PERSPECTIVES ON LOGISTICS VS. SCM: A SURVEY OF SCM PROFESSIONALS

Mapping the sea of opportunities: Blockchain in supply chain and logistics

Driven by successful pilot projects in supply chain and logistics, Blockchain has become one of the industry’s latest technology hypes. In this paper, we cut through the hype and shed light on the expectations of industry professionals towards the benefits and challenges of Blockchain. Also, we categorize current Blockchain applications that are expected to provide tangible benefits for supply chain and logistics processes. To explore such potentials, we argue that companies should gain own first-hand experiences through small-scale experiments.

Strategic adoption of logistics and supply chain management

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a thorough understanding of the adoption of logistics and supply chain management (SCM) in practice, particularly at a strategic level, through an investigation of the four perspectives taxonomy of the relationship between logistics and SCM.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a comprehensive literature review, three specific research questions are proposed. The empirical work addresses these questions and comprised three phases: focussed interviews, a questionnaire survey and focus groups.

Findings

The findings provide a usage profile of the four perspectives and indicate a divergence between the understanding and adoption of logistics and SCM principles and concepts at a strategic level in firms. The findings also identify the critical success factors (CSFs) and inhibitors to success in addressing this divergence.

Research limitations/implications

The insights generated using the authors’ methodologically pluralist research design could be built upon to include case studies, grounded theory and action research. Replicating the research in other geographical areas could facilitate international comparisons.

Practical implications

The findings allow practitioners to compare their perspectives on the relationship between logistics and SCM with those of their peers. The CSFs and inhibitors to success provide a rational basis for realising the strategic potential of logistics and SCM in practice.

Originality/value

New insights are generated into practitioner perspectives vis-à-vis logistics vs SCM. A fresh understanding of those factors which drive and hinder the adoption of strategic SCM is also developed and presented.

Supply chain management skills to sense and seize opportunities

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.

Internal integration in humanitarian supply chain management

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare perspectives on humanitarian logistics (HL) and supply chain management (SCM) among programmes and logistics/support staff.

Design/methodology/approach

Underpinned by services supply chain management (SSCM) theory, a single case study of a leading international non-governmental organisation is presented based on a web-based survey of the organisation’s global operations staff, supplemented by semi-structured interviews conducted with senior representatives.

Findings

The study is believed to be the first to consider the different perspectives of programmes and logistics staff on the interpretation of logistics and SCM. The results indicate both significant divergence between the views of these two cohorts, as well as a general lack of clarity over the concept of SCM, its relationship with logistics and the cross-functional nature of SCM.

Research limitations/implications

Insufficient responses from programme staff limit the generalisability of the findings. Suggestions for future research include further examination of the potential of applying SSCM and demand chain management concepts to the humanitarian context.

Practical implications

The results support the notion that a broader, more strategic interpretation of SCM, more clearly distinguished from the practice of HL, may assist in breaking down perceived jurisdictional boundaries, bridging the gap between programmes and logistics teams, and strengthening demand-chain influences and the “voice of the beneficiary”.

Originality/value

By taking into account the views of non-logisticians, a broader, cross-functional interpretation of SCM is offered leading to revised definitions for both SCM and HL within this sector, together with a framework that integrates SCM across humanitarian relief and development contexts.

Improving civil–military coordination in humanitarian logistics: the challenge

Within the emerging field of humanitarian logistics, the civil–military logistical interface has achieved only minimal attention in academic literature even though most western nations have a civil–military division within their defence departments. Due to fundamental differences between humanitarian and development agencies and international military forces in terms of the principles and doctrines guiding their work, their agendas, operating styles and roles, the area of civil–military logistical coordination in humanitarian relief has proven to be more difficult than other interagency relationships. This paper presents recent research that proposes a model for logistics requirements in humanitarian operations, taking account of where and how civil–military involvement can be most effective and efficient across all phases of humanitarian operations. Interviews were conducted with key personnel in humanitarian and military organisations. The model proposed here, appears to be robust and workable in a range of geopolitical and operational circumstances. We show that the greatest impact of military involvement is most beneficial in the initial crucial life sustaining days immediately after natural disasters. In contrast in manmade complex emergencies, military assistance to the logistical provision of aid is more beneficial when widespread military expertise is provided.

