Supply Chain Management Theory Research Articles

HARMONIC ANALYSISIN INVENTORY MANAGEMENT IN LOGISTICSAND SUPPLY CHAINS

The article examines the possibilities of using harmonic analysis apparatus while planning the need in stocks of various categories. The issues of improving material planning (forecasting) are currently quite relevant applied tasks in business, and are also of interest in terms of developing the theory of logistics and supply chain management. Among the approaches to planning the need for inventory, a wide range of statistical theory methods are used in practice, among which two large groups can be distinguished, such as one-parameter time series analysis models for goods of stable and relatively stable demand, as well as correlation and regression models for chaotic consumption stocks. Most of the goods sold to end consumers have a seasonal component, which may not always be explicitly expressed in statistics. However, due to change of seasons, regular fluctuations in the values of consumption from the warehouse, around the average chronological or trend, may necessitate regular recalculation of the main parameters of inventory management models, such as maximum, insurance, threshold inventory levels, etc. In addition, sales statistics may contain fluctuations of a higher order if the stocks sold have life cycles of interest in goods on the market, which can also be attributed to periodic or quasi-periodic processes. One of the methods to formalize such cyclic processes can be trigonometric approximation or harmonic analysis, when the values of a time series are represented as terms of a Fourier series (harmonics) having corresponding amplitudes and phases. The article compares the effectiveness (accuracy) of forecasts of inventory requirements made using harmonic analysis and traditional time series extrapolation methods.

Research on the International Supply Chain Management of Chinese Bamboo Weaving and Cultural and Creative Products

With the increasing of China's international status and the acceleration of the process of global economic integration, the internationalization strategy of Chinese enterprises is getting deeper and deeper. This paper analyzes the problems and challenges faced by the international supply chain management of Chinese bamboo weaving and creative products, and puts forward a set of supply chain management model that ADAPTS to the international development. Firstly, the concept, connotation and types of supply chain management are sorted out through literature review. Secondly, this paper analyzes the current situation of international supply chain management of bamboo editing and creative products, and points out the existing problems. Thirdly, based on the theory and practice of international supply chain management, this paper puts forward a set of supply chain management model suitable for the international development of bamboo editing and creative products. Finally, taking a bamboo weaving and creative products enterprise as an example, the application effect of the supply chain management model is empirically analyzed. The results show that the supply chain management model can effectively reduce the cost and improve the efficiency, and is conducive to the international development of bamboo editing and creative products

Study on Supply Shain Financing Scheme of A Vietnamese Coffee Company in China

This paper takes G7 Coffee, a Vietnamese coffee company, as an example to design a supply chain financing scheme suitable for the company. First of all, on the basis of explaining the concept of supply chain, supply chain financing and other related concepts, supply chain management theory, supply chain financing model, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model and other theoretical foundations, based on the financing situation of a Vietnamese coffee company G7 coffee in China, combined with the financing problems of the company and the company's capital needs, The feasibility of supply chain financing of G7 Coffee in China for a Vietnamese coffee company is proposed. Secondly, this paper introduces the evaluation method of supply chain financing scheme of G7 Coffee in China of a Vietnamese coffee company. Finally, on the basis of clear objectives and principles of financing scheme design, an evaluation system of supply chain financing mode of a Vietnamese coffee company based on AHP is constructed. The applicability of accounts receivable supply chain financing, inventory supply chain financing and prepayment supply chain financing adopted by the company is further analyzed by fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. The fuzzy comprehensive evaluation results show that The accounts receivable financing model is the best financing model for the supply chain financing of G7 Coffee in China of a Vietnamese coffee company. In order to ensure the smooth implementation of the supply chain financing plan of a Vietnamese coffee company G7 Coffee in China, this paper proposes to strengthen the guarantee from three aspects: financial system, credit management and risk control.

