Exploring supply chain collaboration: evolution, definition and benefits

Abstract

The stepped up global competition and fast-paced business motivate firms looking external sources for opportunities to build competitive advantages through Supply Chain Collaboration (SCC). Collaborative supply chain continue to evolve and acquire prominence based on the assumption that closer inter and intra firm relationships and reinforced information exchange will definitely enhance the quality of decision-making, reduced supply-demand uncertainty thus leads to improving on supply chain performance. SCC is defined as "two or more autonomous partners working jointly to plan and execute a supply chain to achieve common goals through a predetermined negotiation based on rules and structures to govern their mutual relationship". The aim of this study is to uncover the nature evolution of SCC, its definition and explored its benefits to the practitioners. Furthermore, the lack of an overarching SCC definition may affect the right application of SCC practices in both academic and business field. Hence, an encompassing and inclusive definition of SCC is of overriding importance to assist learners and practitioners to develop comprehensive SCC strategies. Nevertheless, there is a limited amount of literature empirically dig into the concept of SCC and describing benefits of SCC. Thus, this review provides insight to researchers and practitioners to deliver a better understanding towards implementation of an effective and efficient SCC.