Virtual Supply Chain Management Research Articles

Virtualisation of floricultural supply chains: A review from an Internet of Things perspective

Supply chains are increasingly virtualised in response to market challenges and to opportunities offered by nowadays affordable new technologies. Virtual supply chain management does no longer require physical proximity, which implies that control and coordination can take place in other locations and by other partners. This paper assesses how the Internet of Things concept can be used to enhance virtualisation of supply chains in the floricultural sector. Virtualisation is expected to have a big impact in this sector where currently still most products physically pass through auction houses on their fixed routes from (inter)national growers to (inter)national customers. The paper defines the concept of virtualisation and describes different perspectives on virtualisation in literature, i.e. the organisational, team, information technology, virtual reality and virtual things perspectives. Subsequently it develops a conceptual framework for analysis of virtualisation in supply chains. This framework is applied in the Dutch floriculture to investigate the existing situation and to define future challenges for virtualisation in this sector.

Implications of Virtual SCM on B2B Results: European Company Evidence

In the last two decades, Supply Chain Management (SCM) continues to gain popularity among companies and has been broadly studied by academic researchers. However, with the development of the digital economy, a new paradigm has emerged in this arena: virtual supply chain management (e-SCM). Thus, this paper establishes a new model, considering the results of virtual SCM adoption on e-business performance, which has been tested in European companies. For that purpose, we used a structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis.

Virtual supply-chain management

In global business competition, companies believe greater transparency in supply-chain operations and collaboration is very important for success. Transparency brings accountability and responsibility. This openness in the supply-chain allows companies to see how their suppliers are performing, from their sourcing of raw materials to their delivery to the retail outlet. Achieving greater transparency in the supply chain requires the development of comprehensive e-Logistics tools, which provide all players with open communication and shared information in every stage of the order-to-delivery process. Supply-chain transparency in ordering, inventory and transportation is a prerequisite for optimization and is critical for making business decisions. In this paper, the experiences of a virtual supply-chain (VSC) company are discussed with reference to the strategies, methods and technologies of its supply-chain. The supply-chain aims for improved customer satisfaction and hence for overall competitiveness in a global market. This discussion will be useful for other companies intending to emulate some of the critical success factors in VSC management.

Supplypoint: Electronic Procurement using Virtual Supply Chains-An Overview

Background In the area of Electronic Contracting and Virtual Company Formation within Supply-Chains there has been little research or development work. During this paper we will outline the European Union sponsored project SUPPLYPOINT (ESPRIT 27007) which addresses the issues of panEuropean electronic trade links for business-to-business and business-to-public body electronic commerce. This will be achieved by using virtual supply chains and covering a life cycle from contract identification to completion, including virtual supply chain management and electronic payments. It will provide a one-stop shopping service for companies to purchase goods and services from small / medium sized enterprises (SMEs) co-operating in virtual and dynamic supply chains. The project started on July 1 1998 and is co-funded by the European Commission to support the multi-national consortium conducting the research and development over a two year peroid.