Supply Ecosystems: Interconnected, Interdependent and Cooperative Operations, Supply and Contract Management

This book attempts to address the lack of connectedness between topics that have traditionally been dealt with as discrete and self-contained. By reflecting on how these topic areas work together and have the capability to offer businesses a complete supply capability to complement the customer focus of sales and marketing, this book provides a holistic view of how the whole of the supply side of a business can be coordinated and provide support to competitive advantage.

Topics covered include how businesses function in the global business context, the role and importance of design and quality thinking in operations and operations management, the logistics of supply, contracts and informal agreements, as well as current trends and new technological processes. Finally, it concludes with global operations, supply and contract management and competitive advantage.

By providing this bigger picture view it will allow both supply chain students and practitioners as well as their cognate colleagues a chance to see how the crucial connections and interfaces need to be considered and optimized for global success. This book is essential reading for students and managers in the field of operations management and international trade and business.

Readership: Students at the undergraduate and graduate level as well as professionals in global operations and supply chain management.

Douglas Macbeth recently retired as Professor of Purchasing and Supply at University of Southampton Management School. He has worked in two other UK universities and has taught in Europe and America. He is the Founder of the consulting firm SCMG Ltd., which commercialises early research into buyer supplier relationships. He was also the deputy director of the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute collaborating across many disciplines.

He takes an applied view of academic research and has always worked actively across the academic/practitioner boundary. He is a Lead Academic on FutureLearn Massively Open Online Course (MOOC) on Contract Management: Building Business Relationships, commissioned by UK Cabinet Office and partnering with Civil Service Learning and IACCM, which runs twice a year for 15,000 learners.

He is the author of six books, numerous articles and lead or co-lead in many consultancy and research projects and is a supervisor for a number of successful PhD candidates.