Supply Chain Quality Research Articles

Research on corporate social responsibility and product quality in an outsourcing supply chain

<p style='text-indent:20px;'>In a supply chain with product outsourcing, it is crucial to identify which firm implements corporate social responsibility (CSR) leads to a higher CSR effort level, a higher product quality level, a higher quantity of outsourced products, and higher profits for supply chain members. In response to this question, we consider a decentralized supply chain with an upstream contract manufacturer (CM) and a downstream original equipment manufacturer (OEM). In this relationship, the downstream OEM outsources the product to the upstream CM and determines the quantity, while the upstream CM produces for the downstream OEM and determines the product quality and the wholesale price. Based on the scenario that each supply chain member can respectively implement the CSR effort (i.e., the CM model and the OEM model), we first investigate the impacts of the CSR demand-sensitivity coefficient, the CSR cost-reducing efficiency, and the CSR effort investment efficiency on the operational decisions and on the profits for supply chain members. Second, we compare the equilibrium results between the CM model and the OEM model. Finally, we study supply chain coordination. We find that (1) an increase in the CSR demand-sensitivity coefficient (the CSR cost-reducing efficiency and the CSR effort investment efficiency) is beneficial to the CSR effort level, the product quality level, the quantity of outsourced products, and the profitability for each supply chain member; (2) the CSR effort level is higher in the CM model than that in the OEM model, which in turn leads to a higher product quality level, a higher quantity of outsourced products, and a higher profitability of supply chain members; and (3) the proposed schemes consisting of quantity discount contracts, CSR effort investment cost sharing contracts, and quality investment cost sharing contracts can effectively coordinate the supply chain.</p>

Blockchain-Based Process Quality Data Sharing Platform for Aviation Suppliers

Given the challenge of manufacturing data silos and information credibility issues in traditional aviation suppliers’ result-oriented management approach, this paper proposes a blockchain-based aviation supplier manufacturing process quality data-sharing platform. Firstly, the paper introduces the possibility of integrating manufacturing supply chain quality management with blockchain technology. Secondly, the quality and data sharing platform architecture of the production process of new aviation suppliers is presented based on quality state and island kinds of aviation suppliers. Then, a detailed method for the implementation of quality and data security sharing is proposed to support the sharing platform’s real-time and orderly operation. Build critical technologies such as manufacturing quality data block packaging models, data storage security sharing, and supplier assessment models on this foundation. Finally, depending on data collection of supplier product production processes to shared application practices based on a specific aircraft industrial park under the supervision of the platform architecture and technology. The application platform integrates the data supply and request components, providing practical and intelligent sharing solutions for airlines’ product quality data.

Product Innovation & Performance in Supply Chain Quality Management of SMEs within Pakistan

Product Innovation & Performance in Supply Chain Quality Management of SMEs within Pakistan

Supply Chain Quality Integration in Manufacturing Firms: Examining the Role of Intellectual Capital and Absorptive Capacity In a Developing Economy

This paper explores the direct relationship between intellectual capital and supply chain quality integration (SCQI). Furthermore, the indirect effect of intellectual capital through absorptive capacity is also explored. Based on the resource-based view, dynamic capabilities perspective and relational view, a theoretical model developed from the extant literature was empirically validated through a cross-sectional survey of 101 manufacturing firms in Uganda. The data were analysed by using correlations and regressions. The findings revealed that intellectual capital has a positive and significant effect on absorptive capacity – absorptive capacity also positively and significantly influences SCQI. Moreover, intellectual capital significantly influences SCQI both directly and indirectly through the partial mediation of absorptive capacity. The fundamental novelty of this article is contribution to the limited empirical studies on SCQI and its antecedents by incorporating the three components of intellectual capital besides unveiling empirical evidence confirming the partial mediating role of absorptive capacity in the intellectual capital- SCQI relationship in manufacturing firms in a developing country context.

