Supply Chain Quality Research Articles

Research on Quality Decisions and Coordination with Reference Effect in Dual-Channel Supply Chain

Although supply quality management has been studied extensively, one important marketing phenomenon, that is, reference effect has been rarely considered in dual-channel supply chain quality management literatures. In fact, the quality reference effect is also an important factor which influences consumer purchasing behavior. We aim to explore the influence of the reference effect on the optimal decisions and performance of a dual-channel supply. Thus, we formulate dynamic models that include the product quality reference effect and the service quality reference effect in a dual-channel supply chain system consisting of a manufacturer and a retailer under the different decision-making scenarios. Utilizing differential game theory, optimal decisions are obtained for the product quality and service quality decision under the different decision-making scenarios. In addition, the optimal decisions and profits are compared, then a service cost-sharing coordinating mechanism is proposed and proven to be effective in the supply chain system. The main results show when the initial reference service quality is low, the consumer service quality reference effect is beneficial to the manufacturer. The spillover effect of service quality is not conducive to the retailer and the manufacturer. When the initial reference product quality is low, both online and offline product quality reference effects are beneficial to the retailer and the manufacturer. The stable (or final) reference quality will not be affected by the initial reference quality. The sum of the two members’ profits under decentralized decision making is less than the total profit of the supply chain under centralized decision making. We design a cost-sharing coordinating mechanism to eliminate the double marginal effect.

A BDI Modeling Approach for Decision Support in Supply Chain Quality Inspection

Quality inspection, a widely adopted practice in supply chains, measures whether delivered products conform to prespecified quality requirements. Due to potential economic benefits, suppliers may deliberately manipulate products to falsify test results. However, unqualified products could cause severe problems in supply chains or even tragedies, such as China’s tainted milk scandal. In this paper, we propose a belief-desire-intention modeling approach to predict suppliers’ behavior and provide inspection suggestions to buyers to overcome the problem. Assuming access to the production process, our approach can represent suppliers’ knowledge of production and deception to mimic their reasoning processes and predict their deception intentions. This flexible approach can also adapt to environmental changes and deliver effective results. In this paper, we build a prototype system for supply chain quality inspections based on the proposed method. We conduct laboratory experiments to collect data for computational assessments of the performance of the prototype. It is shown that our proposed approach is more accurate than classic machine learning methods in detecting suppliers’ deceptions.

Supply chain quality management and firm performance in China's food industry—the moderating role of social co-regulation

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between supply chain quality management (SCQM) and firm performance (including quality safety performance and sales performance) leveraging social co-regulation as a moderator.Design/methodology/approachUsing survey data collected from 203 food manufacturers in China, a series of hierarchical linear modeling analyses were conducted to test hypotheses on the relationships between SCQM and firm performance.FindingsThe findings are threefold. First, all three dimensions of food SCQM practices, i.e., supplier quality management, internal quality management, and customer quality management, have significant positive effects on an enterprise's quality safety performance and sales performance. Second, SCQM practices can also increase sales performance indirectly through quality safety performance as a mediator. Third, while social co-regulation has no significant effect on the relationship between supplier quality management and quality safety performance, it has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between internal quality management and quality safety performance, customer quality management and quality safety performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis study not only integrates SCQM with social co-regulation but also explores the regulating effect of social co-regulation through empirical analysis, thereby providing a theoretical base for future research. However, this research is confined to China and so the results are not necessarily generalizable to other countries.Practical implicationsThe findings inform managers of the importance in enhancing awareness of food quality and safety as well as in improving their sensitivity to salient quality demands of external stakeholders in order to achieve better SCQM practices. The findings can also inform policymakers of the significance in designing a systematic multi-agent cooperation mechanism for food SCQM as well as to build an effective information sharing mechanism for social co-regulation of food safety.Originality/valueThis study contributes to knowledge by empirically examining the relationships of SCQM practices with firm performance. It also expands the scope of SCQM research by incorporating social co-regulation in the study framework.

