Browsing by Author "Saghiri, Soroosh"
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Item Open Access Buyer-led environmental supplier development: Can suppliers really help it?(Elsevier, 2020-10-29) Saghiri, Soroosh; Mirzabeiki, VahidThe importance of supplier development programs to enhance supply chain environmental capabilities has often been posited. However, the literature is limited in identifying and explaining the factors that may influence or mediate the effectiveness of such programs. This paper examines the role of environmental supplier development programs led by the buying organization on supplier environmental practices, while testing the mediating effects of the supplier in the forms of resource allocation and collaboration with the buyer. The relationships are tested based on survey data from 267 supplier organizations in the UK using Partial Least Squares (PLS). The results indicate that supplier development in the form of setting requirements and audits has a wide, positive impact on all supplier environmental activities, while environmental supplier development in the form of direct projects only affects supplier environmental activities in logistics and transport. The results for the mediation effects tested are varied: while supplier collaboration is important to enhance the supplier logistics and transport activities, supplier resource allocation proves to be mediating the impact of environmental supplier development on the supplier energy efficiency and logistics and transport activities. The research sheds new light on the effectiveness of supplier development and environmental programs. The findings indicate that buying organizations should make explicit reference to the way they define supplier collaboration and resource allocation for their environmental plans and environmental supplier development programs to be effectiveItem Open Access Commodity reference price transparency: conceptualization, measurement instrument development, and influence on commodity price management.(Cranfield University, 2023-03) Vašek, Jan; Saghiri, Soroosh; Bourlakis, MichaelCommodity reference price (CRP) is potentially an important commodity price management influencing factor. However, despite its importance, it remains under-researched and poorly understood. Anchored in contingency theory and building on previous studies, this study (a) conceptualizes CRP contingency as CRP transparency, (b) creates a CRP transparency index as a tool for classifying and evaluating CRP, and (c) demonstrates the CRP transparency impact on CRP functions and CPM practices. Intuitive and interpretive literature reviews are combined with nine directed expert interviews to uncover the CRP transparency attributes. Subsequently, 111 interviews with purchasing managers explore a purposive sample of 22 CRP to construct and populate the CRP transparency index and to explore its theoretical and practical relevance, in particular, how individual CRP transparency levels shape CRP functions and impact the availability, choice and performance of commodity price management practices. The main contributions of this thesis to theory are (a) conceptualizing CRP transparency as a multi-dimensional construct composed of four measured attributes: accuracy, completeness, publication frequency, and methodology, (b) operationalizing these measured attributes into five transparency levels, (c) constructing CRP transparency index divided into five distinct and meaningful levels following a geological metaphor: black hole, opaque, translucent, transparent, dazzle. From a practitioner standpoint, this thesis provides actionable insights into (i) CRP transparency assessment and comparison with alternative CRP, (ii) how CRP transparency shapes the commodity price management practices and CRP functions and, (iii) offers an empirical toolbox for assessing, comparing, and configuring CRP to regulators and CRP issuers.Item Open Access Grocery omnichannel perishable inventories: performance measures and influencing factors(Emerald, 2023-03-07) Saghiri, Soroosh; Aktas, Emel; Mohammadipour, MaryamPurpose: Perishable inventory management for the grocery sector has become more challenging with extended omnichannel activities and emerging consumer expectations. This paper aims to identify and formalize key performance measures of omnichannel perishable inventory management (OCPI) and explore the influence of operational and market-related factors on these measures. Design/methodology/approach: The inductive approach of this research synthesizes three performance measures (product waste, lost sales, and freshness), and four influencing factors (channel effect, demand variability, product perishability, and shelf life visibility) for OCPI, through industry investigation, expert interviews, and a systematic literature review. Treating OCPI as a complex adaptive system and considering its transaction costs, this paper formalizes the OCPI performance measures and their influencing factors in two statements and four propositions, which are then tested through numerical analysis with simulation. Findings: Product waste, lost sales, and freshness are identified as distinctive OCPI performance measures, which are influenced by product