Integrated Approach to Supply Chain Performance Measurement – Results of the Study on Polish Market

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the integration level of supply chain performance measurement among the largest production and commercial companies in Poland. Modern advanced measurement systems should analyze both the performance of individual organizations in the supply chains and the performance of a supply chain as a whole (integrated approach). Many international researches show that lack of information about the situation in the entire supply chain and lack of methods to analyze the entire network of partners is one of the most important barriers to improve the performance.A questionnaire survey was carried out within the research project ʽMeasuring the performance of supply chains in the largest production and commercial companies in Poland’. The survey involved a sample of 79 senior level managers responsible for logistics/supply chain management of the companies listed on the ʽRanking of 500 largest companies in Poland by Rzeczpospolita Daily’. It was carried out with the use of CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) method. The final form of the questionnaire was adopted after conducting a pilot study with logistics / supply chain directors of three leading companies in Poland.Methods of supply chain performance measurement used on Polish market do not take into account to a sufficient degree all the cooperating partners in the extended supply chain (from suppliers’ suppliers to the final consumer), what has a negative impact on the performance of these chains. The research results indicate that the main barriers to the implementation of advanced measurement systems include: insufficient awareness of managers concerning the role of supply chains management in building the real value, low tendency to invest in advanced tools that support such measurement, fear of increase in costs, as well as reluctance to share information with partners.The study shows a potential to improve existing achievements, which should arouse interest of companies. Awareness among managers about potential for improving the performance of supply chains by using integrated measurement and adequate management information on the entire system should have an impact on tendency to invest in tools to support such measurement.The study fills the gap in the existing literature on logistics and supply chain management. This is the only research that treats this topic comprehensively on Polish market and is a base for benchmarking studies in Europe and worldwide.