Call for papers: Supply Chain Operations during the World-Wide Economic Crisis

Call for papers: Supply Chain Operations during the World-Wide Economic Crisis

A special issue of International Journal of Integrated Supply Management

The global financial crisis has swept through more than two-thirds of the free economic world ever since we witnessed a colossal collapse of major financial institutions in the United States in 2008. Despite a series of government bailouts and economic stimulus plans, there is still no sign of hopes for quick recovery. Indeed, this ongoing financial crisis is believed to be the worst of its kind since Great Depression. In this time of global financial crisis, single failure in any part of the stretched supply chain can lead to a chain of failures across the entire supply chain as illustrated by the automobile industry. Thus, the viability of the companies may rely on the weakest link of their supply chains. To beef up the weakest link of the supply chain, supply chain partners should find ways to share risks and resources through coordination and integration across the entire supply chain.

With that in mind, the main purpose of this special issue is to seek research works that develop resilient supply chain frameworks and innovative thinking processes to cope with unprecedented global financial crisis. As such, all submitted papers are expected to address the core issue of this journal - integration. In particular, we seek cutting edge advances, concepts, practices, and research agenda in supply chain crisis/risk management.

Studies that build theory or test theory with rigor are especially welcomed. Studies that extend existing theory in different contexts of risk and crisis management or different cultural environments (e.g., emerging economies) are also welcomed. Furthermore, papers that synthesize the past evolution of supply chain crisis/risk management and provide future research directions are strongly encouraged. This special issue is open to a variety of research methodologies that encompass mathematical models, simulation, rigorous case studies, exploratory studies, or empirical studies based on questionnaire surveys.

The topics of interest are included but are not limited to the following:

• Global supply chain resilience
• Supply chain cost control using activity based management
• Lean supply chain management by doing more with less
• Asset management in the logistics industry (including trucking firms, third party logistics providers, warehousing firms)
• Assessment of supply chain risks
• Disruptions in global sourcing
• Logistics service pricing
• Financial logistics
• Revenue/yield management
• Fuel management
• Outsourcing relationship management
• Downsizing in the logistics or supply network
• Mergers/acquisitions and their impact on supply chain resilience
• Financial implications of strategic alliance or supply chain partnerships
• Performance measurement and benchmarking of supply chain operations
• Institutional perspectives or the government's role in supply chain management

Important Dates
Full paper due: 30 June, 2009
Notification of acceptance: 31 August, 2009
Final version of the paper due: 31 October, 2009