Design and management of humanitarian supply chains for pandemics: lessons from COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented challenge for humanity, causing widespread disruptions to daily life and economies worldwide. However, amidst the challenges, it has also presented an opportunity to reflect on our competencies, capabilities, and objectives. One area that has gained significant attention during this time is the humanitarian supply chain management theories, which offered significant directions to the scholars engaged in operations and supply chain management, practitioners and policymakers. To further advance the theoretical boundaries of the humanitarian supply chain and expand the scope and boundaries of the discipline, a special issue has been organised. This issue includes 24 carefully selected articles that have gone through multiple rounds of review. The articles are all centred on the humanitarian crisis resulting from COVID-19 and offer a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by various stakeholders. Additionally, one relevant article from a previous issue has been included, which explores the potential use of drones in disaster relief operations. The articles included in this special issue have significant implications for theory, practice, and policy, providing valuable insights and direction for further research to expand the scope of the discipline. This particular issue is a crucial contribution to humanitarian supply chain management. It provides a deeper understanding of the complex challenges faced during a crisis and the best practices to overcome them.

Innovation for zero-deforestation sustainable supply chain management services: a performance measurement and management approach

Purpose Food sector supply chains have significant negative environmental impacts, including the expansion of global food commodity production, which is driving tropical deforestation – a major climate and biodiversity problem. Innovative supply chain monitoring services promise to address such impacts. Legislation also designates “forest-risk commodities”, demanding supply chain due diligence of their provenance. But such data alone does not produce change. This study investigates how theory in performance measurement and management (PMM) can combine with sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) and decision theory (DT) via case study research that addresses paradoxes of simplicity and complexity. Design/methodology/approach Given existing relevant theory but the nascent nature of the topic, theory elaboration via abductive case study research is conducted. Data collection involves interviews and participatory design workshops with supply chain actors across two supply chains (coffee and soy), exploring the potential opportunities and challenges of new deforestation monitoring services for food supply chains. Findings Two archetypal food supply chain structures (short food supply chains with high transparency and direct links between farmer and consumer and complex food supply chains with highly disaggregated and opaque links) provide a dichotomy akin to the known/unknown, structured/unstructured contexts in DT, enabling novel theoretical elaboration of the performance alignment matrix model in PMM, resulting in implications for practice and a future research agenda. Originality/value The novel conceptual synthesis of PMM, SSCM and DT highlights the importance of context specificity in developing PMM tools for SSCM and the challenge of achieving the general solutions needed to ensure that PMM, paradoxically, is both flexible to client needs and capable of replicable application to deliver economies of scale. To advance understanding of these paradoxes to develop network-level PMM systems to address deforestation impacts of food supply chains and respond to legislation, a future research agenda is presented.

The impact of SCM integration on business performance through information sharing, quality integration and innovation system

Integration with external supply chain partners can reduce the risk of process and product development disruptions. Hence, the companies should anticipate and prepare for any risk that could emerge in the supply chain network. This study aims to analyze the role of supply chain integration, information sharing, supply chain quality integration, and innovation systems in improving business performance in the manufacturing industry. The study surveyed manufacturing companies located in East Java, as many as 258 companies. Data was collected using questionnaires designed with a five-point Likert scale and distributed through Google Forms and company visits. 222 questionnaires were distributed through Google Forms, and 36 were distributed during company visits. The smartPLS software version 4.0 was used for descriptive analysis and hypothesis testing. The results showed that supply chain integration positively impacts information sharing, quality integration, and innovation systems. Information sharing significantly supports the implementation of quality integration and innovation systems. However, quality integration does not affect the innovation system. Likewise, innovation systems have no impact on improving business performance. Many manufacturing companies in East Java had not done innovation systems appropriately after the COVID-19 disruption as the company still focused on current processes and products to maintain company sustainability. Furthermore, information sharing, and supply chain quality integration significantly improve business performance. The results of this study could contribute to managers building close partnerships with external parties to maintain the quality of processes and products. Business owners must also consider using the latest technology for process and product innovation. These findings enrich the current supply chain management theory, particularly with quality integration and innovation systems.

