MIT Research
About the 2009/2010 MIT/TruEconomy research project: ‘Supply Chain Management and the agenda of the CEO’
In recent years, quite some emphasis has been put on the importance of strategies such as just-in-time, lean manufacturing, off-shoring or frequent deliveries to retail outlets. However, with significant economic changes, rising labor costs in developing countries, huge volatility in oil and other commodity prices, and new regulations such as carbon emission caps, some of these strategies may put the supply chain in peril.
At the same time, logistics and supply chain management have been the focus of executive meetings, business columns and research institutes as never before. The importance of integrated, globally optimized supply chains is well understood and it seems that in many companies, executives have discovered the impact on business performance that can be achieved by effectively managing their supply chains.
Our objective in this MIT/TruEconomy research project is to answer the following questions:
- Is SCM an important topic on the agenda of today’s business leaders, in particular CEOs and COOs?
- If it is on the agenda, what specifically is included? Risk management? Cost cutting? Cash reduction? New channels?
- If SCM is not directly on the CEO’s/COO’s agenda, what is on their agenda? Is there a link between SCM and these topics?
More importantly, is there a framework that links the firm's value proposition to its supply chain strategy? Such a framework can establish a strong connection between business strategy and SCM and will drive supply chain management towards the firm’s decision makers.
To participate in this research, please click here