The Supply Chain Becomes the Demand Chain

Abstract

F or most of its 30-year history, the description of our discipline as "supply chain management" has tended to encourage a supply-focused viewpoint in which production push rather than demand pull is the dominant logic. We argue the emerging case for demand chain management, in which new manufacturing techniques (such as additive manufacturing) and enhanced information flows (big data) enable our supply chains to run, concurrently, with lower inventory and fast customer response. Remodeling our supply chains into demand chains creates the possibility that waste and obsolescence can be reduced; companies in this world will not create demand unless they can supply it. Increasingly, demand chains that exhibit both lean and agile characteristics ("leagile") will challenge the received wisdom of lean versus agile. We explore some antecedents for the development of demand chains, the implications for the relationship between marketing and supply chain management in organizations, and the consequences for academic discourse-both research and teaching-in these two fields. In particular, we argue that offerings such as Rolls-Royce's TotalCareâ challenge siloed academic perspectives, and we formulate a cross-functional research agenda to examine a number of these boundary-spanning practices.

Geographies of production in 3D: Theoretical and research implications stemming from additive manufacturing

“…Technicians, troubleshooters, repairpersons, and perhaps even programmers will be required to work in conjunction with a printer or battery of printers, and industry favors proximity for the suppliers of these functions (Gertler, 1995). As such, the linkages between place, labor, production, and consumerism will not be as readily severed as some may have us believe, in turn necessitating a toppling of the logic of 'supply chain management' in favor of more consumer oriented 'demand chains' that 'choose, provide, and then communicate' value in line with new, high technology production possibilities (see Christopher and Ryals, 2014). Accordingly, geography explored via demographics, distance, and human and social capital may become even more vital to our understanding of trajectories connected to, and impacts generated from, additive manufacturing.…”

The environmental value and impact of the Maker movement—Insights from a cross‐case analysis of European maker initiatives

“…Nevertheless, it seems that these production methods have a positive influence on the environment as they open up new opportunities for recycling material and as they “might increase the awareness on sustainable consumption among consumers” (Millard et al, ). Local production of goods may lead to less logistics and transportation and thereby less pollution (e.g., Kohtala, ; Kohtala & Hyysalo, ) as the maker community has the potential to strengthen the local production and therefore influence supply chains as well (Christopher & Ryals, ; Mohr & Khan, ; Waller & Fawcett, ).…”

We Must Find the Courage to Change

“…At all levels, we see how vertical thinking, the silo mentality, can result in unintended consequences and inadequate performance. Christopher and Ryals () recognize this when they stated: “a truly integrated systems approach to education would better serve our students and the broader business community” (p. 34). However, with no support from the literature, they claim that the name supply chain management has “tended to encourage a supply‐focused viewpoint” rather than a focus on demand (p. 29).…”