Evaluation and selection of large cardamom supply chain using fuzzy logic based decision‐making model

AbstractLarge cardamom is a high‐value, low‐volume cash crop that is commercially important. The evaluation and selection of suppliers is a complicated and common multi‐criteria decision‐making challenge. Supplier selection becomes more difficult and unpredictable as a result of the necessity for human judgment in many areas of supplier selection, such as preferences for alternatives or supplier qualities. The objective of the study was to evaluate various large cardamom supply chains based on various supply chain quality parameters. The proposed selection strategy used fuzzy logic to identify the best acceptable supplier as well as rank the various supply chain parameters. The major steps of supply chain evaluation by fuzzy modeling involve the calculation of triplets for the score of various supply chains, calculation of triplets for the score of supply chain quality attributes, and calculation of overall membership function on a standard fuzzy scale. The results revealed that the proposed fuzzy logic method was well suited as a decision‐making tool for supplier evaluation. The assessment of various supply chains showed that the best supply chain management method included material moving from producers to consumers through aggregators, commission agents, wholesalers, and retailers. Comparing the overall similarity values of each chosen supply chain, customer satisfaction was ranked top among the quality attributes of the supply chain, followed by external and internal support, internal performance, and strategic and operational coordination. Consumers monitoring the performance of the supply chain can assist in information acquisition, influence the behavior of supply chain participants, and enhance overall performance.Practical applicationSelecting a suitable large cardamom supply chain would provide a solution for regulating the flow of products and information across the supply chain network. Implementing fuzzy logic for preferred supplier selection has a significant impact on the financial perspective. In the fuzzy logic for a large cardamom supply chain, fuzzy sets or membership functions were employed to express input space to output space. Fuzzification was used to transform a vector of crisp input data acquired from a study of a large cardamom supply chain into a vector of equivalent input language variables. The fuzzy output variables are defuzzified in the defuzzification process, and the fuzzy variables are turned into crisp values or crisp output vectors.

A Case Study of Human Milk Banking with Focus on the Role of IoT Sensor Technology

Human milk is the biological norm for newborn nutrition, with breast milk from the mother being recognized as the best source of nutrition for infant health. When the mother’s milk is unavailable, donor human milk is the best alternative for infants with low birthweights. Growing recognition of the benefits of donor human milk has led to increasing global interest in monitoring and controlling human milk’s quality to fulfil the need for donor human milk. In response to this need, the REAMIT project proposed to adapt and apply existing innovative technology to continuously monitor and record human milk quality and signal potential milk quality issues. IoT sensors and big data technology have been used to monitor conditions that may increase spoilage (such as temperature and humidity) in the transportation stage. The sensors were installed in the insulated bags used to transport the milk from the donor’s home or hospital to the human milk bank and vice versa. The temperature and humidity were collected every 30 min, whilst the GPS locator sent data every 2 min. The data are collected in the cloud using GPRS/CAT-M1 technology. An algorithm was designed to send alerts when the milk temperature is above the prespecified threshold specified by the organisation, i.e., above −20 °C. The experience showed evidence that IoT sensors can efficiently be used to monitor and maintain quality in supply chains of high-quality human milk. This rare product needs a high level of quality control, which is possible with the support of smart technologies. The IoT technology used can help the human milk supply chain in five different aspects, namely by reducing waste, assuring quality, improving availability, reducing cost and improving sustainability. This system could be extended to various supply chains of rare and precious commodities, including further medical supplies such as human blood and organs, to completely avoid waste and ensure total quality in supply chains.