Development of Cold Chain Logistics for China’s Fresh E-commerce in Post-Epidemic Era

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic presented both unprecedented challenges and remarkable opportunities for China’s fresh food e-commerce industry. This dynamic landscape has underscored the critical importance of advancing cold chain logistics within this industry. Drawing upon established supply chain management theories, this paper identifies key areas for enhancement in the realm of cold chain logistics for fresh e-commerce. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature and current research findings, this study delves into the current state of cold chain logistics for fresh e-commerce, scrutinizing prevalent issues and deriving significant insights. The paper advocates for enterprises to prioritize the integration of cutting-edge technologies, enabling the creation of intelligent logistics systems. Additionally, it emphasizes the implementation of lean supply chain management practices to drive holistic regional development. Furthermore, leveraging policy support for the expeditious establishment of industry standards and protocols is crucial. The conclusions drawn from this research hold tangible implications for understanding the present landscape of cold chain logistics in fresh e-commerce, offering a theoretical and practical foundation to propel its future development.

Covid-19 and the South African pharmaceutical supply chain

This research aimed to identify the key drivers of the pharmaceutical supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic disruption, focusing on the South African pharmaceutical industry. The study aimed to unveil the dynamic strategies and challenges experienced during the pandemic and suggest recommendations for resilient supply chain operations. The study drew on established supply chain management theories and integrated them with the unique and novel circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. It mainly referred to theories regarding pricing, strategic sourcing, ICT usage, product availability, and logistics management contextualised within the pharmaceutical industry. An exploratory research approach was adopted to uncover the five overarching themes that function as pharmaceutical supply chain drivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were used to acquire the primary data with industry supply chain professionals, supplemented with secondary data from industry reports and relevant literature. The findings revealed that the pricing of medications, strategic sourcing decisions, information and communication technology, the availability of pharmaceutical products, and logistics management played critical roles in the pharmaceutical industry's supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic. Disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic led to challenges such as price hikes, supply shortages, and logistical complications. The study provides crucial insights into managing supply chain disruptions amid a global health crisis. Implementing dynamic pricing mechanisms, developing resilient sourcing strategies, using ICT effectively, improving inventory management, and enhancing logistics management are recommended for robust supply chain operations. The findings contribute to academia by enriching the existing body of knowledge and offering practical solutions for industry supply chain professionals. The research is original and timely, offering a unique perspective on the South African pharmaceutical industry's supply chain during an unprecedented global health crisis. The results are valuable for academia and industry, shedding light on the adaptive strategies, challenges encountered, and lessons learned from navigating the pharmaceutical supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unveiling the Influence: Exploring the Impact of Interrelationships among E-Commerce Supply Chain Members on Supply Chain Sustainability

This study explores the critical role of interrelationships among e-commerce supply chain members in shaping sustainability outcomes. It adopts a qualitative approach, drawing from Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) and Resource Dependency Theory (RDT) to gain a deeper understanding of sustainability within e-commerce supply chains. In a comprehensive investigation involving 35 key stakeholders from prominent e-commerce companies in China, such as Amazon, Alibaba, Suning.com, Shein, and Wayfair, this research examines how robust interrelationships, characterized by collaboration, knowledge exchange, trust-building, and joint problem-solving, facilitate efficient resource utilization, innovation, waste reduction, and enhanced social and environmental responsibility throughout the supply chain. The findings underline the practical implications for supply chain managers and practitioners, emphasizing the need to foster these robust interrelationships through effective communication, trust-building, collaboration, and information sharing as tangible strategies to elevate sustainability performance and gain a competitive edge in the dynamic e-commerce landscape. The insights are based on structured, in-depth interviews conducted in English with participants familiar with the language, lasting approximately 35 to 55 min.