The Effect of Supply Chain Quality Integration on Supply Chain Management Practice to Achieve Supply Chain Performance

In manufacturing company, quality of product could become their competitive advantage to compete in the market. To achieve good quality of products and activities, company need to have system or strategy to manage their supply chain activity and make it more effective and efficient flow of production and improve the quality of information sharing, production time, and products, so the company can improve their performance. This study conducted to find out the mediating effect of supply chain quality integration on supply chain management practices to achieve performance. Researcher was using PLS Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to analyze data. The sample of this research was consumer goods manufacturing in Indonesia and using primary data with questionnaire as data collection method. After analysis using PLS-SEM, researcher was found that supply chain management practices affect operational performance; and supply chain quality integration has mediating effect on the effect of supply chain management practices on operational performance of company.

Quality Management and Blockchain Adoption in a Supply Chain

Abstract In the past, it was difficult to check, identify, and trace product quality. Quality violation regularly takes place when consumers know product quality is overstated. In this paper, we examine the motivation for and implication of a supply chain that adopts blockchain technology to improve product quality in supply chains. We build up a stylish model in which a two-echelon supply chain consisting of one manufacturer and one retailer. The manufacturer decides whether or not to adopt blockchain and the retailer sells products to consumers. Our results imply that the manufacturer always provides a low-quality product without blockchain but when the quality-cost ratio is sufficiently high with the affordable blockchain adoption cost, blockchain technology could encourage the manufacturer to produce high-quality products.

The impact of transactional leadership on supply chain quality and performance

The impact of transactional leadership on supply chain quality and performance

The impact of supply chain quality integration on green supply chain management and environmental performance in Vietnam’s tourism industries

The impact of supply chain quality integration on green supply chain management and environmental performance in Vietnam’s tourism industries

The impact of supply chain quality management on firm performance: Empirical evidence from Vietnam

The impact of supply chain quality management on firm performance: Empirical evidence from Vietnam

Supply Chain Quality Management (SCQM); A Tool for Financial Performance of Brewery Companies in the South West Region of Cameroon

Purpose: The goal of every business is long term profitability. The outcomes of the 21st century have greatly influenced this goal. In reaction, companies now resort to indirect competition through Supply Chain Quality Management. This paper sort to examine the effect of such practices on the financial performance of the brewery companies in the South West Region of Cameroon. Method: The study made use of primary data collected using a five point likert scale questionnaire administered to 224 employees and 112 distributors of the four major brewery companies in the South West Region of Cameroon. The survey method was applied in a case study design. The ordinary least squares technique was used to assess the effect of supply chain quality management on the financial performance while the Levene statistic was used to test for homogeneity of the responses following the employees and the distributors of the companies. Findings: While surprisingly establishing that information sharing and top management commitment had an insignificant effect and that top management commitment had a negative influence on the financial performance of the companies. Customer relationship management, continuous improvement and innovation and strategic supplier partnership revealed significant positive effects on the financial performance of the companies. However, continuous improvement and innovation and strategic supplier partnership did not portray differences in the responses between employees and distributors while top management commitment and information sharing portrayed variances in the responses and customer relationship management did not show any clear conclusion. Managerial implications (contributions) : The managerial implications rest on the partial implementation of supply chain quality management practices between employees and distributors. Efforts towards continuous improvement and innovation and strategic supplier partnership need to be applied evenly between distributors and employees while emphasis need should not be placed on top management commitment and information sharing. This will give room for improvement and innovation leading to increase in customer satisfaction, sales and other financial parameters of the companies.

Supply Chain Quality Performance Evaluation Model Based on Intuitionistic Fuzzy PROMETHEE

Aiming at the ambiguity and uncertainty in subjective group decision-making of supply chain quality performance evaluation, the traditional preference ranking organization methods for enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE) is extended to a fuzzy environment, and a new intuitive fuzzy PROMETHEE model is proposed. The model uses intuitionistic fuzzy numbers to express the decision-maker’s semantic evaluation information, and establishes a trust function based on the evaluation information to determine the decision-maker’s weight. Then, use the method of maximizing the net flow to obtain the attribute weight. Finally, gather the evaluation information to obtain the decision group’s pros and cons. The validity and feasibility of the model is verified by an example.