The mediating role of supply chain quality management for traceability and performance improvement: Evidence among Chinese food firms

With the frequent outbreak of food safety issues, supply chain traceability (SCT), using industry 4.0 technologies such as blockchain, Internet of Things, and cloud computing for end-to-end quality monitoring, has attracted increasing attention from academia and practitioners. However, whether and how supply chain focal firms can improve both quality and economic performance through SCT practices is still unclear and lacks studies. Built on the value of SCT and from the resource dependence theory (RDT) perspective, this study hypothesizes that supply chain quality management (SCQM) practices, including supply chain-based quality strategy and leadership (SCQSL), supply chain-based process integration and management (SCPIM), and quality-oriented supply chain relationship management (QSCRM), are necessary for focal firms to improve quality and gain economic benefit through SCT. Using survey data collected from 337 food firms in China, our structural equation modeling results reveal that SCT can bring quality performance while SCQSL and SCPIM are necessarily required. SCT can improve economic performance while SCPIM is essential and SCQSL is partially necessary. Moreover, SCRM is partially needed for firms to gain both types of performances. This study contributes new theoretical insights for food firms to highlight SCQM practices in support of their traceback investigation for associated performance gains.

Statistical process control implementations within the aviation industry

In 1931, Walter Shewhart introduced his work in statistical process control (SPC) through his book, Economic Control of Quality of Manufactured Product. A common confusion in the use of SPC is that it does not fit every business or industry. Since Shewhart's work was published, various companies and industries have implemented such practices as a method to control their manufacturing quality of products, service quality, and design quality. In 2017, a supply chain quality organization from a well-known business jet manufacturer discovered that vendors of its supply base were posting ostensibly statistical process control charts on metric walls in their facilities. The charts were not error-free. Out-of-date data placed on the charts, the preponderance appeared to be weeks or months old, and incorrect use of control and specification limits indicated there might be a gap. The purpose of this research was to discover why businesses in the aviation industry are not taking advantage of SPC practices and methodologies. To identify the potential barriers inhibiting the deployment or growth of SPC implementations in the aviation industry, data was gathered from a survey of original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and members of the aviation supply base. The major challenges or barriers to implementing SPC in the aviation supply base were recognized as leadership commitment, cultural mindset and behaviors, understanding the benefits of SPC, and a lack of knowledge.

Antecedents of IoT adoption in food supply chain quality management: an integrative model

PurposeThe introduction of quality management Internet of things (QM IoT) can help food supply chain members to enhance real-time visibility, quality, safety and efficiency of products and processes. Current literature indicates three main research gaps, including a lack of studies in QM IoT in the food supply chain, the vagueness of integrative adoption of new technology framework and deficient research covering both adoption attitude and intention in the same model. This study aims to propose an analysis model based on the technological–organizational–environmental (TOE) framework and reinforced by the collaborative structure to capture the importance of the supply chain network.Design/methodology/approachThe partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to test the impacts of the adoption factors on QM IoT adoption attitude and intention among 197 respondents in food manufacturing in Thailand.FindingsThe results indicated that compatibility, trialability, adaptive capacity, innovative capability, executive support, value chain partner pressure, presence of service provider and information sharing significantly impacted the attitude toward QM IoT adoption, while adaptive capability, innovative capability and information sharing directly influenced the QM IoT adoption intention. Furthermore, the attitude toward QM IoT adoption positively impacted the QM IoT adoption intention.Practical implicationsThis study contributed to academicians by proposing a more solid adoption framework for QM IoT area. In addition, the business practitioners could actively prepare themselves for the QM IoT adoption, whereas the service providers could provide better and suitable service.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the building of a more solid framework and indicates significant factors that impact the attitude toward QM IoT adoption and adoption intention.

Game analysis on the quality and safety control of pork supply chain - The case study of China

Using the method of static game analysis, the potential risk and responsibility across the entire pork supply chain are discussed from the perspective of all stakeholders involved. Included in the analysis are pig suppliers, slaughterers, pork processors, pork sellers and consumers. The results indicate the following: firstly, the lower the probability of inspections on downstream businesses and the higher the single inspection fee, the greater the probability of harmful substances used by upstream businesses and the higher the costs. Secondly, businesses that actively manufacture and transfer harmful substances in the supply chain cannot add extra costs. Finally, the quality and risk factors in pork production may not follow a strictly linear growth. This study might explain the unique problems that occur in pork supply chain management in large developing countries such as China.

