Purpose – This article aims to explore the arguments that citizens of future cities will increasingly live in virtual communities as well as bricks and mortar ones, and that some previously physical supply chains will become virtual networks or communities. In examining these arguments, the...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the prerequisites and effects of centralised supply chain planning at IKEA, and to explore how the planning process, planning system, and planning organization make up a centralised planning approach. Design/methodology/approach – The paper...

Purpose – This paper seeks to present a comprehensive overview of the supply chain as an autopoietic system. The new autopoietic approach suggests a transition from traditional cognitivist epistemology to the theory of learning as a creational matter, and this type of thinking can potentially...

Purpose – This study aims to explain how supply chain alignment, which remains a major challenge for supply chains, can be achieved and its implications for business performance (BP) by testing the strengths of the relationships between previously identified enablers, supply chain alignment...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess elements that affect social responsibility in supply chains and beyond. The elements are classified into drivers, facilitators and inhibitors. Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents an assessment of supply chain management research...

Purpose – Although supply chain management is now an established field, the distinction between supply chains and supply networks is relatively immature and requires further investigation. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the distinction between supply chains and supply networks....