English

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of procurement performance on the profitability of Foam Mattress Firms in Uganda. Cross-sectional research design was used to execute the study. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were employed to draw a sample size of 40 Departments whose inventory, supply chain, production, marketing, internal audit and accounting department formed the unit of analysis while inventory managers, store keepers, supply chain managers, quality controllers, production managers, accountants, and internal auditors formed the unit of inquiry. Questionnaires were self-administered to 200 respondents. The units of analysis (Departments) were each represented by five (5) respondents. The responses were aggregated to the respective units of analysis (Departments). Correlation and regression statistical analysis were performed by SPSS. The findings revealed that procurement performance is positive and significantly associated to profitability (r=0.857; p<0.01). Overall, the results indicate that procurement performance greatly influences profitability in Foam Mattress Manufacturing Firms in Uganda. The study was cross-sectional with its intrinsic weaknesses. This study was limited to Foam Mattress Manufacturing Firms sector in Uganda. Future study should examine the same in line with other private sector industries. Moreover, the findings were drawn from the study within the setting of Uganda, thus future study should examine the same in different countries. Key words: Procurement, performance, procurement performance, profitability.

Supply chain quality management and organizational performance

PurposeSupply chain quality management (SCQM) has gained less attention in the Arab world, and there is a clear dearth in existing research on this topic, particularly in service organizations. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework for investigating the impact of SCQM and associated indicators on organizational performance (OP).Design/methodology/approachEmpirical data have been collected through a survey distributed to a sample of major telecom companies in United Arab Emirates (UAE). To test the conceptual framework, structural equation modeling (SEM) has been used to analyze the data collected from 248 respondents of telecom companies.FindingsThe empirical data showed that SCQM practices are significantly correlated with innovation and operations performance. Statistical analysis through SEM also revealed that customer satisfaction has highest direct impact on OP.Research limitations/implicationsExternal factors (government regulations, policies and culture) also affect the SCQM practices. Hence, future work should incorporate these parameters as well.Practical implicationsThis is a contribution to the continuing research into SCQM, giving supply chain managers and designers a practical way for measuring and implementing SCQM practices across service supply chains.Originality/valueThe contribution of this research, through successive stages of data collection, measurement analysis and refinement, is a set of reliable and valid framework that can be subsequently used in conceptualization and measuring quality of service supply chains.

Study on the Decision of Supply Chain Considering Asymmetric Information and Quality Competition

Product quality is a fundamental factor for supply chain to obtain a competitive advantage. This paper studies the decisions of supply chain under asymmetry information of quality effort cost, considering the quality competition of manufacturers. Transfer payment contract is introduced by comparing the Stackelberg model between symmetry information and asymmetry information. At the same time, this paper analyzes the impact of quality competition and false information strategy on supply chain quality decision. The research shows that the quality competition can improves products quality, and manufacturers tend to choose strategy of false information. Moreover, after the introduction of contract, the manufacturers will convey the true quality information and reduce the competition to optimize their own profits.

Quality management in outsourced global fashion supply chains: an exploratory case study

Outsourcing production is common in the fashion industry but can lead to quality defects. This paper thus sheds light on how quality is managed in outsourced fashion supply chains. We propose a new trilogy for managing quality control in outsourced fashion supply chains: (1) manufacturer quality assessment, (2) quality management in production and (3) quality inspection and assurance. We implement an exploratory case study methodology. Through a qualitative case study of a leading global Japanese fashion retailer that outsources production mainly to China, we contribute to quality management studies by developing a new quality control trilogy for outsourced supply chains. Our findings can provide fashion retailers with guidance on controlling product quality in outsourced supply chains and developing strategies for improving supply chain performance. We also demonstrate the importance of contract and relationship management, supply chain integration and quality visibility in enhancing product and process quality in outsourced fashion supply chains.

