Development of a Supply Chain Integration Process

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to align integrative tactics and coordination program to develop a supply chain integration process. The taxonomy approach was employed in this paper. An empirical sample comprising 655 responses to the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey was used to test the research question. This paper identified an integrative process that entailed four steps: initial integration, basic integration, junior integration, and senior integration. In addition, the research results show which integrative tactic should be improved, and how they should be improved, in each step, as well as which coordination program should be implemented in each step to expedite integration. Finally, the research results show changes in competitive capabilities between the steps. In terms of practical implications, our research results can be used as a guideline for practitioners to develop a stepwise process of integration and to gradually improve and expand integration until complete integration is achieved.