Abstract

With the trends towards servitization and digital innovations in supply chains (SCs), a number of SC leaders have started to commercialize their SC capabilities as services provided to business customers. In order to efficiently organize multiple suppliers’ resources and customize the service offerings, some of these leaders have developed a “supply chain as a service” model (hereafter SCaaS), in which different functions of a SC, are grouped into service modules to enable plug-and-play agility in meeting the varying needs of business customers. Although SCaaS is emerging as an evolution of the market for cloud services (as with other “X as a service” models like Software as a Service, Platform as a Service, and Infrastructure as a Service), supply chain management (SCM) researchers have not systematically studied the SCaaS phenomenon, which has evolved from a cloud computing application to a new business model at the ecosystem level. This study explores how a SCaaS has emerged and how it works by instigating three complementary research questions: (1) how do a firm form its SCaaS through the interactive implementation of supply chain innovations (SCIs) and business model innovations (BMIs) over time; (2) what are the roles and activities that SCaaS incorporate, and how these roles and activities are organized to serve the business customers; and (3) what is the detailed service operation process of SCaaS for satisfying a specific customer demand. To address these questions, this study adopts a longitudinal case study approach to investigate a SCaaS formed by Haier COSMO, a company which connects together customized orders, third-party R&D solution providers, intelligent manufacturing factories, and other SC service providers, to provide mass customized SC services to business customers. This study makes contributions to both the SCM and the service innovation literature. It expands our knowledge of SCI-driven BMIs and echoes with recent calls to refocus SCM on the perspectives of value co-creation and service ecosystem. The study also reveals new insights into how to apply digital technologies to enhance SC capabilities, and how to apply these SC capabilities to support new business models. The findings provide important managerial insights for firms to design and implement new business models in today’s trends towards open innovation and value co-creation with ecosystem participants.

Keyword

business model innovations (BMIs) ;  longitudinal case study ;  service modularity ;  supply chain as a service model (SCaaS) ;  supply chain innovations (SCIs)

Abstract

怡亚通是一家在供应链服务领域摸爬滚打多年的企业，凭借对供应链大刀阔斧的改革与持之以恒的创新试验，怡亚通的体系越发展越庞大，涵盖的业务也越来越繁多。它致力于打造一条完善的端到端供应链，并将每个供应链环节发散为独立的垂直业务子平台，使得自身升级为“平台的平台”。 本案例将聚焦怡亚通在发展过程中所直面的三个关键问题：第一，怡亚通如何通过技术对传统供应链服务进行改造？第二，如何进行供应链整合与服务创新？这些供应链整合与创新如何为客户创造价值？第三，怡亚通的服务生态系统庞大全面，如何管理这些星罗棋布的子平台使其保持形散而神不散？如何进行不同业务模块的协调，保持庞大体系的灵活性？通过以上问题，本案例展示了怡亚通供应链服务创新实践的详细步骤，引导学员理解传统供应链服务模式转型升级的策略、工具、挑战及解决方案。

Keyword

供应链服务商 ;  供应链生态圈 ;  商业模式创新 ;  平台

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore research opportunities for service innovation and system design in network platforms by investigating representative case examples in an emerging market, China. Design/methodology/approach The authors provide four case examples to illustrate the manner in which network platforms facilitate and lead to service innovation and effective system design. Then, the authors propose nine research directions that present significant research opportunities, and the authors make theoretical and methodological suggestions. Findings The results indicate that research opportunities exist mainly in three areas: ecosystem design and evolution, including role design, coherence and sustainability issues; leader-participant collaboration, including governance, co-opetition and innovation stimulation issues; and transformation of traditional industries, including process informatization, modularization and standardization issues. Originality/value This study extends the platform-related literature by showing new platform features represented by case evidence from emerging economies, and provides recommendations to guide and direct management practices and efforts in platform-based service innovation and system design.

Keyword

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the platform literature and synthesize the various topics of research into a common framework to reveal the relations between platform-based service innovation, system design and other platform-related factors. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative descriptive analysis led to an overview of the distribution of research focuses of the 187 sample articles identified by a well-established search strategy. A qualitative in-depth review was then used to clarify the detailed research topics and generate an overall conceptual model to link them, with a focus on platform-based service innovation and system design. Findings In total, 11 research topics of three research perspectives were identified and linked by a framework that accounts for the relationships between platform-based service innovation and system design and their influences on platform evolution. A small panel of industry experts validated the accuracy and utility of the proposed framework. Originality/value This paper provides an integrated framework for separately developed research perspectives and the topics investigated in the platform literature. Through the proposed framework, this paper helps to improve the knowledge on platform study and management, and lays a foundation for exploring the research opportunities in platform-based service innovation and system design.

