Special Topic Forum Research Articles

Transformative supply chain research: A new frontier for SCM scholars

AbstractThis special topic forum (STF) on Transformative Supply Chain Research introduces a new direction in logistics and supply chain research to guide scholars in addressing the wicked problems facing 21st century society. Supply chain professionals are increasingly addressing corporate social responsibility, changing expectations from customers, resource scarcity, a changing climate, civic and political unrest, to name but a few issues of our times. But scholars have only begun to address these issues from a transformative lens, in which we consider the role of logistics and supply chain management in creating well‐being outcomes for the benefit of society. This editorial presents a 5‐pronged research agenda to guide researchers, while highlighting the three articles in this STF that serve as exemplars of transformative supply chain research.

Energizing a literature review to boldly go where no one has gone before

AbstractTaking stock of a research stream through a literature review can provide tremendous value. Whether this potential is fully realized depends on the degree to which the review energizes a research stream by setting a course toward exploration of compelling and exciting research questions. The purpose of this editorial is twofold. First, we describe four key tactics that scholars can use to create an energizing literature review: (1) launching research ideas from the conceptual platform built by the review; (2) ripping cutting‐edge research ideas from news and industry headlines; (3) unveiling a portfolio of theoretical opportunities; and (4) constructing an accessible research agenda. Second, we introduce the five literature reviews contained in this special topic forum with particular attention to their energizing features.

Toward a configurational understanding of global supply chain complexity

AbstractIn this editorial for our special topic forum (STF) on Global Supply Chain Research, we present a novel approach that empowers firms to evaluate their supply chain complexity's current state and potentially reveal hidden patterns of complexity. Our focus lies in developing a configurational understanding of global supply chain complexity, leveraging the diverse perspectives, and insights provided by the existing literature on this subject. Furthermore, we shed light on exciting opportunities for future research and introduce the accepted research papers featured in this STF.

Support archetypes in ecosystems for social innovations

AbstractSocial innovations (SIs) offer creative solutions to complex social problems and often require the exchange of necessary resources, knowledge, and expertise among various actors. These actors form an ecosystem that can support the development of successful SIs. In this special topic forum introduction, we first discuss the literature related to the support function of ecosystems. We use the theoretical lens of prosocial behavior to explain the various types of support in an ecosystem. We argue that there are three archetypes of support in ecosystems, namely, altruistic, communitarian, and commercial support. Subsequently, we present the three papers accepted for publication in the special topic forum. One paper refers to the three support archetypes, although indirectly, while the other two refer to one specific archetype of ecosystem support for SIs. This introductory paper concludes with discussion on the opportunities for future research. Without a clear understanding of the different archetypes of support, it would be difficult for both scholars and practitioners to design vibrant ecosystems in assistance to SI.

What constitutes an excellent literature review? Summarize, synthesize, conceptualize, and energize

AbstractA literature review chronicles conceptual and empirical achievements within a research stream. An excellent literature review accomplishes much more. Excellent literature reviews not only explain advances within a research stream (“summarize and synthesize”) but also provide a conceptual framework that captures the key elements of the research (“conceptualize”) and lay a foundation for future inquiry that can accelerate progress in advancing knowledge (“energize”). We accomplish two main tasks in this editorial. First, we offer details about what constitutes an excellent literature review. Second, we summarize the four literature reviews contained in this special topic forum and explain their excellent features.

A case and framework for expanding the use of model‐free evidence

A case and framework for expanding the use of model‐free evidence

Editorial: Purchasing and innovation: Past, present and future of the field of research

This paper introduces the special topic forum (STF) on purchasing and innovation. Presenting the findings from a systematic literature review, we take stock of the current state of the field, delineating themes, theories and methods, and identifying key trends over time. Our study shows a take-off in research on purchasing and innovation during the last decade. This has predominantly focused on private sector manufacturing firms although a recent expansion into public sector research is evident. Large-scale surveys and case studies are still the dominant research methods where the unit of analysis is typically the ‘firm’ or ‘project’. The findings also show how in the past the field was driven by questions on how purchasing can facilitate different types of innovation projects, seeking to derive practical implications, and rarely making explicit statements regarding theories applied; this still characterises much of the research but we find an increasing focus on theory development. We also see a shift in the type of technological innovation being investigated: past studies tended to focus on the role of purchasing in new product development (NPD) projects, which reflected a relatively low degree of technological uncertainty, but we see a trend towards innovation projects facing technological uncertainty. Research shows how this requires new ways of sourcing innovations and therefore new ways for purchasing to facilitate innovation sourcing. On the basis of the review, we offer our guidance for future research avenues to 1) carry out more research on procurement of innovation in the public sector; 2) consider new theories and research methods, and 3) go beyond firm-level or dyadic analysis to research networks and ecosystems. We conclude by introducing the papers in the STF.

