Basma Ben, M; Lehoux, N and Blanchet, P (2024) Integration mechanisms for material suppliers in the construction supply chain: A systematic literature review. Construction Management and Economics, 42(1), pp. 70-107. ISSN 01446193
Abstract
The construction industry has long been criticized for its fragmented, inefficient, and uncoordinated supply chain. Thus, construction companies are actively looking for new strategies to overcome these issues and to improve their productivity. Supply chain integration is one strategy and many articles have addressed the mechanisms to help integrate the construction supply chain. However, little interest has been paid to material supplier integration despite their important role and their vast experience in the market. Hence, this study aims to identify the mechanisms that could contribute to facilitate material supplier integration in the construction supply chain. A systematic literature review was conducted to uncover the studies on this topic. A total of 310 articles were reviewed and analyzed to first reveal six integration mechanism categories: supplier qualification, supplier development program, contractual and relational policies, information sharing and integration systems, joint team working and problem solving, as well as supplier integration evaluation. Secondly, this study proposes a roadmap to illustrate when these mechanisms should be implemented in a construction project, according to both the project phases and the project delivery system. Finally, research gaps in the field are identified as well as future research directions that could be further explored by researchers and professionals.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | systematic literature review; material supplier; supplier integration; supplier involvement; collaboration; mechanism; construction supply chain |
| Index terms: | systematic literature review, construction industry, problem solving, qualification, program, information sharing, construction project, strategy, project delivery, construction company, supply chain integration, construction supply chain, collaboration, productivity, integration |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, software systems, decision-making and reasoning, organizational analysis, research evaluation and metrics, data exchange, supply chain integration, production management, construction logistics, educational resources, project delivery, management, organization |
| Topics: | Procurement, Business Strategy, Supply Chain Management, Research Practice, Project Management, Digital Applications, Education, Organizational Design |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here