perishability, shelf life visibility, demand variability, and channel effects. The OCPI sensitivity to those influencing factors is diverse, whereas those factors are found to moderate each other’s effects. Originality/Value: This paper provides a novel theoretical view on perishables in omnichannel systems. It specifies the OCPI performance, beyond typical inventory policies for cost minimization, while discussing its sensitivity to operations and market factors. Practical implications: To manage perishables more effectively, with less waste and lost sales for the business and fresher products for the consumer, omnichannel firms need to consider store and online channel requirements and strive to reduce demand variability, extend product shelf life, and facilitate item-level shelf life visibility. While flexible logistics capacity and dynamic pricing can mitigate demand variability, the product shelf life extension needs modifications in product design, production, or storage conditions. OCPI executives can also increase the product shelf life visibility through advanced stock monitoring/tracking technologies (e.g. smart tags or more comprehensive barcodes), particularly for the online channel which demands fresher products.Item Open Access The journey toward omni-channel retailing(The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, 2016-12-31) Saghiri, Soroosh; Wilding, Richard D.The article informs that shifting in omni-channel retailing will increase sales in bricks-and-mortar retailers, and will enable them to compete with electronic commerce firms. Topics discussed include need of changing marketing based descriptions to operational explanations, improving of customer buying process along with customer overall interaction with a retailer, and providing features such as comparison shopping and transparent availability visibility.Item Open Access Omni-channel evolution: confronting the whats and hows(Emerald, 2020-08-14) Saghiri, Soroosh; Bourlakis, MichaelRetail supply chains are experiencing a fast-forward evolution, surrounded by increasing technology motivations, market expectations and business environment uncertainties. Online retail and electronic commerce are not market winners any more, and the question for many retailers is not about “to be or not be” visible and active in multiple channels, but more concerning on how to be efficient and effective using a seamless omni-channel retail solutionsItem Open Access Omni-channel integration: the matter of information and digital technology(Emerald, 2021-09-27) Saghiri, Soroosh; Mirzabeiki, VahidThis paper aims to explore how omni-channel data flows should be integrated by specifying what data, omni-channel agents and information and digital technologies (IDTs) should be considered and connected. Design/methodology/approach A multiple case study method is used with 17 British companies. The studies are supported by 68 interviews with the case companies and their consumers, 5 site visits, 4 focus group meetings and the companies’ archival data and documentations. Findings This paper provides novel frameworks for omni-channel data flow integration from consumer and business perspectives. The frameworks consist of omni-channel agents, their data transactions and their supporting IDTs. Relatedly, this paper formalizes the omni-channel data flow integration in the forms of horizontal, vertical and total integrations and explores their contributions to the adaptability of omni-channel, as a complex adaptive system (CAS). It also discusses that how inter-organizational governance mechanisms can support data flow integration and their relevant IDT implementations. Research limitations/implications The breadth and depth of the required IDTs for omni-channel integration prove the necessity for omni-channel systems to move toward total integration. Therefore, supported by CAS and inter-organizational governance theories, this research indicates how data flow integration and IDT can transform the omni-channel through self-organization and autonomy capability enhancement. Originality/value This research’s recommended frameworks provide a robust platform to formalize data flow integration as the omni-channel's core driver. Accordingly, it moves the literature from a basic description of “what omni-channel is” and provides a novel and significant debate on what specific data should be shared at what levels between which agents of the omni-channel, and with what type of relationship governance mechanism, to assure omni-channel horizontal, vertical and total integrations.Item Open Access On the effectiveness of supplier development programs: the role of supply-side moderators(Elsevier, 2021-02-13) Saghiri, Soroosh; Wilding, Richard D.Given the managerial/financial commitments needed for supplier development programs, buying firms need to be selective of the suppliers they engage for development. This paper examines the moderating role of five supply-side factors (i.e. supplier size, supply share, product complexity, buyer-supplier integration, and the supplier's management systems) in the relationship between supplier development and supplier performance, through a structural model, which is developed theoretically, and tested empirically