Reducing lead times within military supply chains

Abstract

Lead time reduction of military supply chain (MSC) processes is essential for well-functioning military organisations. MSCs are complex and uncertain systems, including interdependencies between actors and processes. Flexibility is needed for MSCs to deal with complexity and uncertainty. Furthermore, reducing lead times contributes to the flexibility of supply chains. Primary and secondary supply chain processes are highly interrelated. Therefore, reducing lead times in primary and secondary SC processes is relevant.

The current scientific literature is lacking related to lead time reduction in MSCs. Besides this, supply chain management must be improved to minimise lead times in MSCs. However, insufficient empirical research exists on information sharing within supply chain management literature. Information sharing is essential for effective MSCs. Thus, the relevance of information sharing for improving SCM, combined with the lacking scientific literature on lead time reduction in MSCs, indicates a new specific research area that contributes to reducing lead times in MSCs by focusing on information sharing.

This research focuses on formal information sharing, defined as the sharing of structured and traceable information in a formal setting. Inadequate formal information sharing results in the scattering of formal information throughout a multi-actor system referred to as 'information fragmentation’. Since information sharing is a crucial component of SCs, information fragmentation may influence the lead times of SCs. However, the issue of information fragmentation in terms of lead times in MSCs is not apparent, and neither is how to solve information fragmentation problems in MSCs.

This research contributes by developing and applying an information fragmentation perspective towards lead time reduction in MSCs. A case study at the Dutch Ministry of Defence (the invoice case) is used to analyse whether the perspective is valuable in practice. The invoice case is a financial supportive MSC process encountering problems related to lead times and formal information sharing. Additionally, two types of formal information are distinguished: process in practice and process design information.

Three main results are obtained in this research. Firstly, this research contributes with an information fragmentation perspective towards lead time reduction for MSCs. Secondly, identifying a significant problem in the invoice case shows the effect of information fragmentation on MSC lead times due to non-value-adding activities. Lastly, exploring two boundary objects - a track and trace system (integrating formal process in practice information) and an integrated process design overview (integrating formal process design information) is a first contribution to the practical support of boundary objects to reduce information fragmentation in MSCs.

In further research, the proposed boundary objects can be further developed. Moreover, the effect of these boundary objects on information fragmentation and reduction of lead times can be quantitatively analysed. Furthermore, the impact of informal information sharing on lead times can be incorporated.