Achieving consumer focus in supply chains

Abstract

Purpose Supply chain performance is two‐dimensional: efficiency and effectiveness. The purpose of this paper is to further define and explore the demarcation between supply chain effectiveness and supply chain efficiency. Design/methodology/approach A case‐study research method is adopted in this paper. This contribution discusses an approach for the improvement of supply chain effectiveness, i.e. Supply Chain Kano‐QFD. Findings A case‐study of the fast moving consumer goods sector is provided which shows how the proposed “Supply Chain Kano‐QFD” technique can be deployed to engage the capabilities and enthusiasm of the firms along the chain to enhance the value of the final consumable. Practical implications “Supply Chain Kano‐QFD” is an integrative method which helps drive effectiveness by focusing on how the various supply chain members might jointly develop innovative solutions to create unique, individualized sources of consumer value. Originality/value A review of the existing supply chain literature shows that there is generally a strong focus on efficiency improvements while little attention is given to enhancing the effectiveness of the supply chain offer. The supply chain management literature, however, should evolve to address relevant methods for achieving consumer focus in the context of the supply chain, i.e. supply chain effectiveness.

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