Supply Chain Management Practices, Information Advancement and Organizational Performance of Large Flour Milling Companies in Nairobi City County.Kenya

Companies not only must reestablish themselves to produce higher-quality goods and services, reduce waste, and adapt to the demand, but also to manage their supply chain management effectively as a result of the increasing number of competing companies growing both locally and internationally. As a result, the study sought to establish the supply chain practices affect the organizational performance of milling company listed Nairobi Stock Exchange. The specific goals will be to determine the influence of Green supply chain practices, supplier management practices, outsourcing practices, and Supply Chain Management on the organizational performance of milling company listed Nairobi Stock Exchange, as well as to determine the moderating effect of information technology on contemporary supply chain practices on the organizational performance of milling company listed Nairobi Stock Exchange. The theory of lean Contract Value, transaction cost theory, theory of supply chain constraints and resource based view theory were used in the study. A descriptive study design was used in this investigation. The study's target population was the 260 employees of the milling company listed Nairobi Stock Exchange, as defined by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers Directory, who worked in procurement, marketing, finance, security, ICT, or similar management. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. A sample of 73 respondents was selected using Yamane (2012) formula. Descriptive statistics, inferential statistics was used to analyze the data. A pilot study involving 8 respondents was conducted to determine the data collection tool reliability. The study instrument had Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of between 0.756 and 0.836 on all study constructs and hence fit for the field study. Based on final results the study found that green supply chain practices, supplier management, and outsourcing positively and significantly influence the performance of large-scale flour processing firms in Kenya. Information advancement was identified as a critical moderating factor that enhances the relationship between these supply chain management practices and performance. Specifically, information advancement amplifies the effects of green supply chain, supplier management, and outsourcing on operational performance. The study also suggested that Flour processing firms in Kenya should fully embrace green supply chain practices, including waste management, efficient energy equipment, and the use of natural light where possible to improve sustainability and performance. The study also suggested that Firms should enhance supplier relations by engaging suppliers in product development, sharing information, and rewarding top-performing suppliers to foster commitment and motivation. The study also suggested that Firms should seek cost savings, efficiency, and sustainability when outsourcing services. This can be achieved through supplier performance evaluations and formal contracts. The study also suggested that regularly review information advancement strategies to optimize performance. This study contributed to supply chain management theory by confirming the relationship between supply chain practices, information advancement, and firm performance. It strengthens the theoretical framework and informs policy makers and large-scale flour processing firms about the importance of supplier management, green supply chain, and outsourcing in supply chain management policies and regulations. In practice, the study guides firms on how to enhance performance through effective supply chain management considering information advancement. The study suggested that Future research can explore the relationship between supply chain management and performance in other sectors beyond flour processing, such as agriculture, transportation, shipping, and manufacturing. Additionally, studies can investigate the impact of different moderators, such as dynamic capabilities, legal frameworks, government regulations, and competition, on the relationship between supply chain management and performance. This will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of supply chain management dynamics

Analyzing the Moderating Role of Employee Involvement in the Relationship between Sustainable Supply Chain Practices and Sustainable Performance

