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The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a model that demonstrates the influence of enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation on the power and interests of actors at the production‐sales interface, and vice versa.

An empirical in‐depth longitudinal case study examines how a medium‐sized company in the graphics industry implemented an ERP system and how this has affected the interests and power distribution between the manufacturing and sales departments.

The case study reveals that the power division among key players at the production‐sales interface has been affected by the ERP implementation. These changes influence their attitudes and behaviours as well as the usage of the ERP system.

Limitations are associated with the inherent weaknesses of any research based on a single‐case study: theoretical, but not statistical, generalisations are possible.

The findings imply that those implementing ERP systems in production‐sales environments should, from the outset of the project, identify potential changes in the division of power and seek to reconcile stakeholder interests.

This is one of the few studies that has examined in‐depth the potential effects of ERP implementation on power division at the production‐sales interface.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedents and performance consequences of voluntary information exchange between the production and sales functions.

Building on the motivation-opportunity-ability framework, the authors first posit a general model for bilateral information exchange across functional levels. The innovation presented in this model consists in allowing both sides of such an exchange (e.g. production-to-sales and sales-to-production) to differ in the perceived adequacy of information they receive. The two sides can also differ in terms of how their motivation and ability impact that adequacy. To test the model, the authors make use of survey responses and objective data from sales, production and executive managers of 182 Chinese manufacturers.

Analysis of the sample shows that the sales-to-production exchange has a smaller estimated performance effect than the production-to-sales exchange. Although shared opportunity is important in predicting both sides of the exchange, the measure of motivation appears to only significantly impact the sales-to-production exchange. In contrast, the measure of ability only appears to significantly affect the production-to-sales exchange.

Although limited to a regional context, differences in information-sharing drivers on the two sides of production-sales dyads pose strong implications that may be generalizable.

Specifically, these findings suggest alternative approaches and foci for resource investment that higher level managers can leverage in developing more effective cross-functional work settings.

This study differentiates itself from extant literature on information sharing by focusing on cross-functional (vs intra-functional) and voluntary (vs routine) information exchange.

The purpose of this article is to generate theory on how functional integration and conflict interrelate by studying the interface between production and purchasing.

An interpretive single case research methodology is adopted. The authors rely on in-depth interviewing of managers in the production and purchasing functions of a construction company, as well as by its suppliers.

Given low functional integration, antagonistic reasoning within each function and resultant conflicting behaviors are allowed to develop in a negative cycle, escalating the conflict between purchasing and production. This process leads to the creation of two opposing functional sourcing models that serve as blueprints for behavior.

The single case methodology was chosen to maximize depth and detail and form an ideal foundation for theory building. Future qualitative and quantitative studies should inquire further into the studied phenomenon to increase analytical and statistical generalizability of the proposed model.

The findings can help managers understand how poor integration between functions can develop into cross-functional conflict. Facing a conflicting functional relationship, managers must resort to conflict resolution methods, instead of attempting to integrate, as several integrative devices are not appropriate in conflicting interfaces.

The proposed model contributes by connecting the constructs of integration, group reasoning, and conflict, thereby generating knowledge on conflict development processes in cross-functional interfaces. Furthermore, the article contributes by uncovering the difficulties associated with implementing spend consolidation, a prevailing sourcing strategy.

The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into enterprise resource planning (ERP) research by framing ERP intellectual contributions using a knowledge-centric taxonomy that was originally proposed as an organizing framework for classifying conceptual contributions in marketing. Thus the paper provides a better understanding of existing gaps and future opportunities in ERP research.

Using MacInnis framework, the authors classified a sample of 300 ERP articles published during the period 2000-2014 into a topology of four generic contributions types and eight sub-types.

The findings indicate that whereas the explicating type received the most attention by researches, the debating type received the least. It also seems that there is a temporal dimension to the different types of conceptual contributions. Identification of usefulness of the ERP systems to business was not addressed as would have been predicted by the build-evaluate lens of March and Smith framework.

The main limitation of this research is that only used articles from scholarly journals, and did not include conference proceedings, books, and other outlets. Another limitation is that the search criteria was title-based, which may have missed some relevant papers. Research implications include highlighting the importance of a knowledge-centric view of ERP research, and practical implications include the call for robust measurement criteria for ERP benefits and rigorous ERP comparison schemes.

The main contribution is providing an alternative approach to framing the ERP intellectual contributions. The proposed taxonomy revealed major areas of focus and opportunities for future ERP research emphasis. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first instantiation of MacInnis framework into ERP research.

This article classifies the significant research in the marketing‐manufacturing interface using a framework in three dimensions: process versus outcome, level of interaction (strategic, tactical, or operational), and consideration of situational dimensions. The classification demonstrates that research is limited in specific areas including the consideration of the situational dimensions. Aggregation of topics at the strategic level of the interaction is needed to further research in this area. In addition, it is noted that customer input or measures of either the interaction or performance are important in this literature.

