Identifying sources of uncertainty to generate supply chain redesign strategies

TLDR

Dynamic demands and constraints in the food supply chain require increased cooperation among companies, raising questions about when, why, how, and with whom to engage in supply‑chain management. The study proposes a qualitative method and a generic list of redesign strategies, emphasizing that identifying and managing uncertainty sources is key to selecting the most effective strategies for a given chain. The method analyzes a supply‑chain network to identify effective redesign strategies by mapping uncertainty sources in decision‑making processes. Applying the method to three food supply chains produced a practical tool that recommends effective redesign strategies for each identified uncertainty.

Abstract

Dynamic demands and constraints imposed by a rapidly changing business environment make it increasingly necessary for companies in the food supply chain to cooperate with each other. The main questions individual (food) companies face are whether, why, how and with whom they should start supply chain management activities. Presents a qualitative research method for analyzing a supply chain network and for identifying effective chain redesign strategies. Presents a generic list of supply chain redesign strategies based on a multi‐disciplinary literature review. Proposes that in order to identify the most effective strategies in a specific chain scenario one should focus on the identification and management of the sources of uncertainties in the supply chain’s decision‐making processes. The application of the research method in three food supply chains resulted in a valuable tool that can be used in supply chain redesign projects, as it indicates potentially effective redesign strategies when a specific source of uncertainty is encountered in a supply chain.