Managing Supply Chain Networks: Building Competitive Advantage in Fluid and Complex Environments

Preface

During the past few decades, academics and practitioners have debated about the best approach to define a firm’s strategy. The model based on the dynamics of competition within an industry called the Five Forces That Shape Strategy (Porter, 1985) has been largely accepted despite several dissonant opinions.^1,2,3 Recently an interesting approach called the Blue Ocean Strategy (Kim, et al. 2005) suggested management strategies that focus more on creating or entering unexplored markets than on competing in aggressive environments where Porter’s forces exist. These theories suggest the snapshots of the business environments are led by few people, typically managers, directors, or external consultants.

¹ K. P. Coyne and S. Subramaniam, “Bringing ...