ALBERT

Notes: Purpose - The ability of a manufacturing system to respond to customer demand in a timely fashion is widely accepted as a source of competitive advantage. While quick response concepts at system level have been widely discussed in a range of industry sectors, such as textile, electronics and fast moving consumer goods, few studies so far have specifically investigated the responsiveness of the component supply chain. This exploratory study hence aims to reconcile the considerable ambiguity that exists around the concept of supplier responsiveness, supported by an empirical investigation into the automotive parts industry. Design/methodology/approach - The study analyses the responsiveness of first-tier automotive suppliers in Europe. The research is based on a multi-method approach comprising of a survey, coupled with in-depth processing mapping and complimenting interviews of production control staff at a subset of the surveyed companies. Findings - The findings suggest that supplier responsiveness is constrained by both endogenous factors originating from within their own manufacturing operations, as well as exogenous factors related to both their respective up-stream and downstream tiers. Furthermore, the study highlights how first-tier suppliers are "squeezed" between demanding vehicle manufacturers on the one hand, and an unresponsive raw material supply base on the other, constraining their overall ability to respond to changing market requirements. Research limitations/implications - The conclusions derived from this research are bound by the sample these are drawn from, and additional large-scale analyses are suggested as further research. Originality/value - While the concept of "responsiveness" has been widely discussed in the supply chain literature, this debate has largely remained in the realms of qualitative description. Few studies have empirically addressed the issue of supply chain responsiveness, and if so, often focused on a subset of factors (e.g. schedule variations) only. In this paper, an holistic approach to responsiveness is adopted that aims at identifying the key variables that impact on supply chain responsiveness, as well as providing quantitative evidence to support these claims.

Notes: Describes a two- and, later, a three-dimensional view of supply chain dynamics within a theoretical framework derived from research carried out in the UK automotive industry. However, the authors believe that the models developed have a far wider applicability than this narrow sectoral and geographic focus. The research has been developed within two research programmes. The first programme, called "LEAP" (lean processing programme), involves Corus (formerly British Steel Strip Products), two steel service centres and six major UK-based automotive component manufacturers, all linked within a common supply chain. The second programme, called "3DayCar", involves 20 European industrial sponsors including six automotive manufacturers. Both programmes are supported by the UK Government Innovative Manufacturing Initiative (IMI). Conclusions based on the waves analogy will be applied to a real-life setting in order to suggest appropriate business strategies to achieving a lean value stream.

Notes: It is now becoming apparent that the prevalent "stock-push" approach in the automotive industry of building vehicles against a long-term forecast and fulfilling the large majority of orders from existing stock is no longer a viable proposition. Pressure from rising stock levels in the market and the discounts needed to sell these vehicles is forcing the vehicle manufacturers to rethink their sourcing strategy in favour of "build-to-order" systems. More responsive order fulfilment at vehicle manufacturer level however will have wide implications on the component supply and logistics subsystems. Based on findings of the 3DayCar research programme, this paper aims at assessing whether current logistics systems are capable of supporting such a "build-to-order" approach. Based on empirical evidence of benchmarks covering three million annual vehicle movements in the UK vehicle distribution system, key constraints in current vehicle distribution logistics will be established, and the cost and environmental impact of more responsive logistics will be assessed.

Notes: The application of lean thinking has made a significant impact both in academic and industrial circles over the last decade. Fostered by a rapid spread into many other industry sectors beyond the automotive industry, there has been a significant development and "localisation" of the lean concept. Despite successful "lean" applications in a range of settings however, the lean approach has been criticised on many accounts, such as the lack of human integration or its limited applicability outside high-volume repetitive manufacturing environments. The resulting lack of definition has led to confusion and fuzzy boundaries with other management concepts. Summarising the lean evolution, this paper comments on approaches that have sought to address some of the earlier gaps in lean thinking. Linking the evolution of lean thinking to the contingency and learning organisation schools of thought, the objective of this paper is to provide a framework for understanding the evolution of lean not only as a concept, but also its implementation within an organisation, and point out areas for future research.

Notes: Purpose - The concept of responsiveness has been widely discussed, yet so far most of this discussion has remained qualitative in nature. The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model identifying the key factors that determine the responsiveness of a supply chain system, which - once quantified - provide a unique profile of each supply chain setting towards the appropriate supply chain strategy. Design/methodology/approach - The paper reviews existing contributions and synthesises these into a conceptual model of responsiveness. The model is applied using three case studies from the automotive and electronics industry. The case research is based on value stream mapping, semi-structured interviews, and site visits. Findings - Three key findings could be established: first, the concept of responsiveness has a simple logic that aligns itself to a wide range of manufacturing strategies. However, underlying this remit is a complex interaction of an array of key variables, and it was found that previous contributions largely have only addressed a subset of these. Second, these key variables can be grouped into three categories or dimensions of responsiveness - product, process and volume - to provide a holistic understanding of responsiveness and its key determinants. Third, due to the large involved, there cannot be one single "holy grail" concept of how responsiveness can be achieved, neither does one single approach apply to entire sectors. Research limitations/implications - A great variety of variables needs to be considered in order to provide a balanced view of all three dimensions of responsiveness, thus the case analyses remain at a necessarily high level. Practical implications - The paper provides guidelines for management on how to align their supply chain strategy to volume, product and process contingency factors in order to balance responsiveness to customer demand and supply chain efficiency. Originality/value - The paper aims to elevate a discussion that previously has been held mostly at a conceptual level beyond the qualitative description, and thus addresses a key shortcoming in the current debate.