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Recently, industrial and academic communities in the operations and supply chain management (OSCM) field are paying increasing attention to social media. However, the value of social media in OSCM is quite unclear, and more investigations are still needed. To pave the way for directed future research, this paper systematically reviewed and synthesised 152 peer-review journal papers to identify research focus and gaps in this area, supported by an appropriate conceptual framework. The result reveals that the research interests in this area have increased dramatically within the last decade across various industries and regions. Different companies' OSCM activities, such as sourcing and delivery, can benefit from employment of social media. This paper also indicates that future research can explore the value of social media in sourcing, delivery, product return and reverse logistics, forecasting and inventory management, and product development and production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Symposium on Logistics (ISL) has been a significant platform for discussing and shaping the field of logistics and supply chain management for the past 25 years. Initially launched in Nottingham, UK, in 1993, ISL has since been held in various countries across Europe and outside of Europe. The symposium has evolved to address major themes such as globalization, sustainability, digitalization, and the impact of technology on logistics and supply chain operations. The symposium has a strong relationship with the International Journal of Logistics Management (IJLM), which regularly publishes special issues featuring papers from ISL. The current special issue focuses on submissions from the 25th ISL Conference held in 2021, highlighting research on information sharing in South African supply chains, the role of technology in humanitarian logistics, green supply chain management in a Chinese electronics manufacturer, and resilience in the Indonesian tea supply chain. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the impact of the original work and provide an updated model to reflect the changing environment for supply chains. In 2000, a migratory model for supply chain evolution was proposed. Design/methodology/approach – The authors start by analysing the content of the papers that have cited the original Christopher and Towill (2000) paper. The development of an updated migratory model is informed by the findings from this, and then demonstrated through a case study of the book supply chain. Findings – Despite being the major contribution, the majority of citing papers actually use other parts of the original work, and some potential reasons for this are proposed. An extra stage is added to the migratory model, reflecting a customer centric strategy. Research limitations/implications – Given that the migratory model appears under-researched, the authors identify this as an opportunity for future research and suggest that methods less common in supply chain management are used. Practical implications – The updated migratory model can be used by supply chain managers to develop appropriate supply chain strategies for their organisations, while emphasising that many of the underlying tools to enable this reflect traditional industrial engineering approaches. Originality/value – The updated migratory model represents a new contribution to understanding the evolution of supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- Whilst there has been considerable research on the use of electronic communications technologies to transfer design files for Additive Manufacturing (AM) between designer and manufacturer, corresponding studies that explore the resulting implications are limited. Often it is assumed that such an electronic approach is optimal; this paper serves to explore this assumption by reviewing the technical solutions, and identifying the practical implications. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach -- The results of a systematic literature review are used to develop four e-commerce channel designs, which are then explored using primary and secondary case studies. Findings -- It is shown that the use of e-commerce with AM has often been oversimplified, suggesting that it will bring about universal benefits through increased efficiency and cost reductions in information transfer, particularly as a result of supply chain disintermediation. Instead, this paper reinforces current e-commerce research suggesting that e-commerce channels can lead to both disintermediation but also re-intermediation of the supply chain; cost reductions and increased efficiency may not automatically follow. Practical implications -- For AM suppliers, channel strategy is likely to be a critical consideration. This paper provides a framework of currently available approaches, links these to the original research, and explains the implications arising from each option. Originality/value -- Whilst there are many technical studies in this area, the potential implications of their adoption are often hypothesized, but seldom explored empirically. This study makes an original contribution through the classification and analysis of the channels from a management perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to verify a transport uncertainty triad model taking a supply chain perspective, and determine which different forms of uncertainty impact on transport operations. The aim is to qualitatively evaluate the different types of uncertainty impacting on transport operations rather than estimating the risk that each of them involved. The literature indicates that there are many factors that influence transport operations. This paper aims to determine the key factors that impinge practice. Design/methodology/approach - On the basis of a literature review, a conceptual model was developed to categorise the different factors that impact on transport operations. In order to determine the credibility of this model and assess which