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.
