Strategic Supply Chain Management (SSCM) : Developing Conceptual Framework and Research Propositions

In current era of highly comptitive and fast pace business environment organization are struggling to survive as product lifecycles (PLCs) have become shorter, clock-speed has become faster, and the consequences of disenchanting a customer have become more severe. Thus, organization are looking for ways to be more productive, creative and competitiveas these factors affect their performance. Strategic supply chain management (SSCM) enable firms to create value in multiple ways and shows how the role of supply chain is being redefined, from an operational tool to a bonafide competitive strategic weapon. The strategic supply chain management not only focuses on use of a supply chain as a means to deliver products to right place, but also as an enabler to enhance strategic outcomes that drive overall performance of the organization. Strategic supply chain management drives an organization to deliver what its customers want, when its customers want it and streamlining operations to provide great service at lower cost. Value-creation aspects of the strategic supply chain management have become a new competitive ground to which most organizations can aspire. Strategic supply chain management needs four key components in order to be as customer-centric as possible: Responsiveness, Resiliency, Reliability and Realignment (4Rs). Strategic supply chain management enhances customer value proposition through competitive priorities of 4Rs and hence they need to be integrated in order to create the most value within an organization’s operations as well as for the customers. Strategic supply chain management mitigates the challenges of customer value creation in today’s highly complex and competitive business environment. This research has developed a research framework for better understanding of customer interface and organizations from inside-out. The research has formulated various propositions and emphasized that 4Rs are important drivers of strategic supply chain management in improving business performance