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Purpose: the aim of the study is to compare the performance of different supply chain configurations adopting Additive Manufacturing. Five input factors have been varied with the aim of testing the response of the supply chain to different starting conditions. In order to evaluate the supply chain performance, a set of key performance indicators have been identified considering both manufacturing and logistic processes. Design/methodology/approach: A discrete event simulation model has been developed in order to reproduce the behavior of the players according to their role in the supply chain. Different supply chain configurations have been modelled to assess the performance of the solution combined with different input factors. Many scenarios have been tested with the aim of identifying suitable applications of the additive technology. Findings: in general, the decentralized configuration has better logistic performance than the centralized supply chain. In fact, it is more flexible, suitable for high service levels, and less affected by the variability of the demand. However, when the distances among players are very short and the average demand is low, the benefits in adopting a decentralized configuration are very limited. Concerning the performance of the production phase, the centralized structure allows providing a better capacity utilization, exploiting the potential of a High-cost machine with higher production camera volume and speed. Practical implications: the outcomes obtained allow deriving some useful guidelines, which could help practitioners to identify a suitable application of the additive technology. Originality/value: first, the model provides a quantitative evaluation. Moreover, the study analyzes the performance of the additive technology combined with different supply chain configurations. This is a strong point since it is well known that emerging manufacturing technologies can affect the structure and the performance of the whole supply chain.

Purpose: Understanding how the structure affects logistical performance and food security is critical in the supply chains of perishable foods (PFSC). This research proposes a system dynamics model to analyse the effects of structures: lean, agile, flexible and responsive, in the overall performance and of each agent of the PFSC. Design/methodology/approach: Using a system dynamics model and design of experiments it is studied how the different structures and their combination, affect the behaviour of inventory, transportation, responsiveness, efficiency, availability and quality-safety of the fresh fruits supply chain and each echelon. Findings: The studies of supply chains have been done for each structure in an independent way; investigations are scarce in supply chains of perishable foods. The structures modelled in this research do not show the better performance in all the metrics of the chain, neither in all agents for each structure. The above implies the presence of trade-offs. Research limitations/implications: The results show the need to investigate mixed structures with the PFSC´s own characteristics; the model can be applied in other supply chains of perishable foods. Practical implications: Management by combining structures in the PFSC, improves logistics performance and contributes to food security. Social implications: The agents of the FFSC can apply the structures found in this study, to improve their logistics performance and the food security. Originality/value: The dynamics of individual and combined structures were identified, which constitutes a contribution to the discussion in the literature of such problems for FFSC. The model includes six echelons: farmers, wholesalers, agro-industry, third-party logistics operators and retailers. The dynamic contemplates deterioration rate to model perishability and others losses.

PurposeClimate change requires the reduction of direct and indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a task that seems to clash with increasing supply chain complexity. This study aims to analyse the upstream supply chain complexity dimensions suggesting the importance of understanding the information processing that these may entail. Reducing equivocality can be an issue in some dimensions, requiring the introduction of written guidelines to moderate the effects of supply chain complexity dimensions on GHG emissions at the firm and supply chain level.Design/methodology/approachA three-year panel data was built with information obtained from Bloomberg, Trucost and Compustat. Hypotheses were tested using random effect regressions with robust standard errors on a sample of 394 SP500 companies, addressing endogeneity through the control function approach.FindingsHorizontal complexity reduces GHG emissions at the firm level, whereas vertical and spatial complexity dimensions increase GHG emissions at the firm and supply chain level. Although the introduction of written guidelines neutralises the negative effects of vertical complexity on firm and supply chain GHG emissions, it is not sufficient in the presence of spatial complexity.Originality/valueThis paper offers novel insights by suggesting that managers need to reconcile the potential trade-off effects on GHG emissions that horizontally complex supply chain structures can present. Their priority in vertically and spatially complex supply chain structures should be to reduce equivocality.

PurposeThe implementation of Smart Manufacturing (SM) is deemed a key enabler in the enhancement of manufacturing competitiveness and performance. Nevertheless, SM's repercussion on consumer perceptions and the contextualization of SM's performance-enhancement effects remain undetermined and have yet to be clarified. This study analyzes the effect of SM on operational and customer performance. Moreover, this study explores how these relationships change depending on a firm's geography of production (i.e. national/local vs transnational operations) and the relational arrangement adopted (i.e. service-oriented vs transaction-oriented manufacturers).Design/methodology/approachThis research surveys 351 Spanish manufacturing firms operating in an SM environment. The theoretical framework comprises a Multiple-Indicators Multiple-Causes (MIMIC) model and is tested using a Generalized Structural Equations Model.FindingsThe results obtained substantiate the positive effect of SM implementation on both of the performance measures analyzed (i.e. operational and customer focused). Moreover, the study reveals that while geography of production moderates the effect on a firm's operational performance, relational arrangement also does so in terms of customer performance.Originality/valueThis research clearly differentiates the benefits of SM depending on business context. In this regard, transnational production firms tend to gain in operational performance while service-oriented manufacturers gain in customer performance.

