Supply Chain Collaboration and Logistical Service Performance

Abstract

The supply chain management philosophy stresses that maximizing service to customers of choice at the lowest total cost requires a strong commitment to close relationships among trading partners. The philosophy requires a movement away from arms-length interactions toward longer term, partnership-type arrangements to create highly competitive supply chains. It is generally believed that increased collaboration among supply chain participants leads to lower total cost and enhanced service performance.1 Ideally, collaboration begins with customers and extends back through the firm from finished goods distribution to manufacturing and raw material procurement, as well as to material and service suppliers. Thus, integration is needed both internally (intraorganizationally) and externally (interorganizationally).2 Although cost savings from reduced operational duplication and redundancy are important, the focus of this research is the relationship between collaboration and service improvement.Both the popular press and academic research focus on the importance and frequency of collaborative action, and the role of collaboration in overall business performance.3 Much of this work is prescriptive, whereas our study develops and tests measures to examine empirically the relationships between internal and external supply chain collaboration and logistical performance. Post hoc analyses offer further insights. BACKGROUND

Supply Chain Performance

“…Other definitions are alike. For example, Stank et al (2001) describe supply chain management as maximizing service to customers of choice at the lowest total cost. Cooper et al (1997, p. 2) describe supply chain management as the "integration of business processes from end user through original suppliers that provide products, services and information that add value for customers".…”

“…The concept includes the broad range of activities needed to plan, implement and control manufacturing and delivery processes from the point of raw material origin to the point of consumption (Stank et al 2001). …”

“…Stank et al (2001), have studied the relationship between collaboration and service improvement in supply chains. Collaboration is a process of decision making among interdependent parties.…”

“…Higher levels of internal and external collaboration are expected to result in improved logistical service performance, and, internal and external collaboration have a positive influence on each other (Stank et al 2001). …”

Integração entre logística e marketing: fatores críticos na perspectiva de interação e colaboração

“…Integração entre logística e marketing: fatores críticos na perspectiva de interação e colaboração De acordo com a literatura sobre o tema, são poucos os trabalhos que trazem evidências empíricas do processo de integração entre Marketing e Logística, bem como, colaborações teóricas e práticas trazidas por estas (ELLINGER, 2000;STANK et al, 2001;GIMENEZ;VENTURA, 2003;GIMENEZ, 2006;DAUGHERTY et al, 2009 Em relação aos meios para se alcançar integração, Murphy e Poist (1996) identificaram, na literatura sobre a integração interfuncional, 14 técnicas gerenciais que podem ser utilizadas para aperfeiçoar a cooperação entre Marketing e Logística, sendo elas:…”