OPTIMIZATION OF SUPPLY CHAIN INTEGRATION: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

摘要

This study explores the optimization issues of SCI using empirical approaches. Using top-down and bottom-up approaches, global optimization (GO) of internal integration (II), customer integration (CI), and supplier integration (SI) with the contingency method at the strategy level and local optimization (LO) using the configuration method at the practice level are defined. Based on data collected from 617 manufacturers in China, this study reveals that II and CI are selected through GO to form the optimal set of SCI strategies. Three II practices, four CI practices, and three SI practices are selected through LO to form the optimal set of SCI practices. With the top-down and GO approach, we find that II and CI are much more important than SI for performance improvements. However, with the bottom-up and LO approach, we find that the optimized SI and II are equally important for performance improvements though CI is still the most important for performance improvements.