Reducing cost of energy in the offshore wind energy industry

Purpose

To support ongoing industry efforts to reduce the cost of energy (CoE) of offshore wind compared to other types of energy sources, researchers are applying scientific models and thought processes to identify potential areas of improvement and optimization. This paper aims to introduce a conceptual framework from a supply chain management (SCM) perspective, aimed at promoting the reduction of CoE in the offshore wind energy industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Using conceptual arguments from current academic literature in SCM, a comprehensive framework is presented that clarifies how SCM practices can be used by offshore wind energy industry to reduce CoE.

Findings

The offshore wind energy sector is a young industry that must reduce CoE to compete with other forms of energy. Applying a supply chain perspective in the offshore wind industry has hitherto been limited to the academic community. This paper offers a SCM framework that includes three interdependent aspects of reducing CoE – innovation, industrialization and supplier partnering – to guide the industry towards sources to reduce CoE.

Research limitations/implications

SCM is a broad research area; thus, the presented framework to reduce the CoE is open for further development.

Practical implications

The paper provides insights into how the CoE can be reduced through innovation, industrialization and partnering in the offshore wind energy supply chain.

Originality/value

The paper offers a seminal contribution by introducing a SCM framework to understand sources and approaches to reduce CoE in the offshore wind energy industry.

Integrated disaster relief logistics: a stepping stone towards viable civil-military networks?

The twenty-first century has seen a significant rise in all forms of disasters and this has resulted in military and humanitarian organisations becoming more frequently engaged in the provision of support to those affected. Achieving an efficient and effective logistic preparation and response is one of the key elements in mitigating the impact of such events, but the establishment of mechanisms to deliver an appropriately integrated civil-military approach remains elusive. Not least because of the high percentage of assistance budgets spent on logistics, this area is considered to represent fertile ground for developing improved processes and understanding. In practice, the demands placed on civilian and military logisticians are broadly similar, as is the solution space. Speaking a common language and using common concepts, it is argued, therefore, that the logistic profession should be in the vanguard of the development of an improved civil-military interface.

Issues in Supply Chain Implementation

The current global market forces compel most companies to create an international supply chain. Most of these companies have examined the problems and issues that they encounter during the implementation of this international supply chain. These problems are related to the attitude and culture of people around the world or rooted in the nature of the supply chain. Thus, this study compares the implementation of supply chain management (SCM) in two different countries with different cultures and attitudes. This study highlights the similarities of the problems and benefits of SCM implementation in the two countries. This study identifies the characteristics that are not related to attitude and culture and are rooted in the nature of SCM. A questionnaire was designed and distributed to 600 automotive companies in Malaysia and Iran. Several interviews were conducted to find solutions to the problems. Limited information and the lack of expert employees were identified as the most serious problems, whereas the improvement of warehouse management was identified as an important benefit of SCM implementation. Benchmarking and training courses were the important solutions to these problems. These results reveal that most issues in SCM implementation are rooted in its nature.

A longitudinal view of supply chain education

Purpose

– The logistics and supply chain management discipline has evolved dramatically over the past generation. The rapid pace of change has challenged education providers – e.g., universities, professional associations, and publications – to remain relevant to various stakeholders. Relying on an open systems design perspective, the purpose of this paper is to assess how well organizations use constrained resources (personnel, dollars, time, etc.) to meet customers’ educational needs.

Design/methodology/approach

– To examine how well educational providers are meeting stakeholder goals, universities, associations, and publications are examined across time by multiple surveys to determine if they are keeping pace in the changing business world.

Findings

– The paper identifies two gaps. First, stakeholders report a growing gap between the offerings of existing education providers and their educational needs. Second, the gap between academic and practitioner perceptions is growing. Importantly, some organizations and universities are doing a better job of responding to changing educational requirements. Finally, a shift to SCM is further complicating the educational process.

Originality/value

– This study makes two primary contributions. First, it identifies important changes in the logistics and supply chain education market. Second, it provides updated rankings of the perceptions of academics and practitioners regarding three education providers: professional organizations, universities, and publications. This insight enables logistics and supply chain thought leaders to evaluate how they can enhance education resources and thus remain relevant in a rapidly changing and increasingly tumultuous marketplace.