This study examines the complicated relationships between sustainable supply chain practices, resilience, employee involvement, top management support, and sustainable textile performance in Pakistan. Purposive sampling selected 283 supply chain specialists for data collecting. This study investigated sustainable supply chain management dynamics in a given sector and area. The study's main value is confirming Sustainable Supply Chain Management's fundamentals. This study proves that sustainable supply chain methods improve performance. The Pakistani textile sector recognizes the growing importance of sustainability in supply chain operations to maintain competitiveness and address social challenges, following global trends. Additionally, supply chain resilience is a key intermediary variable in this study. Sustainable supply chain practices improve an organization’s resilience to disruptions and adaptability to changing environmental conditions, as shown in this statement. Supply chain resilience as a mediator improves sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) theory. It underlines that sustainability requires understanding mechanisms as well as consequences. Employee involvement moderates the debate, as shown in this study. This study found that engaged employees boost the favorable effects of sustainable supply chain strategies on overall sustainable performance. This supports the current trend of employee-led sustainability efforts, where motivated and engaged people drive organizational sustainability. The study found no indication that top management support moderates. This suggests that leadership's impact is contextual, requiring context-specific sustainable supply chain management strategies. This study challenges conventional wisdom and advocates for further research into top management support in sustainable supply chains. The study's practical findings are crucial for Pakistan's textile and related industries. The paper emphasizes the need of prioritizing sustainable supply chain practices, developing resilience, engaging employees at all levels in sustainability projects, and providing leadership support in the right context. The above practical principles reflect the changing sustainability landscape and provide a strategy for firms seeking economic success and environmental and social responsibility. A study in Pakistan's textile industry adds empirical evidence to Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) theory. This emphasizes the importance of industry-specific details and corporate cultures in sustainability initiatives. In conclusion, these results spur a greener future in textiles and global supply chain management.

Emergency regional food supply chain design and its labor demand forecasting model: application to COVID-19 pandemic disruption

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted the global food supply chain through various interventions, such as city closures, traffic restrictions, and silent management. Limited research has been conducted on the design of emergency regional food supply chains (ERFSC) and its labor demand forecasting under government-mandated interventions. This paper applies emergency supply chain management theory to analyze the business processes of the ERFSC and proposes a multi-level ERFSC network tailored to different risk levels. Additionally, a food demand forecasting model and a mathematical model for stochastic labor demand planning are constructed based on the development trend of regional epidemics. An empirical analysis is presented using Huaguoyuan, Guiyang, China, as an example. The results demonstrate that the proposed ERFSC design and its labor demand forecasting model can achieve secure supply and accurate distribution of necessities in regions with different risk levels. These findings have important policy and research implications for the government and practitioners to take interventions and actions to ensure food supply for residents in the context of city closure or silent management. This study serves as a pilot study that will be further extended by the authors from geographical and policy perspectives.

Development of Cold Chain Logistics for China's Fresh E-commerce in Post-Epidemic Era

The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic has brought a rare development opportunity for the fresh e-commerce industry, it has also put forward higher development requirements for cold chain logistics for fresh e-commerce. Based on the relevant theories of supply chain management, this paper puts forward research issues that need to be improved in the development of cold chain logistics for fresh e-commerce. This paper refers to the research literature on cold chain logistics for fresh e-commerce, the research results at this stage have been sorted out. It starts from the development status of cold chain logistics for fresh e-commerce, we have conducted an in-depth discussion on its existing problems and drawn a series of conclusions. Enterprises should pay attention to the application of emerging technologies to create smart logistics, implement lean management of the supply chain, and promote overall regional development. They should take advantage of the policy to implement industry standardization as soon as possible. The research conclusion is of practical significance to the research on the current situation of cold chain logistics for fresh e-commerce. It provides relevant theoretical and practical support basis for promoting the development of cold chain logistics for fresh e-commerce.

Low-Carbon Manufacturing or Not? Equilibrium Decisions for Capital-Constrained News Vendors with Subsidy and Carbon Tax

