This book critically examines the concept of 'supply chain agility' (SCA) in a novel context, shedding light on its implications for executives and professionals. While much literature has explored SCA in manufacturing, this book pioneers a comprehensive exploration of its application in the service sector, an often-overlooked domain in operations management, supply chain management, and innovation literature. The analysis, based on data from 245 service firms in Australia, employs a unique approach, revealing a positive relationship between firm innovativeness and SCA, with SCA in turn positively impacting firm performance.
By bridging gaps in previous research, this book offers conceptual, methodological, and empirical contributions, emphasizing the critical role of innovation in achieving SCA, particularly in uncertain contexts. It provides valuable insights for firms navigating the service economy, offering a holistic examination of the benefits of SCA and empirically validating its role in managing market changes cost-effectively for a competitive advantage. The findings encourage a re-evaluation of firm performance, urging business professionals and managers to adopt a comprehensive perspective. The insights presented serve as a valuable tool for measurement, estimation, assessment, and benchmarking-key drivers for improving and predicting performance in dynamic supply chain environments. Overall, this book is a timely and essential resource for those seeking to understand and enhance supply chain agility in the evolving landscape of the service industry.
Eias Al Humdan, an accomplished researcher and a lecturer in management sciences and data analysis, brings a wealth of expertise to the academic realm. A graduate of Exeter University with an M.Sc. in International Business in 2005, he later excelled as an academic manager across various international institutions. Eias furthered his academic journey with a Ph.D. in operations management from Macquarie University, Sydney, and achieved the highest distinction in MRes in Management in 2017. Renowned for his contributions, he has authored numerous articles in esteemed peer-reviewed journals, particularly in the realms of operations management and supply chain. Presently, Eias imparts his knowledge as a dedicated management science and data analysis educator at Rabdan Academy in the UAE.
Yangyan Shi is the Chartered Fellow and NSW Interim Chair of CILT-A, the Head of Supply Chain Management (MCom) and a faculty member of Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University, Director of Transport, Logistics and Global Supply Chain Management, and 'Tianjin Visiting Professor'. He has published over 90 journal articles, including ABDC: A/A* and ABS:3/4. He serves as an editorial review member for International Journal of Operations and Production Management, Transportation Research Part E: Transportation and Logistics, Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, and International Journal of Logistics Management. He was the guest editor for Journal of Business Logistics, International Journal of Production Research, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, International Journal of Technology Management, etc.
Masud Behnia, a distinguished scholar, earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from Purdue University in Washington DC, USA. With over 25 years of expertise in experimental and numerical fluid mechanics and heat transfer, he boasts an extensive background in the power industry. Serving as a professor in operations management and holding the position of associate dean, Masud has contributed significantly to academia. His prolific career includes over 500 refereed papers published in renowned journals and conferences. Presently, he serves as a senior research fellow at Stanford University, continuing to shape the landscape of fluid mechanics and heat transfer research.
