IN PRACTICE VS. ON PAPER: INVESTIGATING THE REAL-WORLD APPLICATION OF SUPPLY CHAIN PRINCIPLES

Abstract

This paper argues that the supply chain field has reached the stage where its key concepts and objects of research ought to be agreed upon so that its boundaries can clearly be demarcated. The paper proposes to break the subject into two parts: Principles of Supply Chain and Applied Supply Chain. The specific objectives are:

To identify the concepts upon which the principles of supply will be based; and

To determine the residual concepts that will constitute content for applied supply chain.

The paper begins by discussing the intellectual plurality of the supply chain field and the challenges that this poses for its development as a discipline. It then proposes a set of core principles that could form the basis of the Principles of Supply Chain. These principles include:

The supply chain is a network of organizations that are interdependent;

The goal of supply chain management is to optimize the performance of the entire network;

Supply chain management requires a cross-functional approach;

Supply chain management is a continuous process of improvement;

Supply chain management is a strategic imperative.

The paper then discusses the residual concepts that could be considered content for Applied Supply Chain. These concepts include:

specific supply chain techniques and tools;

case studies of successful supply chain implementations;

research on emerging trends in supply chain management.

The paper concludes by arguing that the proposed distinction between Principles of Supply Chain and Applied Supply Chain would help to clarify the boundaries of the supply chain field and promote its development as a discipline.