At a time when low-carbon life has become an important global issue, the decarbonization of manufacturing enterprises cannot be delayed in the face of the government’s green policy and other objective conditions. Under these circumstances, how to arrange the production plan before and after the implication of low-carbon policies is an urgent issue to be settled, especially for the capital-constrained news vendors. To address these problems, this paper firstly builds a stylized supply chain model consisting of two different types of manufacturers (i.e., low-carbon type and traditional type) with capital constraints, then obtains equilibrium production and business strategies resorting to Stackelberg game theory, and lastly conducts an analysis of how the key factors affect manufacturers’ green transition decisions under different scenarios of carbon policy. With the study’s structure, some interesting and important results and managerial insights are derived. For example, but not limited to, it is found that: (i) compared with traditional products, the price fluctuation of low-carbon products is greater than that of traditional products with the increase in consumers’ low-carbon awareness. And consumers have more tolerance for price increases for low-carbon products. (ii) When producing low-carbon products is cost-effective, it is a wise choice to produce more low-carbon products. When producing low-carbon items is costly, producing more low-carbon products is still a dominant strategy until the expenditure difference between low-carbon and traditional ones exceeds a certain threshold. (iii) When the expenditure on low-carbon production is moderate, the manufacturer first prefers the traditional strategy, then the low-carbon one, with an increase in consumers’ low-carbon awareness. When the expenditure on low-carbon production stays at a low or high level, the low-carbon strategy always dominates the traditional one with a certain condition satisfied. This study can enrich the theory of green supply chain management and provide decision support for enterprise managers in the green transition.

Lean Supply Chain Practices and the Performance of Kassmatt Supermarkets Limited

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of lean supply chain practices on the performance of Kassmatt Supermarket Limited.
 Methodology: A descriptive research design was used for the investigation. The study targeted 180 employees from Kassmatt supermarket limited. The sample size of the study was 124 respondents. The researcher utilized self-administered questionnaires to collect primary data with the aid of the drop and pick method. The pilot study utilized 10 percent of the actual sample size, which was equal to 12 participants. The data obtained from the questionnaires was analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 28. The study employed percentages, frequencies, means and standard deviations to analyze descriptive research. Inferential analysis was also done. Tables were used to present findings. Finally, multiple regression model was fitted into the study.
 Results: The findings revealed a positive significant relationship between lean supply chain practices in the elements of demand management, process standardization, lean customer practice, lean transport [predictor variables] and performance of Kassmatt Supermarkets Ltd. The study concluded that Kassmatt had implemented the aforementioned lean supply chain practices with the aim of improving its firm performance.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study enhances our understanding of lean supply chain methods and company performance. The study validated and extended supply chain management and performance theories by evaluating lean approaches in retail. The study's finding of additional variables that may affect lean practices and performance led to new suggestions. The study informed managers and practitioners about lean supply chain benefits. The study helped Kassmatt Supermarkets Limited and other merchants improve their supply chain management and operations. Supply chain management innovation and development may help organizations stay competitive in the rapidly changing business environment, according to the paper. The study informed policymakers and regulators on how lean supply chain methods may affect retail sector efficiency. Lean methods improve consumer satisfaction, waste reduction, and efficiency, which can inform retail supply chain excellence policies. The research also stressed the need of regulations encouraging industry-wide cooperation and knowledge sharing, which can increase innovation and efficiency.

Conceptual wanderlust: How to develop creative supply chain theory with analogies

AbstractThis article guides the development of creative insights in supply chain management. The authors begin by describing analogies' role in advancing organization theory with a focus on image transfers between knowledge domains. While much has been said about the merits of conceptual transfers between domains, much equally remains unknown, particularly about how to deliberately develop creative insights that have the potential to challenge or enhance existing supply chain management theory. To address this issue, this research builds on prior work on analogies, creativity, and design thinking to develop a heuristic‐analytic model. This model is designed to assist researchers in theorizing by analogy through a controlled dual cognitive process of divergence before convergence combined with a distant boundary‐spanning knowledge search. An illustration of the model shows how creative output can provide a fresh perspective that helps render supply chains potentially more resilient.

Information Construction of Hospital Medical Consumables Management Based on SPD Mode

To change the traditional hospital medical supplies rough management mode, the hospitals build an information material management platform which combines suppliers and hospitals, information systems and smart devices, clinical needs and professional operations innovatively. Finally, a lean management system called SPD is formed under the guidance of supply chain integration and supported by supply chain management theory and information technology. It has realized the whole process of consumables circulation information traceability, intelligent service in the hospital, and refined management of consumption settlement. The application of SPD in hospitals effectively improves the informatization level and overall operation efficiency of medical consumables management which is an important part of hospital information construction.

