Title: Integration of e-business and Supply Chain Management for Small and Medium sized Enterprises in Iran

Authors: Malihe Shahidan, Mehrzad Netadj

Addresses: Faculty of Organisation and Management, Sheffield Hallam University, City Campus, Howard Street, Sheffield S1 1WB, UK. ' Social Science Research Centre, Mississippi State University, MS 39762, USA

Abstract: Large international corporations overture into the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises| (SMEs) market have alarmed SMEs for they do not have the infrastructure and necessary resources to fight back. The lack of easy access to imperative information of business partners, the long process of communication with customers and the shortage of fundamental skills make the SMEs susceptible in the market place. Majorities of sample SMEs in research have not adopted to any kind of Electronic Data Interchange because of the lack of required skills for implementing and running it within the organisation and the high costs involved. Despite of the wide availability of techniques, flexible manufacturing processes, automated warehousing and rapid logistics, poor supply chain performance is still the norm. Their main focus centres on management of dyadic or immediate suppliers and their relationships, which are often based on win lose circumstances. The introduction of e-supply chain model will fill the communication gap between the different trading partners of the supply chain and allow the supply chain network to act as a single entity and sustain their competitiveness within the fast changing environment.

Keywords: cooperation; e-supply chain management; medium to large enterprises; partnership; Iran; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; supply chain management; electronic SCM; e-SCM; supply chain network; supply chain performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLSM.2008.017595

International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management, 2008 Vol.4 No.4, pp.457 - 468

Published online: 19 Mar 2008 *

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