Fiachra Coll

1
An investigation of supply network typologies

• Fiachra Coll
• Centre for Strategic Manufacturing (Strathclyde
  University)
• Logistics and Supply Chain Research Group (Dublin
  Institute of Technology)
• Contact
• Tel [phone]
• email fiachra.coll_at_dit.ie

2
Rationale

• No attempt to model anything like a whole
  supply networkindeed, we might ask whether a
  task should be attempted Macbeth
• It is the role of the academic to codify
  better supply chain practice based on robust
  theoretical conceptualisation Cox
• Many well known typologies... include only a few
  aspects of organisational life as a basis for
  classification and squeeze these into as few
  categories as possible. Rich
• It is important to recognize the
  multi-dimensional nature of an effective
  typology Hall
• Ideas such as these illustrate the need for
  underlying theory to drive classification
  schemes theory, then, must remain central to the
  classification process as the decider and arbiter
  of boundaries Rich

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Objectives

• To validate the supply network approach in the
  analysis of several coordinating companies with
  distinct end-products operating in a competitive
  environment.
• To critically assess current supply chain
  classification systems.
• To create an approach to the analysis of supply
  networks.
• To identify typologies (variations within the
  supply network) based on an analysis of the data
  generated by using the approach.
• To validate these typologies by comparing them
  with other existing networks.

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Gaps in existing research

• Do supply networks and chains exist outside
  theory? Difficult to illustrate collective
  benefit using standard modes of enquiry
• Purposive nature of existing research inhibits
  cross-concept comparisons
• Disparate theories from a variety of disciplines
• Failure to distinguish between prescriptive and
  descriptive approaches to functioning of supply
  network
• Prevalence of traditional common-sense models
  with distinguishable different supply chain types
  on the basis of one / two character difference.
• Evolution or revolution in the field of
  inter-firm relationships and logistics?

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Methodological issues

• In essence there are two approaches to creating a
  multi-character typology based on actual data
• empirical approach- exhaustive use of independent
  characters that create groups specifically based
  on data analysis
• theoretic approach use a priori theory to
  define universe of characters select characters
  of interest based on theory (archetype)- and then
  create groups based on data analysis
• Richness of approach- too few characters and all
  supply networks are homogenous- too many and they
  are all different.

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Research approach
Define archetype
Supply network data
Describe individual system
Purpose
Verify network clusters against typologies
Existing typologies
Draw con- clusions
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Components

• Systems theory forms the point of entry for
  investigation of the supply network.
• Components are derived from a comprehensive
  review of previous
• supply chain theories
• supply chain classifications
• extended enterprise classifications
• schools of thought that overlap with the supply
  chain (channel marketing, value chain,
  inter-organisational dependence...)

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Components
Supply network objectives Individual firm
objectives Super-organisational
objectives Conflicting objective resolution
Purpose
Performance
Structure
Performance of network Co-ordination of
strategy Individual super-organisational
performance measures
Nature of organisation Supply network- of
what? Number of firms Focal firm Critical /
non-critical network boundaries (substitutability
of member firms) Density of network Co-ordination
mechanism Delineation of areas of firms involved
External inhibitors / drivers Globalisation Networ
ked software applications Legislature State of
market and industry
Environment
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Industrial contribution

• Different supply network types to choose from
  enable firms to quickly determine what are the
  critical network characteristics to concentrate
  on.
• The development of specific tools in supply chain
  management are contingent upon robust theoretical
  concepts.
• Anecdotal evidence suggests that company-wide
  modelling forms a necessary precursor to BPR-
  therefore network-wide modelling should provide a
  means of accelerating the successful evolution of
  a supply network.