E-supply chains: understanding current and future opportunities and barriers

This paper examines the development of e-business within the supply chain domain. Case study research highlights an increased uptake of e-business across supply chains, outlines a shift in focus to more strategic activities across the whole supply chain network and reveals emerging characteristics of e-supply chains. A number of strategic opportunities that can be supported through e-supply chains are identified. Firstly, e-business technologies are being used for integrating supply chain-related systems leading to improved information sharing and visibility. Secondly, they are being used to increase the flexibility of supply chains and thirdly, to improve the level of personalisation in supply chains. Organisations are, however, likely to face a range of organisational, security, technological, cultural and social barriers that may challenge the use of e-supply chains. The paper closes by evaluating the importance of e-supply chains, the direction they are likely to go in and identifying areas for future research.