Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the drivers and barriers to omni-channel retailing in China, and attempts to understand how companies formulate their business strategies during their transformations to omni-channel retailing. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts an exploratory case study approach to investigate the omni-channel retailing transformations of two well-established Chinese fashion apparel retailers. The study draws on multiple sources of evidence, comprising: interviews with eight business executives from three major operational departments; on-site observations in firm’s retail stores, factories and distribution centres; and secondary data review of firm business reports, news, whitepapers and archival records. The findings are established through a consistent within-case data analysis and cross-case comparison. Findings The study reveals that the two retailers formulated different strategies in developing their omni-channels, and exhibited different degrees of success. The similarities and differences in the drivers, as well as the barriers, were analyzed and compared in this study. Operational variations (i.e. enablers and inhibitors) due to the unique context of the Chinese market were also explored. The findings reveal that coherent leveraging firm resources and capabilities from the three perspectives – marketing, logistics and supply chain, and organizational management – is critical to the full implementation of omni-channel retailing. They provide relevant managerial insights that can assist firms in formulating appropriate strategic action plans during the transformations. Originality/value As a theoretical contribution, this paper identifies a set of drivers and barriers for omni-channel retailing in the developed market, and classifies them into three categories: marketing; logistics and supply chain; and organizational management. The empirical-based qualitative analysis reveals the key factors impacting on omni-channel retailing within the Chinese market, and suggests a series of practical implications for local retailers planning to embark on omni-channel retailing.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to put forward a demand chain management (DCM) framework underpinned by the alignment theory and applies it to investigate the fashion apparel (FA) industry in China under the impacts of the latest economic transition. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory multiple case study methodology involving five Chinese FA firms, each with a different business model and ownership type, was employed. Semi-structured interviews, onsite observations and review of company documents were conducted to collect information for analysis. Findings Using a conceptual DCM framework as a guide for analysis, the study finds that companies with a higher level of alignment with the external market situation and among the three internal DCM dimensions, namely, market management, supply chain management (SCM), and organization management, appear to perform better under the rapidly changing economic conditions in China. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to knowledge by reviewing thoroughly the literature on SCM evolution and develops a DCM framework based on alignment theory that represents the state of the art in this area. By extending the administration-integration-production-development (A-I-P-D) logic set adopted in the alignment theory, this study has also equipped the proposed framework with an empirical tool to measure alignment. Practical implications By applying the framework to examine the Chinese apparel industry under the impacts of the latest economic transition, this study provides practitioners in the industry with a framework to help formulate strategies and a tool to measure alignment. The findings of the case study also offer insights to the industry to thrive in the rapidly changing businesses environment with dynamic uncertainties. Originality/value This study extends the application of the A-I-P-D logic set under the alignment theory to the SCM field. This endeavor successfully transforms the proposed DCM framework from a theoretical concept to a practical tool to help evaluate empirically the alignment and strategic fit of a firm and potential relationship with firm performance. As the Chinese FA market has increasingly evolved under the impact of the globalization, the findings of this study not only assist the local FA companies in coping with the dynamic uncertainties but also shed light on the future developments of the global FA industry. Besides, the alignment measurement tool embedded in the proposed DCM framework can help enhance the chances of business success during implementation.

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Extant studies identify different strategic approaches for businesses to integrate environment management (EM) into corporate supply chain management (SCM) to create different competitive market advantages. With increasing market uncertainties, stakeholder complexities, constraints of resources, companies nowadays are required to develop more context-specific solutions for mitigating sustainability risk and improving market performance in supply chain sustainability practices. To address the challenges faced by businesses, this study aims to explore how a company adapts green supply chain strategies for a competitive transformation. Specifically, we aim to identify different green supply chain capabilities that form hybrid choices of green solutions for a company to leverage an adaptive green shift. Through an extensive literature review, this study proposes a conceptual framework for exploration which is based on a qualitative in-depth case study in the electronics industry—one of the most polluting manufacturing sectors in China. The findings show that supply chain characteristics play a significant role in the selection of different green SCM solutions by businesses. We find different hybrid choices of strategic decisions are being made by the case company operating with high-volume and high-value supply chains respectively. High-volume supply chains adopt both operational pollution and waste control strategies and incremental green product strategies to balance cost of operational change and develop a competitive eco-efficient market expansion. In contrast, high-value supply chains adopt radical green product innovation strategies and operational waste prevention strategies to balance cost of product innovation and build operational efficiency to expand in a competitive eco-differentiation market. A mix of dynamic capabilities involved in different supply chain green transformations are also identified.

PurposeThis study aims to explore how green supply chain management (GSCM) strategies can be effectively implemented for business supply chain operations, relationship management and product design to gain green competitive advantages.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory in-depth case study was conducted with one of the largest Chinese electronics manufacturers that is considered a leading GSCM adopter in the industry, to understand how the company adopts green supply chain practices across its multiple product lines.FindingsThe findings show that businesses can build different green focuses across GSCM elements of green operation, green relationship management and green product design to form diverse hybrid strategic solutions. They include green control, lean, leagile, agile and clean innovation while taking consideration of supply chain type and product lifespan. A taxonomy of four key GSCM strategic combinations is proposed based on the findings. The strategies align with green demand and supply chain characteristics balancing a series of business competitive objectives in terms of reducing pollution and waste, improving green cost efficiency, enhancing green demand innovation and building green service effectiveness.Research limitations/implicationsThis study lends insight into the strategic alignment relationships between product supply chain types and approaches to GSCM.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study can support industry practitioners in formulating aligned GSCM strategies based on product types to achieve optimal results.Social implicationsOptimised green supply chain design, operations and relationship management incorporating product attributes can help further minimise negative impacts of business activities on the environment.Originality/valueThis research provides a systematic understanding of how product supply chain types can influence GSCM strategy formulation. It gives a holistic picture of how hybrid choices of strategies with green supply chain operations, relationship management and product design can be formulated based on product and supply chain characteristics.