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Purpose -- The aim of this study is to investigate and analyze product recalls and product-harm crises in the US toy industry, which is a major area in marketing and firms' competitiveness. Design/methodology/approach -- By using longitudinal data from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the paper uses content analysis to compare and contrast toy recalls, product hazards and country of origin issues of 721 toy recalls in the US market between 1974 and 2008, covering 270 million recalled toys. Findings -- Findings of this work reveal that most of the recalled toys were manufactured in China, although a wide variety of toy brands were designed in the USA. Major hazards of toy recalls included choking, lead poisoning, aspiration, fire/burn and other injuries. Research limitations/implications -- The study relied on the CPSC's data that seemed representative of the toy industry in the US market, but missed other markets of Europe and Asia. Also, there was availability of detailed data in sub-categories of the toy industry. Practical implications -- The paper provides useful academic and managerial implications that can help us understand the issues of product recalls and product-harm crises. Social implications -- Toys are one of the most widely available products in the world; the industry is a $50 billion industry and has transformed itself from a small-scale business sector into a well-established industry. Originality/value -- This investigation is particularly important in the areas of firm-specific competitiveness, business ethics and regulatory and societal issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify and explain competition between buyers and sellers within the same supply chain network. It suggests that supply chain can be best described as an opportunistic coalition between the powerful and ambitious ones. Design/methodology/approach – This paper discusses the arguments and counter-arguments on outsourcing and also supply chain management as presented in the academic literature. Then it analyses some of the prevailing practices in supply chain, and uses concepts of power, team and opportunistic alliance to suggest that supply chain could best be described as an opportunistic alliance. Findings – Buyers and suppliers are always engaged in power struggles, even though they may be cooperating to run the supply chain smoothly. The degree of one party's success in such a struggle is determined by the extent of the others' dependence on it. The dependence is reliant on one's control over the process of defining, designing and producing the goods and services required to fulfil the needs of the end customers. Research limitations/implications – While success in the market is equally important, this paper elaborates on the supply chain issue only. Practical implications – The article is useful for managers, making "make-or buy" decisions and entering into (supply chain) alliances. Similarly, students engaged in analysis and understanding of issues pertaining to supply chain management and strategy can find this article useful. Originality/value – Competition within supply chain has been a missing link in the discussions of the supply chain strategy. The paper has conceptualized and elaborated this very important issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper seeks to investigate the fast-growing problem of counterfeit prescription drugs and the steps being taken by both the private and public sectors to counteract it. Design/methodology/approach The author documents both the size and scope of the counterfeit pharmaceutical problem in the USA. The paper also looks at the steps being taken by pharmaceutical manufacturers and wholesalers, as well as legal efforts being undertaken by federal and state governments, to counteract the growing concerns over fake medicines being introduced into the pharmaceutical supply chain, Findings The paper builds the business case for radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to be employed to track pharmaceuticals in the supply chain and counter the growing threat of counterfeit drugs. Research limitations/implications The principal limitation of this research is that it is being conducted on both a rapidly evolving problem (counterfeit pharmaceuticals) and the use of a rapidly developing technology (RFID) to counteract it. Thus, in time, the parameters of both the counterfeit drug problem and the technological solutions to it may shift dramatically. Practical implications The paper demonstrates that RFID provides the only effective method of providing "track and trace" electronic pedigrees for prescription drugs. Originality/vaine The paper is a valuable overview of the problems associated with the vulnerability of the pharmaceutical supply chain in the USA and the potential cost-effective, life-saving use of RFID to better secure prescription drugs, both in transit and in inventory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]