This thesis is concerned with the decision process of strategic positioning within
global supply chains. The research provides insights into how companies
currently form positioning decisions, and set out to develop a systematic
methodology to assist practitioners in forming their strategic positioning
decisions.
Manufacturing in the UK is increasingly exposed to the effects of global
competition. Many companies are facing difficulties to define the most
advantageous position in their global supply chains in order to maximise their
business competitiveness. The position of a company is concerned with
deciding a boundary and configuration of internal and external business
activities to the company and is directly related to initiatives such as
outsourcing, make or buy, and offshoring. Unfortunately, current methodologies
and tools do not provide adequate support to provide a holistic view for making
such decisions. Hence, the purpose of this thesis is to provide a generic and
practical methodology that is an integrated and holistic approach that assists
practitioners to deal with strategic positioning within global supply chains.
The research programme commenced by exploring the process and content of
positioning decision from four actual manufacturing companies. The results
from the exploratory case studies and existing contribution from literature have
then been synthesised to form a pilot methodology. This is captured in the form
of a paper-based workbook. This methodology has then been evaluated and
refined through a primary application in two case studies with the researcher
taking a role as a participant. Finally, wider applicability of the methodology has
been assessed through four more case studies covering different types of
manufacturing with the researcher not intervening but instead observing. The
final methodology referred to in this thesis as the “SPGC methodology” has
demonstrated that it provides practical support to industrial decision making.
The outcome of this research is the step-by-step SPGC methodology
supporting practitioners to deal with strategic positioning within global supply
chains. The overall approach has been demonstrated to be feasible, usable and
useful, and has been used in a range of manufacturing companies. This
research has filled an industrial need and literature gap and has made a
significant contribution to the knowledge on how manufacturing companies can
form a strategic positioning within global supply chains