Analysis of interrelationships between Suppliers configuration and performance within the supply network: A simulation approach

The objective of this work is to examine the strategic types of organisations suppliers. Moreover, it is to investigate the interrelationship between various ratios of suppliers´ strategic types and the effect on the performance of the hub company in a supply network. Also, to suggest the configuration ratio that produces enhanced performance. The supply network considered in this study is the Multiple Driven supply network of Dai and Zhang´s [4] supply network. Three indicating variables were used for grouping the suppliers´ strategic types based on Miles and Snow typologies [11]; Defender, Prospector and Analyser. This is a case study of 30 printing organisations suppliers of a Multiple Driven Supply Network with three different Miles and Snow typologies [11]. The choice of measuring of the organisation´s performance is the quantity produced and price. Questionnaires, Semi- structured interviews and the Discrete Simulation Software were adopted for analysing the hypotheses and to suggest the improvement of the organisations performance. The first experimental work is the `AS IS´ scenario which is the real situation of the hub organisation and its suppliers. This is followed by the `WHAT IF´ scenario which are; All Defenders, All Analyser, All Prospectors, Ratio (1:1:1) and (3:2:1) of (Analyser: Defender: Prospectors). Simulation provides the performances of the scenarios both in terms of profit and the quantity produced. The suppliers typological ratio that gives enhanced performance in terms of quantity produced is (3:2:1) with respect to (Analyser: Defender: Prospector). However, the profit is the greatest when the suppliers are all Analysers.