Формы взаимодействия участников в цепях поставок: полная интеграция против автономного функционирования

The restoration of the production and economic potential of Russian enterprises in the conditions of an economic war necessitates the search for the most effective forms of organizing the activities of firms in supply chains, which make it possible to increase their degree of competitiveness in the markets. The urgency of this task has increased in the context of diplomatic isolation and the imposition of economic sanctions that have affected the collapse of the main technological and logistics chains. In these circumstances, the need to understand which industry structure will give the largest increment in production volumes and the lowest prices while maintaining the stability of supply chains is of particular importance. The purpose of the study is to determine the principles and optimal forms of organizing the activities of firms in supply chains from the standpoint of market efficiency and profitability of the participants themselves. The set goal predetermined the solution of the following tasks: a comparative analysis of two options for the interaction of chain participants was carried out – autonomous functioning and full vertical integration; the model of contractual relations of firms is identified, which allows them to receive maximum profit; the most attractive variant of the chain organization from the position of the consumer (output volumes and prices) was determined; an economic-mathematical model has been developed for calculating the optimal parameters of activity in the supply chain of an industrial enterprise for two opposite models of firms’ behavior. The methodological basis of the study is a synthesis of theoretical, methodological and applied research of foreign and domestic specialists in the field of supply chain management theory, as well as the theory of industry markets. The scientific novelty of the study is a methodical approach to considering the supply chain as a system oriented to the market function of demand, i.e. the activities of all participants in the chain are set up to produce and sell such a volume of goods for which demand is presented. The article proposes a formal model that allows one to analyze the incentives for vertical integration and evaluate the results of alternative strategies for the behavior of firms in the supply chain.

Exploring the Interconnectedness of Supply Chain Management Theories: A Literature Review

This literature review presents a systematic review of popular supply chain management (SCM) theories, focusing on their definitions, early development, and contributions to the field. Seven fundamental theories are analyzed in detail: Resource-Based View, Agency Theory, Transaction Cost Theory, Stakeholder Theory, Balanced Scorecard Theory, Knowledge-Based View Theory, and Strategic Choice Theory. The study traces the origins and evolution of these theories, highlighting their unique foundations and the contexts in which they emerged. The review also discusses the fundamental principles and underlying assumptions of each theory, emphasizing their relevance to SCM and the implications for its practice. The review shows how these theories have helped us understand and improve SCM and how they can improve supply chain performance, promote sustainability, and drive innovation. This thorough analysis is a helpful tool for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers who want to learn more about the different theories that continue to shape and inform the field of supply chain management.

The Role of Information and Communication Technology in Managing Supply Chains in Base-of-the-Pyramid Markets

The rapid development of information and communication technology (ICT) has created opportunities for supply chain performance improvements to address challenges in base-of-the-pyramid (BoP) contexts. The article aims to analyze how ICTs that provide information, financial access, and transaction applications serve as enablers for transaction cost (TC) reductions and supply chain management (SCM) improvements in the agricultural sector. The objectives of the article are reached by deducting explanations from a framework of existing TC and SCM theories while analyzing six exemplary case studies in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. ICT enables the BoP market to improve its SCM activities. Three different ICT models can be identified: Some ICTs impact 1) information flows only, while others influence 2) financial flows or 3) material flows. TC reductions in the form of screening and selection, measurement, communication, negotiation, and coordination costs serve as explanations and theoretical foundations for these models. Future empirical research should evaluate the application of ICTs in more detail and validate the proposed framework with the help of other methods. The current study will help BoP actors, such as farmers or agricultural dealers, capture more value and reduce poverty through TC reductions and improved SCM. The findings are also applicable to other small businesses considering their industrial contexts. The main contribution of the article is that it brings together theoretical arguments from TC theory, SCM, and practical ICT developments in BoP markets. The framework provides a foundation for developing more in-depth empirical research.