The rediscovery of postponement a literature review and directions for research

The concept of postponement is increasingly drawing the attention of researchers and practitioners. Postponement means delaying activities in the supply chain until customer orders are received with the intention of customizing products, as opposed to performing those activities in anticipation of future orders. This paper reviews the literature on postponement dating back to 1965, and puts it in a systematic framework. In light of the classification of the literature developed, opportunities are identified for integration and cross-fertilization between research papers in disciplines such as logistics and operations management and between the variety of research methods used. Some directions for research (in terms of content and methodology) are then formulated. For instance, the development of a more integrated supply chain perspective on postponement, and the application of triangulation rather than single methods. Specific research activities to meet these challenges are suggested in the paper. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.