An investigation of inter-firm linkages in supply networks Fiachra Coll Supervisor- Umit S. Bititci Sponsor- DAKS Simpson

[rpd99] f.e.coll [2/13] Overview 1. Context 2. Gaps in research 3. Research approach 4. Contribution 5. Conclusion

[rpd99] f.e.coll [3/13] Context  “The supply chain is an integrating philosophy to manage the total flow of distribution channel from the supplier to the ultimate customer”(Ellram & Cooper ‘93)  “Supply chains, not firms, compete” (Monczka & Morgan ‘97)  but also “… supply chain management is in danger of collapsing into a discredited management fad unless a more reliable conceptual basis is developed” (New ‘96) 1/2

[rpd99] f.e.coll [4/13] /2 1. Context  Supply chains, supply networks, value chain systems, demand pipelines, extended organisation- all examples of industrial networks.  The supply network is a fundamental concept in any manufacturing context involving multiple firms, logistics, transaction costs and inter-firm co-ordination  It incorporates concepts and ideas from a variety of traditional research areas- multidisciplinary

[rpd99] f.e.coll [5/13] Recognised gaps in contemporary research  Do supply networks and chains exist outside theory? Difficult to illustrate collective benefit using standard modes of enquiry  Purposive nature of existing research inhibits cross-concept comparisons  Disparate theories from a variety of disciplines  Failure to distinguish between prescriptive and descriptive approaches to functioning of supply network  Evolution or revolution in the field of inter-firm relationships and logistics? 1/1

[rpd99] f.e.coll [6/13] Research approach Purpose-  Ascertain that the supply network perspective is valid in improving a company’s competitive advantage  In the absence of any acceptable model, an approach is created to investigate firms in supply networks 1/5

[rpd99] f.e.coll [7/13] Draw con- clusions Purpose Define archetype Supply network data Describe individual system Verify network clusters against typologies 3. Research approach Existing typologies 2/5

[rpd99] f.e.coll [8/13] Define archetype ‘archetype’- the original model or pattern  Network structure- boundary, number of elements,flows, transformations  Behavioural ‘rules’- market economics, production economics, resource based theory...  Co-ordination mechanisms- linking-pin roles, hierarchy and authority relations, planning and control systems /5

[rpd99] f.e.coll [9/13] Supply network data  Boundary established by assessing criticality of firm in terms of components (limited to transaction items)  Questions are both quantitative and qualitative, relating to the firm (and it’s perception of itself) in relation to the supply network  The questions address the firm on four levels- internal, dyadic, chain and system 4/5

[rpd99] f.e.coll [10/13] Compare clustered data…...  An investigation of firms engaged in supply networks in a variety of industries  Use of configuration theory in organisational analysis- to find coherent patterns in an array of attributes  Dual approach- the comparison of suggested patterns (from existing typologies) against individual supply network data 5/5

[rpd99] f.e.coll [11/13] Research contribution  Taxonomy and typologies form prelude to grounded further empirical research  The “archetype” underlying the taxonomy will import supply network concepts from other theories, enabling: structured comparison the process of ‘fitting’ real supply chain scenarios to verified topologies, assessing the degree of company fit 1/2

[rpd99] f.e.coll [12/13] Industrial contribution  The resulting typologies can be used as templates for companies wishing to configure themselves for the appropriate supply network  A longitudinal study will be implemented in DAKS Simpson to assess the efficacy of the method over time 2/2

[rpd99] f.e.coll [13/13] Conclusions  Burgeoning research area as yet indistinct from precursors  The need to formalise and structure existing concepts as yet unrealised  Created a sound research basis for enquiry 1/1