Computerization: Supporting Integration

Abstract

Fast and flexible low-cost data processing and information systems have transformed business operations. Through enhanced information availability, leading manufacturers have accelerated the flow of their products to create competitive advantage based on speed. These companies have developed methods to channel the power of information in order to use organizational resources more effectively and facilitate the management of activities both within and outside the company [1,2]. Internally, interactions between areas such as production and sales can be more closely co-ordinated with the aid of information support. Externally, information availability can result in enhanced service and promote better relationships with supply chain partners. Planning and scheduling systems have been used to manage operations throughout the pipeline. Subsequent reductions in production setup times, lot sizes, and inventory levels have yielded productivity and efficiency improvements [3,4].Changes have been especially dramatic with respect to logistics. Today, logistics is a high-tech process dependent upon information to support planning, operations, and control throughout a firm's supply chain [5][6][7]. In 1992, logistics costs represented approximately 11 per cent of the US gross domestic product[8]. Logistics' 11 COMPUTERIZATION: SUPPORTING INTEGRATION Computers and information are critical to achieving integration.

Supply Chain Management as a Competitive Advantage in the Spanish Grocery Sector

“…Many authors claim that Supply Chain Management and information sharing can substantially involve better supply chain performance (Shapiro, 1984;Scott & Westbrook, 1991;Byrne & Javad, 1992;Cooper, 1993;Ellram & Cooper, 1993;Gustin, Stank & Daugherty, 1994;The Global Research Team at Michigan State University, 1995;Christopher, 1998;and Christiansee & Kumar, 2000). But few empirical studies have been conducted to demonstrate this (Vargas, Cardenas &Mattarranz, 2000, andStank, Keller &Daugherty, 2001).…”

“…There are other empirical studies that analyse the separated effect of internal or external integration programs on performance. The studies considering only the internal integration-performance relationship are Daugherty, Ellinger & Gustin, 1998;Keller, 2000 andStank, Daugherty &. And, the studies analysing only the external integration-performance relationship are: Daugherty, Sabath & Rogers, 1992;Larson, 1994;Daugherty, Ellinger & Rogers, 1995;Groves & Valsamakis, 1998;Stank, Crum & Arango, 1999;Stank, Daugherty & Autry, 1999;Ellinger, Taylor &Scannell, Vickery &Dröge, 2000. We plan to contribute to the existing empirical research on the relationship between SCM and performance by:…”

Logistics service orientation: An integrated strategy to build logistics service competency

“…Studies have shown that integration can help firms develop logistics competency. Gustin, Stank, and Daugherty (1994) found that integrated firms are more likely to computerize their business processes, thus achieving significant tangible results including substantial inventory savings and lead time reductions. Process integration also ensures that operational interfaces within firms are synchronized to reduce duplication, redundancy, and dwell time (Rodrigues, Stank, and Lynch 2004).…”

An information technology implementation framework for the logistics industry in Singapore

“…One popular notion as suggested by the following stream of research argues that IT supports logistical integration through the free flow of critical information, and thus increases operational efficiency and customer responsiveness (Tan, 1999). For instance, by integrating logistics firms into clusters and implementing the integrated logistics concept, Gustin et al (1994;1995) show that these clusters have significantly higher computerisation of various logistical information, and higher levels of information availability (from both within logistics and other functional areas) than non-integrated firms.…”