Research News
Supply Chain Management
Strategic Spot Trading Benefits Supply Chains
Supply chains can create greater profits for themselves and lower costs to consumers by developing a strategy to purchase needed materials with fixed-priced contracts negotiated in advance plus buying in real time on the open market.
The Best Way to Construct Unenforceable Contracts
Strong relationships rather than iron clad legal agreements can be the most practical way for firms to outsource key operational activities, says
associate professor Erica Plambeck. The threat of loss of future business is a
stronger incentive in many cases than a legal document. (April 2007)
Tighter Supply Chain Security Also Improves Company Performance
Supply chain security measures, created to guard against interruptions such as
terrorist attacks or natural disasters, not only keep material moving, they also
produced benefits for the companies involved, according to study by researchers
at Stanford University's Global Supply Chain Management Forum. The 14 companies
studied saw benefits including a 38 percent reduction in theft, a 29 percent
reduction in transit time, and a 30 percent improvement in on-time shipment to
customers. (July 2006)
Supply Chains Adapt to Disruptions When There is No Time for a Huddle
Whether it’s a natural disaster or an equipment problem, supply chains today are
focused on being flexible to emergencies than on product design to maximize
efficiency. Stanford’s 10-year-old Global Supply Chain Management Forum has
studied the progress. (June 2005)
Sense and Respond, the New Business Model
Instead of broadcasting information to a wide audience, businesses can
pinpoint a message, product, or service using sense and respond business
model. The full effects won't be felt for a while, says Prof. Jin Whang,
but it is coming. (May 2005)
Taking the Risk Out of Supply Chains
Doing business in today's turbulent world means that companies both
downstream and upstream in the supply chain need a good solid plan B to
turn to when trouble strikes that can close a factory or fill a warehouse
with useless parts. (February 2005)
Coping with Security Costs of Terrorist Threats to Supply Chain Management
The potential for terrorist attacks today has made containers that flow in
and out of ports feeding supply chains potential weapons. Stanford
Business School researchers call for increasing security inspections early
in the process at factories, distribution centers, or ports of departure
rather than when the containers arrive at their destinations. (January 2004)
The Bullwhip Effect Can Cause Havoc in Supply Chains
As information about demand for a product moves up the manufacturing supply
chain it can become distorted, causing overproduction or other problems. A paper
written nearly ten years ago that first identified this "bullwhip
effect" has been named one of the 10 most influential papers ever published
in the journal Management Science. (June 2004)
Foundations of Stochastic Inventory
Theory
Evan Porteus, Stanford University Press,
2002
The book serves as an advanced textbook designed to prepare
doctoral students to do research on the mathematical foundations of
inventory theory and as a reference work for those already engaged in such
research. All chapters conclude with exercises that either solidify or
extend the concepts introduced. (August 2002)
Slow Growth for Business-to-Business Online Buying
Business-to-Business online sales haven’t reached the heights once
forecast, but researchers predict the growth will be steady and the cost
savings substantial. (September 2002)
Reshaping Industries with Internet Supply Chains
excerpted from the book by Garth Saloner and A.
Michael Spence, John Wiley and Sons, 2001.
This book on electronic commerce is divided into two parts: "Perspectives"
provides an overview of these important issues in electronic commerce;
"Cases" written under the supervision of Stanford faculty provide
real world insight. Both parts contain a wealth of information about technologies,
industries, firms, strategies, and organizational structures as well as
issues that the challenge of electronic commerce poses for practitioners.
(August 2001)
Managing Supply Chain Key Link to Growth
Exactly what is Supply Chain Management? A primer on this growing field of
research. (November 2000)
Online Data Exchange Make Supply Chains More Efficient
The Internet and other forms of rapid data exchange are creating more
efficient supply chains. Researchers exchange strategies for accomplishing
this at a conference sponsored by the Global Supply Chain Forum. (June 2000)
Sharing Information to Boost the Bottom Line
For years, companies have used their internal information systems to
increase productivity. Today they are putting more emphasis on data
systems that are tightly linked with outsiders, such as subcontractors or
delivery agents. (March 1999)