This dissertation examines how firms change their supply chain management organization structure to address challenges associated with pursuing global strategies. We perform a qualitative study to develop a structural change process that examines the change progression from external environmental pressures to structural design implementation. Our sample consisted of 22 leading global firms and included interviews with 46 senior supply chain leaders from corporate, SBU, and functional supply chain related organizations. In addition, we identify similarities and differences of the emerged structural change process to existing organizational structural change theories. The proposed supply chain management organizational change process most closely follows strategic choice and genealogical theories. Further, we identify specific areas where existing organizational change theories can be extended, as well as which theories best explain specific types of supply chain structural change phenomena. Contributions to theory and practice are presented as well as suggestions for future research.
Read
