h. kotzab, s. seuring, m. müller, g. reiner (eds.), research methodologies in supply chain...

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Journal of Purchasing & Supply Management 12 (2006) 105–106 Book review H. Kotzab, S. Seuring, M. Mu¨ ller, G. Reiner (Eds.), Research Methodologies in Supply Chain Management, Physica-Verlag, Germany, 2005, ISBN 3790815837 (632pp., £69) This book is a large collection of papers aimed at collating a supply chain management approach to research methods. The editors pose the question whether there is a need to develop research methods that deal particularly with supply chain management issues. They rephrase their own question, what are the characteristics of scm research that require modified or extended research methods? Except for a short introduction from the editors the reader is left to come to their own conclusions. The book has the equivalent of 36 (papers) chapters, featuring around 70 authors. This variety and the diversity of approaches that flow from this quantity of authors is the best feature of the book. The structure is quite simple, there are five sections: a scene setting first part on general theory building, then sections on survey, case study and action research in scm, with a final chapter on modeling in supply chains. Four of the sections are of approximately the same size, with the final modeling part awarded a bigger share. This allocation should not put anyone off, because papers in this section deal with substantive and broad topics before discussing modeling issues, for example, topics covered include game theory, modularity and contract typology. Before reading this book exactly who the target audience would be was a puzzle. It is not the intention of the editors or authors to offer sufficient depth in any one chapter to be a sole source for a topic. However, reading all the papers in one part probably would give a masters student sufficient grasp of any one of these research approaches (and critically, a gold mine of references). There is a market for the book then for masters students, and possibly year one Ph.D.s, who could be given the book and asked to critique each section or methodological approach. There is also a target market of academics who appreciate a brief ‘update’ in a concise and readable form on various methods, without having to turn to the depth and complexity of a specialist text. With the caution that any serious study would need to supplement the material here with further study, the text is a useful initial reference point. For example, chapters that stress the value of both qualitative and quantitative approaches, used appropri- ately, cover very familiar ground to those who research. But it is still useful to be reminded of the basics, and how they should be applied, and often to be supplied with new references. Having a text that discusses methods set entirely in supply contexts should increase student interest. There is much that will be new to many, for example, the use of Q-sort techniques to cluster subjective judgements, and the challenge of complexity theories to the assumptions of supply chain management. Thus, the book is quite packed with content and explanation. For example, we are introduced to research methods across a vast spectrum, e.g. structural equation modeling, case studies, object-oriented simulation, game theory, triangulation, contract typology as a research method. Perhaps this diversity reflects that there really is an international list of authors, most of the European countries, but also Brazil, New Zealand, South Africa and Thailand. The editors have done a really good and important job here in opening up scm to contributions from around the world. In some sense though the sheer volume of material presented is the weakness of the book. It is possible that the editors were a little too lenient and a few chapters could have been rejected or worked up further. More importantly though, the sheer length of individual’s material presented highlights the lack of response within the chapters to the original question posed by the editors. In essence, do we need specific supply chain research methods (or specific adaptations of existing methods)? In order to answer that question, we need an understanding of what is unique and different about supply chain approaches that could mandate innovative research methods. For example in business networks Halinen and To¨rnroos (2005) have recently set a new standard in evaluating the features of networks that impact research methods and methodologies. As well as drawing attention to the issues one might anticipate such as how to draw a boundary for research purposes around a network, they also cover issues such as time in network research. In comparison, this book suffers from a lack of a coherent over view, and from a fragmentation of perspective that leads to a less informed, and less analytical approach. We are not presented with the characteristics of scm research that require modified or extended research methods in the way that Halinen and To¨rnroos attempted in business networks. A less important negative is that the standard of the English is variable, and surprisingly probably at its poorest in the editors’ own introduction. ARTICLE IN PRESS www.elsevier.com/locate/pursup doi:10.1016/j.pursup.2006.05.003

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ARTICLE IN PRESS

doi:10.1016/j.pu

Journal of Purchasing & Supply Management 12 (2006) 105–106

www.elsevier.com/locate/pursup

Book review

H. Kotzab, S. Seuring, M. Muller, G. Reiner (Eds.),

Research Methodologies in Supply Chain Management,

Physica-Verlag, Germany, 2005, ISBN 3790815837

(632pp., £69)

This book is a large collection of papers aimed atcollating a supply chain management approach to researchmethods. The editors pose the question whether there is aneed to develop research methods that deal particularlywith supply chain management issues. They rephrase theirown question, what are the characteristics of scm researchthat require modified or extended research methods?Except for a short introduction from the editors the readeris left to come to their own conclusions.