Keyword

Literature review ;  Network platform ;  Service innovation ;  System design

Abstract

面对愈演愈烈的经济波动、成本与竞争压力，企业决策者迫切需要为企业可持续发展寻找新方向。而通过改变流程、整合供应链，实现商业模式创新，从而推动企业转型升级，是实现基业长青的必经之路。本案例的焦点企业“东煤交易”就是这样一家自我更新基因十分强大的企业。从最初的传统粗放型煤炭贸易商，到凤凰涅磐重塑供应链，成长为行业顶尖的煤炭供应链管理专家，而后革自己的命，打破贸易中间环节，建立交易服务平台和煤炭产业生态圈，再次破茧重生，东煤交易书写了转型升级三级跳的传奇。本案例将聚焦东煤交易在互联网时代进行转型升级所直面的三个关键问题：第一，传统供应链流程再造和创新有哪些步骤？互联网和信息技术在其中起到哪些作用？第二，这些供应链的整合与创新如何促进企业的商业模式创新，最终提高企业整体竞争优势？第三，在进行基于网络平台的转型升级过程中，应当如何设计平台生态圈各类参与者的角色，如何统筹和分配资源，实现与供应链上下游合作伙伴的互利共赢，在整合不同组织的资源及线上线下资源方面有哪些挑战。通过上述问题，本案例展示东煤交易进行供应链再造与商业模式创新的详细步骤，引导学生理解传统企业转型升级的策略、工具、挑战及解决方案。

Keyword

供应链流程再造 ;  商业模式创新 ;  平台服务创新 ;  网络平台 ;  转型升级

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the properties of platform service innovation and its relationship to value co-creation activities and the network effect. This is done over the course of a platform’s evolution through three stages: emergence, expansion and maturity. Design/methodology/approach Based on grounded theory, this study adopts a multiple case study research design. An in-depth analysis of the case data is done using ATLAS.TI software. Findings At the emergence stage, platform service innovations focus on building infrastructure. Platform owners stimulate the network effect directly via platform service innovations, rather than indirectly via value co-creation activities. At the expansion stage, the platform service innovations focus on building relationships among platform owner and different sides of participants. Platform owners stimulate the network effect indirectly, via value co-creation activities, rather than directly via platform service innovations. At the maturity stage, platform service innovations focus on building an environment for the platform ecosystem. Platform owners stimulate the network effect indirectly, via value co-creation activities rather than directly. Originality/value This research contributes to the service innovation literature by exploring the properties of platform service innovation and its relationship to value co-creation activities and the network effect from a longitudinal perspective. The principal managerial implication is that platform managers need to consider the developmental stage of the platform, as a mismatching of stage of development (emergence/expansion/maturity) and focus (an orientation toward building infrastructure, relationships or environment) may lead to a failure to stimulate or enhance the network effect.

Keyword

Longitudinal case study ;  Network effect ;  Platform service ;  Service innovation ;  Value co-creation

Abstract

在影响商业格局的各种力量中，互联网无疑是最具活力的决定因素。经营者既惧怕其摧枯拉朽之势，又期待借其扶摇直上之力。数个案例表明，企业自身供应链创新能力的强弱是能否借力互联网的关键。家居大规模定制企业尚品宅配即印证了这一点。“顾客想买什么，我就生产什么”——尚品宅配之所以能提供如此接地气的服务，凭借的就是对供应链的深耕细作。本案例聚焦与此相关的三个核心问题：第一，如何利用互联网和信息技术重塑生产流程；第二，如何与顾客互动共创价值，推进制造业服务化；第三，如何通过网络平台进行商业模式创新，实现与上下游互利共赢。本案例展示尚品宅配供应链创新实践的详细步骤，引导学生理解传统企业转型升级的策略、挑战及解决方案。

Keyword

供应链创新 ;  商业模式 ;  大规模定制 ;  流程再造 ;  网络平台 ;  转型升级

Abstract

Researched in 2014, this case explores the supply chain innovation of a mass customization-based furniture producer, Homekoo. This case discusses three managerial issues: (1) how the Internet and ICT can be used to foster and support supply chain innovations; (2) how to create mutual value with customers and promote manufacturing servitization; and (3) how to innovate business models through the network platform and achieve mutual benefit for upstream and downstream partners. This case is suited to MBA and EMBA coursework on operations management and service innovation.

Keyword

Business Model ;  Mass Customization ;  Network platforms ;  Process reengineering ;  Supply Chain Innovation ;  Transformation