Evolution of the supply chain in the Italian railway industry

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to fill the research gap represented by the lack of analysis on the industry's specific factors which affect the evolution of customer‐supplier relationships and the entire supply chain organisation in the railway manufacturing industry by providing an interpretative framework.Design/methodology/approach – The research is based upon an in‐depth longitudinal case study on AnsaldoBreda, the main Italian railway company that is representative of the EU context. The study was conducted over a period of ten years.Findings – The empirical findings highlighted that in recent decades the hierarchical relationships among firms operating in the Italian railway have been modified. Moreover, regarding the evolution of the supply system four main phases are illustrated and the gap with other industrial sectors is remarked.Research limitations/implications – The approach taken restricts the empirical findings to the Italian railway industry. However, various elements show that the case study i...