This book offers a systematic literature review and a set of empirical studies on supply chain integration. Supply chain management is recognized as an essential means for firms to achieve competitive advantages, in which supply chain integration is regarded as the core for operational excellence: shorter lead time, lower inventory, faster delivery, and higher product and service quality. Using data from an international survey of manufacturing firms, an interrelated set of studies that investigate supply chain integration from different perspectives at multiple levels are conducted. Intra-organizational factors such as products, production systems, and socio-technical systems are examined to understand their effects on supply chain integration, indicating that firms need to implement different types of supply chain integration for specific competitive priorities. Then, the outcomes of supply chain integration, including its impact on risk management and sustainability management, are investigated from an inter-organizational perspective. The firm is embedded in a manufacturing network, a global supply chain, or both, and it can use supply chain integration as a strategic action for risks. Sustainability has been a vital issue for manufacturers, and supply chain integration can enhance its success. This book makes significant contributions to the relevant literature on supply chain integration and offers insights to supply chain managers in manufacturing industries.

The managed flow of goods and information from raw material to final sale also known as a "supply chain" affects everythingâ€"from the U.S. gross domestic product to where you can buy your jeans. The nature of a company's supply chain has a significant effect on its success or failureâ€"as in the success of Dell Computer's make-to-order system and the failure of General Motor's vertical integration during the 1998 United Auto Workers strike. Supply Chain Integration looks at this crucial component of business at a time when product design, manufacture, and delivery are changing radically and globally. This book explores the benefits of continuously improving the relationship between the firm, its suppliers, and its customers to ensure the highest added value. This book identifies the state-of-the-art developments that contribute to the success of vertical tiers of suppliers and relates these developments to the capabilities that small and medium-sized manufacturers must have to be viable participants in this system. Strategies for attaining these capabilities through manufacturing extension centers and other technical assistance providers at the national, state, and local level are suggested. This book identifies action steps for small and medium-sized manufacturersâ€"the "seed corn" of business start-up and developmentâ€"to improve supply chain management. The book examines supply chain models from consultant firms, universities, manufacturers, and associations. Topics include the roles of suppliers and other supply chain participants, the rise of outsourcing, the importance of information management, the natural tension between buyer and seller, sources of assistance to small and medium-sized firms, and a host of other issues. Supply Chain Integration will be of interest to industry policymakers, economists, researchers, business leaders, and forward-thinking executives.

This is the ground-breaking new book for aspiring purchasing and supply chain leaders and anyone with a keen interest in this rapidly evolving field. For too long business has focused on short-term cost advantages through low-cost country sourcing with little regard for the longer-term implications of global sustainability. As the first book to fully address the environmental, social and economic challenges of how companies manage purchasing and supply chains, it aims to inspire the development of current and future purchasing and supply chain leaders. In addition to explaining the basic principles and processes of both purchasing and supply chain management, the book evaluates how to develop strategic and sustainable purchasing and supply chain management. A key message is that purchasing and supply chain management needs to focus on value creation rather than cost cutting. This requires the development of completely new purchasing and supply chain models that involve closed-loop supply structures, supply chain transparency and collaboration with new stakeholders in traditional sourcing and supply chain processes. Aimed at students, educators and practitioners the book integrates sustainability into each chapter as a core element of purchasing and supply chain management. Incorporating case studies from industry into each chapter, the book strikes a balance between theoretical frameworks and guidelines for implementation in practice.

In this era of globalization, entrepreneurship and its implications on international trade and supply chain management are becoming more critical. In today’s change-oriented and complex business environment, both entrepreneurs and managers need to keep up with the latest developments around them. With the help of globalization, it is getting more attractive for entrepreneurs to generate innovative ideas to run business both nationally and internationally. Competitive advantages and the key for sustainable growth for globally founded institutions lies behind effective supply chain management originating from a single idea about establishing a company and the process to the end goal of reaching consumers. This focus on entrepreneurship, business, and supply chain comes at a time when rapid technological advances are continually being made. The Handbook of Research on Recent Perspectives on Management, International Trade, and Logistics reveals the latest data based on research on the issues of entrepreneurship, innovation, contemporary management techniques, and global supply chain management. Chapters include topics such as the effective management of the supply chain, supply chain modeling, e-business solutions, digitalizing the supply chain process, e-business applications, and more. This book is ideal for managers, executives, supply chain specialists, entrepreneurs, business professionals, researchers, academicians, and students interested in the latest findings in international trade, management, logistics, and business.

The issue of sustainability has become a vital discussion in many industries within the public and private sectors. In the business realm, incorporating such practices allows organizations to re-design their operations more effectively. Green Supply Chain Management for Sustainable Business Practice examines the challenges and benefits of implementing sustainability into the core functions of contemporary enterprises, focusing on how green approaches improve operations in an ecological way. Highlighting key concepts, emerging innovations, and future directions, this book is a pivotal reference source for professionals, managers, educators, and upper-level students.

Human resource departments have been a crucial part of business practices for decades and particularly in modern times as professionals deal with multigenerational workers, diversity initiatives, and global health and economic crises. There is a necessity for human resource departments to change as well to adapt to new societal perspectives, technology, and business practices. It is important for human resource managers to keep up to date with all emerging human resource practices in order to support successful and productive organizations. The Research Anthology on Human Resource Practices for the Modern Workforce presents a dynamic and diverse collection of global practices for human resource departments. This anthology discusses the emerging practices as well as modern technologies and initiatives that affect the way human resources must be conducted. Covering topics such as machine learning, organizational culture, and social entrepreneurship, this book is an excellent resource for human resource employees, managers, CEOs, employees, business students and professors, researchers, and academicians.