Adapt or die: a competitive digital supply chain quality management strategy

PurposeThe evolution of modern digitalization technologies necessitates the development of a competitive digital supply chain quality management (SCQM) strategy by manufacturers. Using the new institutions and institutional theory (IIT), the study research first aims to identify the most important SCQM practices that can influence competitive performance (CP). Second, the authors intend to investigate the role of digital strategy alignment (DSA) in moderating the relationship between the multidimensionality of SCQM practices and CP among manufacturers.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ the Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique to examine 225 valid samples from Malaysian manufacturers who use SCQM practices.FindingsThe study findings indicate that five of the twelve hypotheses developed were accepted. This suggests that supplier focus, strategic collaboration, information sharing and customer focus are positively and significantly correlated with CP. Unexpectedly, DSA moderates the relationship between leadership and CP.Originality/valueThis study extended the new IIT by empirically testing the six SCQM practices for CP in a DSA context, which can serve as a model for future research in the SCQM, CP and DS fields.

Effect of Relationship Quality in Collaboration and Innovation of Agricultural Service Supply Chain under Omni-Channel Model

The goal of this study is to investigate the regulation effect of relationship quality in the process of the omni-channel (OC) model on service supply chain (SSC) collaboration of agricultural products. Furthermore, it is also to explore the intermediary effect of SSC collaboration in the process of service innovation and OC. A questionnaire was developed, research data were gathered from businesses in the agricultural SSC in western China, and an empirical study was carried out by using the AMOS multivariate statistical analysis approach after a thorough review of the literature in recent years. The study demonstrates that the OC model has a considerable impact on service innovation, SSC collaboration has an intermediary effect, and the quality of supply chain (SC) relationships has a regulation effect in the model. The results inspire academics and industry professionals to focus on SSC collaboration, improve the OC model’s administration, and promote service innovation in agricultural SC. Finally, the paper proposes suggestions to promote agricultural product development in western China in terms of enhancing SSC collaboration, OC model, and service innovation.

Co-creation of mobile app quality in a two-platform supply chain when platforms are asymmetric

Mobile app development is a fast-growing industry, with Google Play and App Store being the two largest platforms, which provide app developers with a global audience. While each platform has its own captive app users, developers have the freedom to distribute their app via either a single platform or both. In the latter case, developers need to create two versions of the app, which differ in terms of their conformance quality (dictated by the platform), but share the same design quality (defined by the developer). We demonstrate that the cross-platform design quality results in a fee-allocation mechanism, according to which when one platform increases the developer's revenue share, it pushes the other platform to reduce the revenue share that it offers to the developer. The innovation of this work lies in considering the co-creation of app quality in a two-platform supply chain operating under a revenue-sharing contract. We analyze a stylized model with two asymmetric platforms, where the developer may be either profit-driven or market-expansion driven. In the former case, the inferior platform is at risk of losing the contract and therefore has to adjust it. Equilibrium analysis is provided for two market-power structures — balanced and imbalanced. Several counterintuitive properties of the equilibrium are obtained: (i) by becoming less efficient in the apps’ approval process, the platforms may coordinate the supply chain; (ii) an increase in the market size of a platform may degrade its profit; and (iii) a low price of the in-app product is not necessarily linked to a poor-quality app.

Supply Chain Quality Decisions with Reference Effect under Supplier Competition Environment