As the competition became intense and markets get globalized after 1990s, difficulties also increased created by delivering a product and a service to the correct place at the right time with the lowest cost. Enterprises understood that increasing the efficiency within an organization is not sufficient on its own against these increasing difficulties, instead, all supply chains should be competitive. Today, the supply chain became a preliminary condition for enterprises to remain competitive in the global race. Upon examining research performed regarding the supply chain, it is seen that a major part of the related literature focuses on generally the service industry and especially the manufacturing industry by making few references to the tourism industry. In this study which is based on the literature screening, the concept of the supply chain, its structures, and the benefits of creating supply chains moreover the concept of supply chains in the tourism industry, its structure and cooperation have been covered and the importance of supply chain in the tourism industry has been tried to be emphasized.

This study examines a three-tier e-commerce platform supply chain consisting of a manufacturer, an e-commerce platform, and a logistics provider, where three members invest in artificial intelligence. Market demand is modeled as a function of retail price and the AI investment efforts of three members. To coordinate the supply chain, all possible coalition forms and the cost-sharing contract are investigated. Game models under different scenarios are established and solved. The results show that: (1) Compared with the centralized structure, each member’s AI investment effort will decrease under decentralized structures; (2) The cost-sharing contract is always effective for the AI investment efforts of the manufacturer and platform, but it is effective for the logistics provider’s AI investment effort under certain conditions; (3) The cost-sharing contract effectively coordinates the e-commerce platform supply chain compared to the revenue-sharing contract. Market demand and supply chain profit are larger under the cost-sharing contract than under the fully decentralized structure. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the design of AI investment strategies, product pricing, and coordination mechanisms for supply chain members of the e-commerce supply chain.

Direct digital manufacturing, or ‘3D printing’ as it is more commonly known, offers a wealth of opportunities for product and process innovation, and is often touted to ‘revolutionize’ today’s manufacturing operations and its associated supply chains structures. Despite a growing number of successful 3D printing applications, however, evidence of any displacement of traditional manufacturing is limited. In this paper we seek to separate hype surrounding DDM from economic reality in order to ground the future research agenda for the Operations Management field. By opposing direct digital manufacturing with traditional tool-based manufacturing, we show that direct digital manufacturing so far lags behind by several orders of magnitude compared to traditional manufacturing methods. Yet we also find that direct digital manufacturing clearly is on an improvement trajectory that eventually will see it being able to compete with traditional manufacturing on a unit cost basis. As such we conclude that direct digital manufacturing will increasingly challenge operations management researchers to question established practices such as scheduling, batch sizing and inventory management in low-volume, high-variety contexts. Furthermore, an increasing adoption of direct digital manufacturing will drive structural shifts in the supply chain that are not yet well understood. We summarize these challenges by defining the research agenda at factory, supply chain, and operations strategy level.

This paper studies the retailer’s optimal corporate social responsibility (CSR) investment decisions in manufacturer-collecting closed-loop supply chains (CLSCs). We establish a centralized and two decentralized models with and without considering the retailer’s CSR investment. The impacts of the supply chain structure and channel power structure on the retailer’s CSR investment decisions are analyzed. We find that (i) the retailer increases CSR investment as the remanufacturing cost savings increase or the collection cost reduces; (ii) the retailer is more willing to make a CSR investment in the centralized model than in the decentralized models; (iii) the CSR effort level in the manufacturer-led model is higher than that in the retailer-led model; and (iv) when the unit cost of CSR investment is moderate, retailer’s CSR investment benefits the retailer while harming the manufacturer; however, CSR investment always leads to a “win–win” situation when the retailer is the channel leader. Finally, we carry out numerical studies to investigate the effects of model parameters on supply chain equilibrium.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to outline the results of the empirical testing in the field of halal food supply chain and halal integrity assurance (HIA), as well as to provide a research framework of their relationships.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on the exploratory research paper using quantitative data collection to empirically experimented with concepts and provide practical solutions for halal industry players to optimize their halal food supply chain integrity assurance.FindingsThe findings show the halal supply chain of the food and beverage industry has a significant effect on HIA. The results also suggest the halal industry with a high focus on supply chain business processes and supply chain network structure are expected to have better HIA.Research limitations/implicationsAs this study only focuses on the halal industry in Malaysia specifically on food and beverages, its findings cannot be generalized to other categories. Issues of applicability of this study to other countries also need to be considered.Practical implicationsThis study addresses the assurance of halal integrity is a crucial element in managing a halal food supply chain in the halal industry. It has empirically identified the important elements to strengthen halal food supply chain integrity assurance in the halal industry.Social implicationsIt is important to manage knowledge, commitment and trust in any halal organization as a catalyst for HIA. This study presents a better understanding of the halal concept application in society.Originality/valueThere is a lack of empirical study on halal food supply chain integrity assurance even though the issue of HIA is widely discussed in the halal industry. Thus, this study has used an industry survey to empirically experimented with concepts and provide practical contributions to enhance halal food supply chain integrity assurance.

This study examines how supply chain structure diversification drives high-quality enterprise development in the digital economy. Using panel data from Chinese listed non-financial firms (2009–2023), we find that diversification of both suppliers and customers significantly improves firms’ total factor productivity (TFP), and the results remain robust after controlling for endogeneity. Mechanism analyses show that diversification enhances innovation capability, sustainability performance, and risk resilience, while digital supply chains strengthen these effects by improving information flow and coordination. Heterogeneity tests reveal that the impact is greater for firms with higher operational efficiency, cultural synergy, and information transparency. Overall, the findings highlight that diversified and digitally integrated supply chains are essential for innovation-driven, resilient, and sustainable enterprise growth.