An Introduction to the Special Topic Forum on Creating Resilient and Sustainable Organizations

An Introduction to the Special Topic Forum on Creating Resilient and Sustainable Organizations

Introduction to the Special Topic Forum on Multifaceted Analyses of Conditions for Survival and Growth of Japanese Automakers in the CASE Age

Introduction to the Special Topic Forum on Multifaceted Analyses of Conditions for Survival and Growth of Japanese Automakers in the CASE Age

New perspectives on supply chain resilience

New perspectives on supply chain resilience

What is a fatal flaw? A guide for authors & reviewers

What is a fatal flaw? A guide for authors & reviewers

Physical Internet: First results and next challenges

Physical Internet: First results and next challenges

An Introduction to the Special Topic Forum on Survival Strategies of the Japanese Businesses in the Era of IoT

An Introduction to the Special Topic Forum on Survival Strategies of the Japanese Businesses in the Era of IoT

An Introduction to the Special Topic Forum on University-Affiliated Incubators and Startups

An Introduction to the Special Topic Forum on University-Affiliated Incubators and Startups

An Introduction to the Special Topic Forum on Platform Theory and the Perspective of Dynamic Capabilities

An Introduction to the Special Topic Forum on Platform Theory and the Perspective of Dynamic Capabilities

Introduction to the Special Topic Forum: Critical Discourse: Envisioning the Place and Future of Diversity and Inclusion in Organizations

Management research has illustrated the critical importance of diversity and inclusion for organizational effectiveness. Although progress is evident towards building diverse and inclusive workplaces, challenges remain in both practical relevance and theoretical advancements. In this Special Topic Forum on the place and future of diversity and inclusion in organizations, we describe three important but often neglected areas of leadership and organizational studies: the multifaceted expressions of diversity, work relationships in diversity and inclusion, and diversity and inclusion at the organizational apex. In this introduction, we summarize the articles included in this Forum, and note that throughout the articles, the authors embark on an in-depth exploration of diversity and inclusion with a focus on these three under-developed areas of scholarship. To catalyze a critical discourse on the place and future of diversity and inclusion in contemporary organizations, here we review the important insights that the Forum’s authors provide. We then suggest opportunities for future theoretical and empirical work in the diversity and inclusion domain.

Diversity at a Critical Juncture: New Theories for a Complex Phenomenon

In 2015 we issued a call for papers for a Special Topic Forum (STF) on Diversity at a Critical Juncture in response to contextual shifts that raised questions regarding the assumptions, scope, and ...

Introduction to Special Topic Forum: Advancing and Expanding Work-Life Theory from Multiple Perspectives

Research on the work-life interface has exploded over the past five decades because of trends in the nature of gender roles, families, work, and careers. However, work-life theory has not kept up w...

Introduction to Special Topic Forum: The Changing Nature of Work Relationships

Relationships are fundamental to organizations and organizing. In this Special Topic Forum on the Changing Nature of Work Relationships, we describe important contextual shifts that have implicatio...

From the Editors—Introducing JSCM's First Emerging Discourse Incubatlor for 2018/19

We are excited to introduce JSCM's first yearly Emerging Discourse Incubator (EDI) for 2018/19 on the topic of research where the focal actor in the network is not a for-profit firm. Please see the call for papers for more details. For JSCM to remain the journal of choice for supply chain management scholars, we need to encourage rigorous empirical research that contributes to theory on topics that have yet to garner the attention they need. Thus, in addition to continuing to publish articles received through the normal submission process, the 2019 volume will contain articles earmarked as relevant to the Emerging Discourse Incubator. The goal of the new EDI is similar to that of a traditional special issue or special topic forum in that the EDI is a way to encourage research on emergent topics and potentially generate additional high-quality submissions. However, the EDI format will allow the discourse to develop over an entire year, using the longer time period to lead to deeper insights and provide a stronger foundation for future research. Additionally, the EDI will be a better way to manage the Journal's supply chain. One of the core principles of supply chain management is matching supply with demand. And in a supply chain that is trying to ensure high quality and timeliness, the goal when matching supply with demand is a swift, even flow. We envision the EDI as a means to maintain our relatively swift and even flow. Papers for the EDI will be submitted and processed at a predictable pace, rather than arriving simultaneously in a large batch that necessitates special issue editors, extra Associate Editors (AEs), and reviewers. For instance, our last special topic forum (see JSCM issue 2, 2017) had more than 50 submissions. What we are proposing would have had these manuscripts arrive at a rate of about one per week, rather than as a single large lump of demand. The EDI model benefits all potential JSCM authors. For those submitting regular papers, the Journal's supply chain should provide its usual level of service, while the EDI call is ongoing. Authors submitting to the EDI will receive more consistent and faster reviewing and editorial decisions than with a traditional special issue. In addition, starting the process with invited papers from both eminent scholars and emerging researchers should provide a foundation for the discourse and potentially frame later submissions. Similarly, encouraging submissions across the year should lead to a deeper discourse as papers that are submitted later in the year can build on and respond to both the invited papers and earlier submissions. Finally, while journal space is not unlimited, this model has more flexibility, providing the potential for publishing more papers in the EDI without taking space from regular submissions. The Emerging Discourse Incubator should allow us to group a number of high-quality papers on the emergent topic together. And by spreading the demand on our supply chain over a year, we hope to achieve this outcome while also providing the authors with the same level of predictability, timeliness, and quality in the review process that JSCM always provides. This will also benefit authors of regular submissions that arrive during the same time period in that the system will not be overly stressed. The ultimate goal is to publish as many, or more, high-quality articles on the emergent topic, but in a manner that is best for authors who submit regular papers or to the EDI. If this pilot project is successful, we will have a second EDI for 2019/20.