The evolving supply chain: an empirical investigation of the impact of knowledge dimensions in manufacturing and service supply chains

Done, Adrian (2005) The evolving supply chain: an empirical investigation of the impact of knowledge dimensions in manufacturing and service supply chains. Doctoral thesis, University of London: London Business School.

Abstract

Where are we now in the evolution of supply chains and what has to occur to advance along the continuum? (Bowersox et al., 2000) This thesis aims to go some way to answering this question, by undertaking an empirical investigation of two major evolutionary issues emanating from the literature: 1. The increasing importance of managing knowledge in supply chains, 2. The application of supply chain practices beyond manufacturing- into services. Existing supply chain literature largely focuses on asset and information elements of exchange between supply chain partners in manufacturing contexts. Yet the exchange and management of knowledge is not so well understood despite its increasing 'importance as more complex business dynamics shift towards competing supply chains. The above issues are developed through a synthesis of the supply chain literature, and analysed through adopting perspectives from knowledge management and service operations research streams. Three particularly relevant supply chain knowledge dimensions emerge: knowledge transfer, competence and maturity. Investigating the impact upon performance of these dimensions within manufacturing and/ or service supply chain contexts constitutes the research focus of this thesis. Literature-based definitions of the main constructs are adopted and three sequential essays developed. The first essay explores the transfer of structural and procedural components of knowledge in manufacturing supply chains. The second essay investigates the cultivation of this knowledge into specific skills comprising supply chain competence. Direct comparisons are made between manufacturing and service contexts. The final essay develops the supply chain maturity concept, as defined by level of collaborative knowledge sharing across appropriate practices, and assesses impact in the evolving service-oriented supply chain context of Healthcare. The empirical investigation is based upon rigorous mail, telephone and Internet survey data collection methodologies and multivariate data analysis techniques such as multiple regression, structural equation modelling and set correlation analysis.