Supply chain design: issues, challenges, frameworks and solutions

Truly effective supply chain management is planned and purposive. A value-driven supply chain that is coupled to the strategic priorities of the firm is the result of deliberate management action and strategic corporate investments aimed to procure, develop and configure the appropriate resources, processes and metrics that define that firm's supply chain. A framework of supply chain design is proposed that comprehends three key levels of factors critical in understanding supply chain design: influencers, design decisions and building blocks. Influencers are higher-level considerations such as the business and political environment, the business model employed, the firm's desired outcomes and the supply chain life cycle. Design decisions include the social, behavioural and physical/structural design elements that define a supply chain. Building blocks include the inventory, transportation, capacity and technology decisions that are used to implement the supply chain. Supply chain design needs to comprehend these three levels of analysis. The articles in this special issue are introduced in the context of these levels of analysis and a research agenda is suggested that can be pursued in light of this framework, highlighting areas that are covered in this special issue and areas where research opportunities exist.