Nowadays, in such a competitive business environment, under the pursuit of high quality and high standards, every enterprise has clearly realized that the quality of products is directly related to the interests of the enterprise, the development of the enterprise, and the survival of the enterprise. The idea that quality is life has long been deeply rooted in every enterprise. Based on the aforementioned reality, this paper first constructs a demand function affected by product quality, service quality, reference effect and quality competition, and studies the optimal product quality and service quality under centralized decision-making and decentralized decision-making. By comparing the decision values and profit difference between centralized decision making and decentralized decision making, a bilateral cost sharing contract is proposed, and its application scope is discussed. The major findings entail that the centralized decision-making mode of supply chain will be more conducive to improving service quality. However, it is not necessarily conducive to improving product quality, which depends on the marginal profits of competitors, since supply chain decision-makers are more willing to invest resources in products with high marginal profits, thereby improving product quality. The increase of reference effect is conducive to improving the quality of products and services, but it may also lead to higher production costs in the case of centralized decision-making. Therefore, when the reference effect is high, supply chain enterprises should adopt decentralized decision-making mode. Excessive competition is not conducive to improving the profits and increases internal friction among enterprises. Therefore, when the competition is fierce, enterprise alliance is a better choice. Finally, the bilateral cost sharing contract can coordinate the supply chain, that is to say, the system profit is equal to the profit of centralized decision-making. However, only when the supplier’s share rate meets certain conditions can the bilateral cost sharing contract achieve Pareto optimization, that is to say, when it is greater than the profit of the enterprise under decentralized decision-making.

SHELL Genetic Testing: A Key Enabler of Yield Improvement and Sustainable Palm Oil Production

Sustainable production of palm oil can be boosted by the use of appropriate technological tools to improve productivity within existing acreage. The discovery of the SHELL gene and subsequent development of a diagnostic assay to differentiate oil palm’s three fruit forms set the stage for the application of such technological tools by commercial estates prior to planting. The use of DNA-testing can ensure that new planting and re-planting programmes exploit the hybrid vigour expected from selected maternal (dura) and paternal (pisifera) lines. An expanded nationwide survey of more than a million seeds and seedlings not only confirmed the robustness and scalability of SHELL DNA-testing, but more importantly revealed a 12.8 per cent level of undesired planting material across the Malaysian supply chain, which far exceeds that allowed by the national standard. If SHELL testing had been deployed in the past, the value of crude palm oil (CPO) and crude palm kernel oil (CPKO) production in recent years would have increased by $1.63 billion USD in 2021 (or $276/ha/yr), resulting in up to $2.17 billion per year in increased economic activity (or $367/ha/yr), and up to $0.52 billion in additional tax collection by the Malaysian central government (or $88/ha/yr). Compared to the cost of testing of $4 per hectare per year, if testing had been done in the past, each dollar spent on testing would have returned $69.0 in additional production and $91.8 in economic gains. This indicates that the adoption of DNA-testing to manage the oil palm seed and seedling supply chain is necessary if the industry hopes to increase sustainability, productivity, and profitability in the long-term. Keywords: Sustainable palm oil, SHELL DNA testing, non-tenera contamination, seed testing, supply chain quality.

Drugs quality supervision strategy of different distribution channels in pharmaceutical supply chain.

Aiming at the dual-channel pharmaceutical supply chain, which consists of two distribution channels, offline medical institutions, and online e-commerce platforms, and taking into account the impact of different strategic choices made by relevant stakeholders on the drugs quality of different distribution channels, this article constructs an evolutionary game model involving the participation of government regulator, pharmaceutical enterprises, medical institutions, and pharmaceutical e-commerce companies. The stable equilibrium points of each participant's strategic choices are solved; the stability of strategic combination is analyzed by Lyapunov's first method, and MATLAB 2020b is used for simulation to verify the influence of each decision variable on the strategic choice of different participants. The results show that, first, the purpose of punishment is to ensure the drugs quality in the pharmaceutical supply chain, but when the fine is too high, it will restrain the economic behavior of pharmaceutical enterprises, which is not conducive to the performance of social responsibilities by other relevant participants. Second, the probability that government regulator strictly supervises the pharmaceutical supply chain and the probability that pharmaceutical enterprises provide high-quality drugs are negatively related to their additional cost. Third, whether medical institutions and pharmaceutical e-commerce companies choose inspection is affected by multiple factors such as inspection cost, sales price, and sales cost. Furthermore, when the penalty for non-inspection of pharmaceutical e-commerce companies is greater than the threshold Fm0, it can ensure that it chooses an inspection strategy. Finally, this article puts forward countermeasures and suggestions on the drugs quality supervision of different distribution channels in the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Digital fingerprints of microstructural variation in titanium alloy hip joint forgings via machining force feedback analysis