The book has the equivalent of 36 (papers) chapters,featuring around 70 authors. This variety and the diversityof approaches that flow from this quantity of authors is thebest feature of the book. The structure is quite simple, thereare five sections: a scene setting first part on general theorybuilding, then sections on survey, case study and actionresearch in scm, with a final chapter on modeling in supplychains. Four of the sections are of approximately the samesize, with the final modeling part awarded a bigger share.This allocation should not put anyone off, because papersin this section deal with substantive and broad topicsbefore discussing modeling issues, for example, topicscovered include game theory, modularity and contracttypology.

Before reading this book exactly who the target audiencewould be was a puzzle. It is not the intention of the editorsor authors to offer sufficient depth in any one chapter to bea sole source for a topic. However, reading all the papers inone part probably would give a masters student sufficientgrasp of any one of these research approaches (andcritically, a gold mine of references). There is a marketfor the book then for masters students, and possibly yearone Ph.D.s, who could be given the book and asked tocritique each section or methodological approach. There isalso a target market of academics who appreciate a brief‘update’ in a concise and readable form on variousmethods, without having to turn to the depth andcomplexity of a specialist text. With the caution that anyserious study would need to supplement the material herewith further study, the text is a useful initial referencepoint.

For example, chapters that stress the value of bothqualitative and quantitative approaches, used appropri-

rsup.2006.05.003

ately, cover very familiar ground to those who research.But it is still useful to be reminded of the basics, and howthey should be applied, and often to be supplied with newreferences. Having a text that discusses methods set entirelyin supply contexts should increase student interest. There ismuch that will be new to many, for example, the use ofQ-sort techniques to cluster subjective judgements, and thechallenge of complexity theories to the assumptions ofsupply chain management.Thus, the book is quite packed with content and

explanation. For example, we are introduced to researchmethods across a vast spectrum, e.g. structural equationmodeling, case studies, object-oriented simulation, gametheory, triangulation, contract typology as a researchmethod. Perhaps this diversity reflects that there really isan international list of authors, most of the Europeancountries, but also Brazil, New Zealand, South Africa andThailand. The editors have done a really good andimportant job here in opening up scm to contributionsfrom around the world.In some sense though the sheer volume of material

presented is the weakness of the book. It is possible that theeditors were a little too lenient and a few chapters couldhave been rejected or worked up further. More importantlythough, the sheer length of individual’s material presentedhighlights the lack of response within the chapters to theoriginal question posed by the editors. In essence, do weneed specific supply chain research methods (or specificadaptations of existing methods)? In order to answer thatquestion, we need an understanding of what is uniqueand different about supply chain approaches that couldmandate innovative research methods.For example in business networks Halinen and Tornroos

(2005) have recently set a new standard in evaluating thefeatures of networks that impact research methods andmethodologies. As well as drawing attention to the issues onemight anticipate such as how to draw a boundary for researchpurposes around a network, they also cover issues such as timein network research. In comparison, this book suffers from alack of a coherent over view, and from a fragmentation ofperspective that leads to a less informed, and less analyticalapproach. We are not presented with the characteristics of scmresearch that require modified or extended research methods inthe way that Halinen and Tornroos attempted in businessnetworks. A less important negative is that the standard of theEnglish is variable, and surprisingly probably at its poorest inthe editors’ own introduction.

ARTICLE IN PRESSBook review / Journal of Purchasing & Supply Management 12 (2006) 105–106106

Overall though, this is a useful reference book, one thatyou would dip into or loan to a student rather thanreread from cover to cover. It is a very useful andconcise text for updating one’s knowledge in a number ofareas. The editors only appear in the introduction, they shyaway then from answering their own question. Thisreader’s view was that not enough of a case was madefor specific supply chain research methods, perhapsbecause of the lack of an integrative chapter to draw the

various contributions together. But perhaps as well that isthe editors’ intention, to force the reader to answer thequestion for themselves.

Nigel CaldwellCRiSPS, School of Management, University of Bath,

Bath BA2 7AY, UK

E-mail address: [email protected].