Abstract
Development of a coherent methodology for supply chain vs. supply chain competition remains elusive in literature in terms of purpose, approaches and theoretical foundations. The purpose of this paper is to identify suitable theories of competition from which supply chain vs. supply chain competition may be further developed. Paper explores literature on competition theories, competition and its correlates and also considers the dichotomy between competitiveness and competition in relation to achievement of a competitive advantage in supply chains. An argument is made for the identification and development of theory that reflects the multidimensional, process-based and emergent properties of supply chains. Three competition theories from which supply chain vs. supply chain competition may begin to be conceptualized and possibly operationalized are identified. A chronological conceptualization of competition, competitiveness and competitive advantage, which is intuitive to the realization of competitive advantage in inter-supply chain competition, is also proposed.
Highlights
A supply chain is the network of organizations involved, through upstream and downstream linkages, in the different processes and activities that produce value in the form of goods and services for end-customers (Christopher, 1992)
This paper has firstly concerned itself with the search for suitable competition theories with which supply chain vs. supply chain competition may begin to be conceptualized in literature
Economic competition emphasises competition as its main driving force, niche theory advocates structure as the essence of competition, while R-A theory is solely based on the idea of comparative advantage of resources
Summary
A supply chain is the network of organizations involved, through upstream and downstream linkages, in the different processes and activities that produce value in the form of goods and services for end-customers (Christopher, 1992). Beyond the varied understandings of competition between supply chains proposed in literature, e.g. as complex adaptive systems (Langdon and Sikora, 2006), use of economic network model (Zhang, 2006), and on network capabilities (Rice and Hoppe, 2001), there is unwillingness within supply chain management scholars to debate the validity of the concept of supply chain vs supply chain competition This is based on the fact that there is little in the current literature to suggest that the ascribed meaning of such formulations as supply chain vs supply chain competition is relevant and acceptable to the development of the discipline. This is important to establish the idea of the broader dynamics of change that continuously occur in supply chain management
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