Considering actual trends regarding life expectancy, it is forecast that the total number of hip replacements will increase in the next few decades due to an increasingly ageing population. This situation will require an increase in component supply and experience of titanium alloy closed-die forging experience in the manufacturing supply chain. However, the scrutiny of microstructural evolution during processing for orthopaedic implants is not at the same level compared to the aerospace industry. This study is focused on understanding the current microstructure quality in the international forging supply chain by applying standard characterisation techniques, currently used in the aerospace industry for safety critical titanium alloy components, as well as a Sheffield developed machining force feedback technique. Three different manufacturers whose near net shape hip joint forgings all successfully pass the industry standards were studied. Through digital fingerprint reconstructions, the microstructural variation has been shown to be linked to the forging process parameters which could help to determine the individual components' fatigue performance. Furthermore, significant variations have been identified in microstructure quality that could compromise the part performance. The study demonstrates that the materials standards for orthopaedic implants could be more stringent to avoid such large microstructural variations in the supply chain. • Significant variation in the supply chain materials quality has been found. • Hip forgings from 3 manufacturers have been characterised to evaluate material consistency. • Specimens conformed to standards, but important materials quality variation was found. • Texture, microstructure, and machining response variation are linked to final fatigue performance. • Forging Variations have been linked to process variables.

Two Meta-heuristic Algorithms for Solving Multi-objective Model for the Service Quality and Price in the Digital Supply Chain

Facility location is an integral part of organizational strategy that can play an essential role in the strategic orientations of the organization. This activity includes many factors that may be inherently conflicting, so that if the necessary checks are not made when choosing a location, it can affect the life of the organization in the long run. The purpose of this study is to investigate the location of facilities in the supply chain distribution and develop a new mathematical model for this problem. This research method uses quantitative, the problem instances have been generated with a variety of different conditions and then solved with the proposed model using the exact solution software GAMS. The results of optimizing the supply chain facility location model show that considering long-term decisions simultaneously can lead to a drastic reduction in supply chain costs.

Price Competition, Experiential Quality and Online Marketing Decisions of a Tourism Supply Chain

ABSTRACT This study examines the price competition, experiential quality and online marketing decisions of a tourism supply chain, consisting of a tourism operator and two online retailers. The equilibrium solutions and the conditions for unique optimal solutions are derived in three supply chain strategies. This study also investigates performance improvement measures, including the operator’s involvement in online marketing and online reviews for quality improvement. An experimental analysis is conducted to compare supply chain performance and provide tourism managerial insights. The investigation provides a reference for tourism policies that could assist in improving experiential quality and operation performance.

Effects of supply chain quality event announcements on stock market reaction: an empirical study from China

PurposeThis study aims to explore the impact of supply chain quality event (SCQE) announcements on enterprises’ stock market value.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts the event study approach and analyzes the changes in shareholder value of companies listed in China based on data from 118 SCQE announcements. In the event study, the market, market-adjusted and Carhart four-factor models are used to estimate abnormal stock market returns, and a cross-sectional regression model is performed to examine the effects of SCQE announcements on enterprises’ stock market value.FindingsSCQE announcements have a negative impact on shareholder value. From the perspective of the supply chain network structure, the market reacts more negatively to SCQE announcements issued by the enterprises with higher supply chain concentration. From the perspective of companies’ characteristics, announcements that do not reflect the establishment of supply chain quality cooperation have a more negative effect on stock market value, which indicates that the supply chain network structure and firm-level characteristic can moderate the market reaction.Practical implicationsThe findings demonstrate a quantitative evaluation of how SCQE announcements affect the stock market value of listed companies and provide guidance for managers to enhance the value of SCQE announcements.Originality/valueThis study fills the research gap on the impact of SCQE announcements on stock market value by using secondary data and first explores the relationship between SCQE announcements and stock market value from the perspective of supply chain network. Furthermore, this study contributes to the literature on SCQE using an empirical study in China.