Membangun Strategi Pemasaran Umkm Kuliner Kajian Fenomenologi Angkringan Di Surabaya

The rise of culinary business in angkringan creates its own polemic at food and beverage industry in Surabaya. As the number of angkringan increases, the level of competition among these businesses increases as well. The founder of angkringan also faces hard competition to achieve sustainability in its business. A comprehensive strategy in competing is needed to stay afloat, one of them is a marketing strategy. Hence, qualitative phenomenology research on angkringan in Surabaya is needed to capture the real experience of the founder so as to conclude the appropriate marketing strategy for the angkringan. This research is aimed at SME food and beverage business in angkringan that provides effective marketing strategies for angkringan in Surabaya. This research conclude that the angkringan has few constraints such as minimal working capital, high level of business competition, low level of HR education, and HR hijacking by competitors. Few solutions of this constraints are comprehensive training, supply chain quality improvement, and making SOPs

Modeling enablers of supply chain quality risk management: a grey-DEMATEL approach

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to recognize and model the enablers of supply chain quality risk management (SCQRM) through an empirical study in the Indian automotive companies.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review was conducted to extract the key enablers of quality management (QM) and risk management in the context of manufacturing supply chains. A grey-based DEMATEL method was employed to identify and model the key enablers of SCQRM.FindingsThe results of empirical study showed that the effectiveness of QM and risk management systems for automotive supply chain is driven by a set of common enablers that could be employed for developing dedicated SCQRM systems. The common causal factors in the model such as the involvement of top leaders, inter-firm communication and strategic-level alignment between supply chain members on both these issues clearly state that there is a need for a broader policy at an early stage.Practical implicationsIt is crucial for the automotive companies to develop and implement structured systems for SCQRM keeping in view the impact of any unaddressed quality risk on missed production targets, vehicle recalls and safety hazards.Originality/valueThis study ascertains the key enablers of SCQRM with emblematic focus on automotive industry and identifies if there are commonalities in these enablers.

Selection of remanufacturing/production cycles with an alternative market: A perspective on waste management

Abstract Reduction of waiting time and waste directly improves the quality of supply chain and its sequence. The cost and energy consumption vary thereby resulting in an evolving sustainability. This paper investigates the policy that proves the optimum in reduction of such time and the condition, under which the said policies can be feasible. A mathematical model has been developed to analyse two approaches of the replenishment cycles with respect to the waste management. A closed-structured supply chain model has been considered with a primary and secondary market concepts having overlapped and in sequence manufacturing/remanufacturing policies. Through an analytical model, the minimization of total cost has been achieved. Some solutions of the decision variables are obtained in quasi-closed form. The way to use the used or waste from primary supply chain is found very useful for the secondary supply chain. Numerical study finds that the waiting time for the primary market is reduced by 84.62% and the cost is decreased by 1.38% by adopting the right policy such that the waste is reduced remarkably.

The role of absorptive capacity within supply chain quality integration

PurposeThere is a consensus suggesting that the theoretical underpinning associated with supply chain quality management practices remain evolutionary to current thinking. Therefore, this study aims to explore how absorptive capacity (AC) supports supply chain quality integration (SCQI) by building product and process quality within a supply chain (SC).Design/methodology/approachA comparative case study of global pharmaceutical manufacturers in a developing market was undertaken. A two-round qualitative research method was designed to collect data through 54 semi-structured interviews with pharmaceutical managers and senior managers.FindingsThe results demonstrate that AC is essential to the development of SCQI because of its ability to use valuable strategic and operational knowledge, which is important when improving consistent internal product and process quality, along with establishing a robust SC design. The authors found that AC enables companies to design their quality and continuously improve their products and processes among their SC members.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors acknowledge that these sets of findings are difficult to generalise to other sectors, however, the authors are confident that they can be extrapolated to other companies in the pharmaceutical industry.Practical implicationsThe study develops a framework to support practitioners and decision makers to leverage their AC towards facilitating their SCQI practices.Originality/valueThis study explains the role of the AC process in relation to SCQI practices, in the context of the pharmaceutical SC. The study profiles the characteristics of dynamic capabilities to increase the companies’ competencies, processes and resources.

