Strategic Supply Chain Management - Supply Chain Online

CHAPTER 4 Core Discipline 4: Build the Right Collaborative Model 143
COLLABORATION IS A SPECTRUM
Potential collaboration partners in supply chain management can be classified
in three broad groups—customers, materials suppliers, and suppliers
of services that support supply chain operations, such as manufacturing
and logistics. Although each group requires a slightly different management
approach, the relationships are established and maintained in similar
ways.
Not all collaborations are created equal. Relationships between supply
chain partners can have very different characteristics and still be considered
collaborative in nature. And the results of collaborative relationships may
vary widely from one set of partners to another. Figure 4-4 offers a framework
for differentiating the various types of collaborative relationships and
defining the basic characteristics of each. The horizontal axis plots the relative
number of relationships, whereas the vertical axis measures the relative
depth of collaboration. Within this framework, we define four levels of
collaboration: 2 transactional, cooperative, coordinated, and synchronized.
Note that the boundaries between the different levels of collaboration
are blurred. This is so because collaboration is a continuum, not a set
of clearly delineated management practices. Note, too, that the dimensions
of the two axes are inherently subjective and are used simply to
FIGURE 4–4
The collaboration spectrum.
Extensive
Collaboration
Not Viable
Synchronized
Collaboration
Coordinated
Collaboration
Cooperative
Collaboration
Limited
Collaboration
Transactional
Collaboration
Many
Relationships
Low
Return
Few
Relationships