using survey data of 142 firms. The results indicate that when supplier development is in the form of buyer direct involvement, its impact on supplier performance is significantly moderated by supplier size, product complexity, buyer-supplier integration, and the supplier's management systems. Meanwhile, the impact of supplier development, in the form of assessment/certification, is moderated by buyer-supplier integration. The outcomes of this paper fill the gaps in the existing knowledge of supplier development, and show the sensitivity of supplier development programs to some newly introduced supply-side factors.Item Open Access Supply chain alignment for improved business performance: an empirical study(Emerald, 2015-08-10) Skipworth, Heather; Godsell, Janet; Wong, Chee; Saghiri, Soroosh; Julien, DenyseThis study aims to explain how supply chain alignment, which remains a major challenge for supply chains, can be achieved and its implications for business performance (BP) by testing the strengths of the relationships between previously identified enablers, supply chain alignment and BP. Design/methodology/approach A literature review develops hypotheses on the relationships between enablers, alignment and BP. A survey of medium-to-large UK manufacturing companies was conducted where the sample comprised 151 randomly selected companies, and the response rate was 56 per cent. Partial least square regression was used to test the hypothesis. Findings Two types of supply chain alignment are defined – shareholder and customer – but only customer alignment (CA) has a direct positive impact on BP, while shareholder alignment (SA) is its antecedent. Top management support was shown to be an enabler of both shareholder and CA, while organisation structure, information sharing and performance measurement system enabled SA, while internal relational behaviour enabled CA. Research limitations/implications Supply chain management research lacks knowledge on exactly how supply chain alignment can be achieved and what BP implications it has. This research provides a tested conceptual model to address this gap. Practical implications The refined conceptual model provides precise guidance to practitioners on how to improve BP through supply chain alignment. Originality/value Whilst the strategic management literature emphasizes the importance of SA, this study reveals another crucial alignment – CA – and shows its direct positive impact on BP.Item Open Access Sustainable setup stream mapping (3SM): a systematic approach to lean sustainable manufacturing(Taylor & Francis, 2021-04-29) Ebrahimi, Ahmad; Khakpour, Rouhollah; Saghiri, SorooshThis paper recommends a stepwise method, named sustainable-setup-stream-mapping (3SM), to improve manufacturing setup time and its sustainability impacts. The recommended method is developed based on an extensive literature review, in-depth explorative research in discrete manufacturing, and lean manufacturing tools: value stream mapping (VSM) and Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED). 3SM uses VSM in a novel way to break down setup operations, and employs SMED techniques to improve them. 3SM also recommends a list of criteria, for environmental, social, and economic pillars of sustainability, to assess the setup impacts against them within the setup workstation and in its relevant processes. This research implements 3SM in a real-life case, where the outcomes prove the practicality of 3SM and its improvements in setup times and sustainability criteria. Given the lack of well-established methods to analyze sustainability in setup improvement, this research enhances the existing ideas around sustainable manufacturing to a more specific level, showing what/how sustainability criteria are influenced by setup activities/tasks at setup work station and factory-wide levels. This paper also expands the scope of SMED to sustainability improvement. The extended view of 3SM to setup and sustainability criteria, and its visualanalytical approach help managers to improve their operations more holisticallyItem Open Access Toward a three-dimensional framework for omni-channel(Elsevier, 2017-04-12) Saghiri, Soroosh; Wilding, Richard D.; Mena, Carlos; Bourlakis, MichaelThe omni-channel, as an emerging trend in retail, aims to coordinate processes and technologies across supply and sales channels. The evolution of this concept is still nascent. This paper develops a conceptual framework for omni-channel systems, configured by three dimensions of channel stage, channel type and channel agent. Integration and visibility are also explored and discussed as the main enablers, which support the implementation of omni-channel framework. This research is built upon the empirical and secondary data. Multiple case studies and expert interview methods are employed for data collection to validate the recommended framework and to explore its applicability. The framework proposed, along with the key integration and visibility enablers identified for the omni-channel, can be applied to a wide range of retail supply chains. It helps managers to develop, run and monitor omni-channel systems; it may also serve as a stepping-stone for development of the literature on omni-channel systems.