factors are the main barriers to effective transport operations a series of focus groups involving UK logistics practitioners and policy makers was undertaken. Findings - The findings indicate that the main drivers impacting on transport operations are delays, delivery constraints, lack of coordination, and variable demand/poor information. The consequence of these is to reduce the efficiency of transport operations. Also, in the overall focus groups' data, unplanned road congestion represents the biggest individual issue leading to uncertainty. Research limitations/implications - The model is refined based only on participants' perceptions. Therefore, further empirical-based research is needed to quantitatively validate it, for each cluster identifying the frequency with which it occurs and the impact on economic and environmental performance. This will further strengthen understanding of the main uncertainty causes within supply chains in the UK. The model should also be tested through the investigation of real-world situations, measuring the marginal impact of logistics disruptions, in economic and environmental terms. Practical implications - The paper highlights the importance of looking at the whole of the logistics triad when dealing with uncertainty, as often there are multiple sources involving the shipper, carrier and customer. Equally, the paper highlights the importance of external factors, and managers need to consider how to deal with these issues. Although the easiest approach is to accommodate them within operational plans, there is scope for engaging with policy makers to identify ways forward. Originality/value - Many researchers have developed supply chain uncertainty models focusing mainly on manufacturing. Transport has traditionally been considered as a marginal activity within supply chains and it has not been explicitly taken into account in those frameworks. It is necessary to determine the forms of supply chain uncertainty that exist and their impact on transport operations, as they will define the performance of logistics operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to evaluate inventory management in the private healthcare sector in Malaysia, with a particular focus on the distribution of medicines from a wholesaler to clinics. Currently, there are issues with service levels to clinics that need addressing. Design/methodology/approach -- The paper adopts a case study approach, with data collected through process mapping, interviews and data analysis. Data flow diagrams are used to visualise the organization's supply chain current and future process. Interviews are used to identify the main supply chain issues, with triangulation of these opinions through data analysis. Findings -- The findings identify two main issues within the case study company -- urgent orders and stock availability at the wholesaler. From this, a future state design of the supply chain is proposed, based around vendor-managed inventory. Barriers to achieving this are also identified, including consideration of current supply chain management capabilities in Malaysia. Research limitations/implications -- Only a single case study supply chain is studied, although two echelons are investigated. While this may limit the generalisation of the findings, there is value in demonstrating the benefits modern supply chain management techniques can bring to developing world healthcare supply chains. Practical implications -- The paper shows that modern supply chain management techniques can bring benefits to healthcare supply chains in developing countries. Originality/value -- The value of the paper arises from providing a detailed analysis of a healthcare supply chain in the developing world. There have been only a small number of other studies published in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Much of the recent research on supply chain uncertainty has focused on relationships between manufacturers and suppliers and existing models have therefore been based on this dyadic structure. The aim is to establish a supply chain uncertainty model that explicitly incorporates transport operations and hence the logistics triad; supplier, customer and transport carrier. Design/methodology/approach - This is a literature-based activity that synthesises and extends existing models of supply chain uncertainty. Findings - The paper develops a new model to reflect the nature of transport operations. Consequently, it identifies five main categories of uncertainty, namely from the points of view of the supplier, the customer and the carrier, respectively, the control systems used in the supply chain and external factors. The interfaces between the uncertainty categories involving all three parties of the logistics triad are identified, so as to develop a more holistic perspective on supply chain uncertainty and how it can be reduced. Research limitations/implications - This paper is conceptual in nature and empirical research into the area of transport uncertainty will be required to validate its findings. Following this, the model can be used to investigate and evaluate improvements in the economic and/or environmental performance of freight transport within supply chains. Practical implications - The model is intended to provide a framework within which organisations, including logistics providers, can develop a supply chain strategy to mitigate the effects of uncertainty. By categorising uncertainty into the types described, organisations may determine where the greatest uncertainties lie and hence develop a prioritised plan for supply chain re-engineering by initially targeting those uncertainties with the most significant implications for supply chain efficiency. Originality/value - Little research has been undertaken on the impact of uncertainties on transport in the context of collaborative supply chain management. The model rationalises uncertainties into various types taking into account the nature of the logistics triad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]