According to researchers and managers, there is a lack of agreement between marketing and manufacturing managers on critical strategic issues. However, most of the literature on the subject is anecdotal and little formal empirical research has been done. Three companies are investigated to study the extent of agreement/disagreement between manufacturing and marketing managers on strategy content and process. A novel method permits the study of agreement between the two different functional managers on the process of developing strategy. The findings consistently show that manufacturing managers operate under a wider range of strategic priorities than marketing managers, and that manufacturing managers participate less than marketing managers in the strategy development process. Further, both marketing and manufacturing managers show higher involvement in the strategy development process in the latter stages of the Hayes and Wheelwright four‐stage model of manufacturing’s strategic role.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how three core elements of critical management studies (CMSs), “de-naturalisation”, “reflexivity” and “(non)-performative intent”, can help expand the current debate in the supply chain management (SCM) field.

The authors used a systematic literature review to select 103 articles published in 12 high-ranking journals in the SCM field based on the Academic Journal Guide of the Chartered Association of Business Schools.

The findings of this study suggest that SCM studies can be narrowed down into four major CMSs themes: “power”, “ethics and environmental issues”, “diversity” and “working conditions”, but even these themes are still under-discussed and undertheorized in SCM. The literature the authors reviewed is more concerned with explaining these phenomena than questioning them and proposing new agendas. This paper, therefore, will discuss how these three core elements of CMS can help transform the “hidden” issues of SCM, which it will do by illustrating it in the context of buyer–supplier relationships and lean manufacturing.

This research will encourage SCM scholars who are interested in conducting more critical studies and teaching the harmful effects of global supply chains.

This paper highlights that a combination of SCM and CMS approaches is important when we decide to adopt a more critical “constructive” view of supply chain challenges and engage practical and critical views, respectively, to generate knowledge that not only increases (corporate) performance but also highlights social needs and values.

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate inconsistent findings regarding motivations for the implementation of information technology (IT) in the supply chain. Two main theoretical perspectives emerge from the literature. The first predicts a logical progressive implementation of technology over time. The second views situational factors as moderating progressive implementation over time. The authors propose a third, calculative IT implementation model and empirically assess the validity of these diverging models.

The authors took a qualitative, theory-testing approach. Cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2001 and 2011 – yielding responses from 62 matching firms – showed dynamic IT implementation patterns over time and allowed the selection of nine case studies for comparison.

Results provide substantial support for a calculative model alongside the situational and progressive perspectives. This model addresses three problematic assumptions that underpin the progressive and situational perspectives: that IT implementation will follow logical stages; that implementation of these technologies represents a rational choice; and that managers implement these technologies to improve the performance of entire supply chains.

The empirical investigations were limited to Australian manufacturers. Further studies should extend the generalisability of the findings and study the phenomenon in different contexts.

The study enhances practitioners’ understanding of the difficulties and complexities of IT implementation decisions among supply chain partners. Such an understanding may motivate managers to pursue IT adoption that goes beyond addressing locally focused performance metrics.

The findings make a significant theoretical and practical contribution and provide the basis for isolating and operationalising the calculative model for further empirical testing.

The information technology (IT) literature is mixed regarding the benefits of inter-organisational IT, but shifts towards less adoption of IT remain largely an unexplored area of research. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap by shedding light on the question of whether or not such shifts exist, and if so, why they occur.

A mixed method, sequential research design was adopted. A quantitative study based on two cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2001 and 2011 yielded responses from 62 matching firms that had implemented IT based on global GS1 standards. Survey results led to the identification of a group of organisations that provided evidence of reduced standards-based inter-organisation IT over time. Subsequently, four theory-building in-depth case studies explored why changes towards less IT occurred.

Results from the quantitative study show that measurable changes take place in IT implementation over time (both increasing and decreasing). The case studies show that changes towards less implementation of IT are largely explained by a complex interaction of multiple factors lending support to a situational model of IT adoption.

The empirical investigations were limited to Australian manufacturers. Further studies should extend the generalisability of the findings and study the phenomenon in different contexts, as well as across firms that increased, decreased, and maintained their level of IT over time.

The study helps managers to identify the IT that best suits their strategic objectives. Further, this research increases managers’ understanding of how to better use IT as firms weigh opportunities to invest in new supply chain technologies and as a result may choose to reduce investment as a strategic alternative.

The paper provides the first systematic insight into reduced IT standards use and implementation. The authors offer a more granular understanding of why firms may choose to reduce usage of IT over time.

Over the past three decades, many researchers have studied the relationship between sales and production departments. This has raised the question: Does the quality of the relationship between production and sales affect the customer? This study uses survey methodology to examine the link between customer satisfaction and the interface variables (connectedness, conflict, coordination) from both a sales and a production perspective. Customer satisfaction responses are aggregated for each sales‐production combination and analyzed to determine the impact of the relationship between production and sales personnel. Product type (i.e. engineered‐to‐order (ETO)) is introduced as a moderating variable. Results indicate that there is a significant impact on customer satisfaction as a result of the cross‐functional situation when moderated by product type. The main managerial implication is that the internal relationship between sales and production is important to the customer, specifically in ETO product situations.