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Abstract
Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examine important operational issues related to strategic success factors that are necessary when implementing SCM plans in an organization.
Design/methodology/approach - A questionnaire was distributed to top and middle management within a large manufacturing firm, specializing in producing consumer and building products, to examine the importance and the extent to which the selected manufacturing company practiced the strategies based on these identified operational issues.
Findings - Reducing cost of operations, improving inventory, lead times and customer satisfaction, increasing flexibility and cross-functional communication, and remaining competitive appear to be the most important objectives to implement SCM strategies. The responses by the survey respondents indicate that not enough resources were allocated to implement and support SCM initiatives in their divisions. In addition, they perceived that resource allocation could be improved in the areas of better information systems, greater commitment, setting clear-cut goals, increased training, more personnel, and aligning SCM initiatives with current priorities and resource commitments.
Practical implications - The results will help to provide greater understanding of strategic and operational issues that support SCM framework and implementing SCM strategies to reduce supply chain-wide costs and meeting customer service levels.
Originality/value - The results will be useful for business managers to understand and implement SCM plans in terms of their importance and the company's culture.
Keywords Supply chain management, Critical success factors
Paper type Case study
1. Introduction
Adopting supply chain management (SCM) initiatives first and foremost requires that companies take a long-term view and have an extensive focus, on all the channels that are employed in the total transformation process from the earth to the end-user to create a productive and reliable supply chain network system. It also requires commitment from senior management. Organizations have to re-think how business is done at every level within and outside the organization. By evaluating and mapping a specific supply chain, a company is able to find and reduce system redundancies while improving reliability and flexibility of a system. SCM needs to begin by investigating each function a department handles and breaking it down if necessary.
Despite the challenges that are created, developing an effective and efficient supply chain can become a core competency or even a distinctive competency....