Paper info

INTEGRATED AND FLEXIBLE PROJECT SUPPLY CHAINS AND NETWORKS - DEVELOPING A RESEARCH PLATFORM

Nathalie Fabbe-Costes

The paper was published at the 25th IMP-conference in Marseille, France in 2009.

To an increasing degree industries are organising their activities in projects which requires flexible solutions to manage operations, supply and distribution, as well as activities related to reverse logistics. At the same time, integration in supply chains and networks is often considered to be a core of cost effective and customer-oriented solutions. The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual research platform for studies of project supply chains and networks with a focus on how they can be both flexible and integrated. A systematic review of papers in logistics/SCM on combinations of flexibility and integration as well as related concepts is undertaken and shows that the vocabulary needs to be developed and stabilised as many different concepts are used and not always properly defined. It is also concluded that few studies provide in-depth understanding of means for combined flexibility/integration, which calls for more research. The review is used as basis for propositions regarding means such as standards and modular design and how this impact on the way relationships can be managed. This forms the basis on which a research platform for future research in project-based contexts is developed. Further research should be based on empirical studies within for example construction, event logistics and humanitarian disaster response.