Background:
The rail industry needs to focus on developing long-term
relations with its suppliers. A central theme of supply chain
management is increasing collaboration between suppliers and
customers. Despite this, issues arise in achieving cooperation
among supply chain members. A closer integration and smarter
tasking of the supply system not only improves internal
productivity, but also provides better tracking, handling and
mobilisation of the commodities themselves, thereby leading to
shared competitive advantage. However, effective integration
depends on developing collaborative relations in supply chains.
Objective:
This project aims to apply a theoretical framework for assessing
inter-organisational network collaboration in rail supply chains in
order to identify the network characteristics that significantly
affect collaboration.
Project
scope:
The project encompasses the network characteristics affecting
supply chain collaboration and employs a case-study research
approach. The theoretical framework and supply chain collaboration
assessment instrument will be used in existing QR supply chains.
There is also the potential, should it be deemed necessary, for a
second stage network analysis that could be used to test and
measure the impacts of the research from a longitudinal
perspective.
Benefits
The project will provide a
methodology for improving collaboration with suppliers. Suppliers
will benefit since their collaboration with rail organisations and
other supply chain members is aimed at finding mutually
advantageous solutions to supply chain problems. Rail customers and
associated stakeholders will benefit from outcomes of collaboration
such as reduced costs, improved efficiency and safety, and
favourable environmental impacts. Organisations and individuals
involved in supply chains and those involved in other kinds of
inter-organisational networks will also benefit from the
dissemination of project outputs.
Expected outcomes:
- A tested theoretical framework for identifying network factors
in supply chains that affect collaboration.
- A tested instrument for assessing
and comparing the importance of different network characteristics
in terms of their effects on collaboration.
- A report on factors affecting
collaboration in the Queensland Rail supply chains selected for the
project.
Project timeframe:
12 Months
Project
Chair:
Mairi Thompson,
A/Group General Manager Shared Services, QR Limited
Project
Leader:
Michael Charles, Senior Lecturer, Southern Cross University
Tel: (07) 5506 9349
Email: michael.charles@scu.edu.au
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