Supply Chain Relationships among Strategy, Flexibility and Performance - A Theoretical Framework

In today’s global business environment, concepts are moving towards competing a the international level. This has made companies to explore the new ways to leverage their supply chain and to develop a strategic approach. A strategic approach with flexibility is helpful to increase the overall performance of the organization and to respond customer requirements. Consequently, in order to maintain cut-throat competition in the market and to be able to satisfy end customers, supply chain strategy (SCS) must be aligned with the supply chain flexibility (SCF). With a large number of SCS dimensions and SCF dimensions, it isn’t a feasible to practice each dimensions. The study aims to classify them in a suitable manner, which is helpful to the organizations to select a correct mix of SCS and SCF dimensions to increase supply chain performance (SCP). The purpose of this study is to identify all the dimensions of SCS and SCF. In addition, different mix affects different dimensions of SCP. Hence this study also aims to identify SCP dimensions. Later on, the relationships among SCS, SCF and SCP are identified through a theoretical model. The findings from various literatures are compared and analyzed. Thus guidelines are developed.