The Agile Supply Chain

While it is easy to gain agreement on the need for supply chain agility, it is hard to agree on what it really means or how to measure it. The problem is threefold: the definitions of agility vary considerably, they are confusing and contradictory, and there is no tie to definitive measurements. In...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inSupply Chain Management Review Vol. 9; no. 8; p. 18
Main Authors Hofman, Debra, Cecere, Lora
Format Trade Publication Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Framington Peerless Media 01.11.2005
Subjects
Changes
Costs
Flexibility
Lean manufacturing
Measurement
Supply chains
United States > US
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:While it is easy to gain agreement on the need for supply chain agility, it is hard to agree on what it really means or how to measure it. The problem is threefold: the definitions of agility vary considerably, they are confusing and contradictory, and there is no tie to definitive measurements. In this article, the authors define the concept and offer a structured framework for measurement. Four dimensions were defined that together make up supply chain agility: 1. speed, 2. ease, 3. predictability, and 4. quality. The ability of organizations to sense and respond quickly, easily, predictably, and with high quality will become increasingly critical as the complexity, volatility, and competitiveness of global markets continues to grow. As companies work to increase the supply chain agility of their own enterprises, they must also expand their horizons and look outward to their network of trading partners.
ISSN:1521-9747