices undertaken by the respondents' company and the time spent by respondents on these activities; the skills currently required by logistics managers; the attitude to logistics in respondents' companies; the qualifications held and nature of training received by logistics managers; the effectiveness of training received; future training requirements and how such training might be provided; and the likely future functions of, and difficulties faced by, logistics managers. The analysis of the responses received suggests that the existing supply of education and training is not perceived as fully meeting either the present or future needs of logistics practitioners. There is a need to develop new education and training programmes, which should be aimed at meeting the needs of these practitioners. The most significant areas identified in the survey as being of potential benefit were: logistics and supply chain management; information technology and computing; warehouse management; distribution and transport management; and negotiations. The reasons for pursuing further training included personal development and to obtain useful job-related skills.
Article
Agility and agile manufacturing are recent organizational development philosophies that industry and academia are studying. Benchmarking is a business practice that will aid in the study, refinement, and application of agility principles. This paper focuses on two issues, benchmarking agile environments and agile benchmarking requirements. Benchmarking process, tools and metrics issues are discussed within the perspective of agility requirements. The process, tools and metrics discussion allows for a simultaneous study of the two major issues in integrating benchmarking and agility. In this paper a need for a developmental evolution in benchmarking is also observed. A number of potential directions and enablers are defined based on current practice and emerging mechanisms for agility and benchmarking.