Supply Chain Competency: Learning as a Key Component

Abstract

Supply chain management has received in recent years a great deal of attention by practitioners and academics alike. The benefits that accrue to firms that effectively manage their supply chain partners range from lower costs to higher R0I, to higher returns to stockholders. Yet, effective management of one's supply chain is not easily accomplished. In this paper, we develop this capability as a core skill that will ultimately separate winners from losers. We develop the concept of supply chain competence and use learning as a proxy. We explore the pre-conditions for learning to emerge and the impact of learning on supply chain performance. A number of factors that effect partner-like behavior also affect learning. In addition, learning appears to have a positive impact on performance measures that relate to end-customer satisfaction and being a more market-focused supply chain. Learning does not appear to affect supply chain performance related to cost.