Impact of supply chain quality management practices on operational performance: empirical evidence from manufacturing companies in Vietnam

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the effect of supply chain quality management on operational performance in Vietnamese manufacturing companies.Design/methodology/approachQuestionnaire survey is conducted to collect data from Vietnamese manufacturing companies in the electronic/electric industry. Collected data were analyzed by using correlation analysis and hierarchical regression analysis.FindingsThis study points out the current situation of implementing supply chain quality management practices in Vietnamese manufacturing companies which are more focused on internal quality management practices than upstream and downstream quality management practices. Correlation and regression analyses that demonstrate the significant linkage between supply chain quality management practices and operational performance are confirmed in this study. Upstream and downstream quality management are found to be the significant predictor for high performance on quality, cost and delivery.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has some limitations that can be addressed in future studies. The first limitation is the relatively small sample size due to lack of time and resources. These constraint can be overcome in future works by collecting more data in diverse countries and industries to re-examine the framework. Furthermore, larger sample will allow researchers to apply other statistical methods such as path analysis and structural equation modelling, which would provide interesting results. Another limitation is that the collected data in this paper mainly rely on perceptions of the respondents, which may cause individual bias in analysis. To reduce this type of bias, both subjective and objective measurement of scales, especially performance measures, can be used in future studies.Practical implicationsThis study provides empirical evidences that practitioners can use to improve a specific type of performance, especially in the context of emerging economies. In a turbulent and unpredictable business environment, it is emphasized that quality management should be extended at supply chain level to utilize the capabilities of external partners. In Vietnamese manufacturing firms, implementation of such practices as information technology links, information sharing, supplier involvement and customer involvement would lead to high level of operational performance.Originality/valueSupply chain management and quality management are two fields of study that have gained much attention of researchers. However, the concept of supply chain quality management as well as its impact on business performance have not been fully studied, especially in context of a developing country. Through extensive literature review, this study proposes and tests an analytical framework that characterizes supply chain quality management into three elements: internal quality management, upstream quality management and downstream quality management. Subsequently, their impact on quality, cost and delivery are analyzed to provide better understanding of supply chain quality management in Vietnamese context.

A learning perspective of supply chain quality management: empirical evidence from US supply chains

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the relationship between supply chain quality management practices and their impact on supply chain performance. The authors define and operationalize supply chain quality management practices that enhance knowledge creation and learning in a supply chain.Design/methodology/approachData are collected from logistics and supply chain managers in the USA to examine the validity and reliability of the model for supply chain quality.FindingsThe empirical result provides support for the reliability and validity of the proposed model, the constructs used in the model, and the interrelationships among key constructs of supply chain quality. The authors show that trust is the main predictor of supply chain quality practices and supply chain quality performance outcomes. In addition, the findings show that the impact of trust on process improvement is mediated by information sharing, inter-firm trust and information sharing are significant predictors of supply chain satisfaction, and inter-firm trust and process improvement are significant predictors of supply chain performance. Implications of the research for the theory and practice of supply chain management and quality management are presented.Practical implicationsThis study provides important insights into effective implementation of quality management across the supply chain. Supply chain managers should realize that achieving improvement in many supply chain activities such as information sharing or process improvement requires organizations to be engaged in trust-based activities. In that regard, it is important for supply chain managers to be engaged in developing relationships with their supply chain partners that enhance inter-organizational trust.Originality/valueThis is the first study that examines a supply chain quality management model from the learning perspective. The authors validate the supply chain quality framework proposed by Parast (2103) through operationalization of the constructs, development of the relationship among key supply chain quality practices and empirical assessment of the structural model for supply chain quality.