Research Statement David M. Simmonds

Executive Summary My research goal is to demonstrate how Information Technologies will enhance value creation along Supply Chains, specifically in the area of Collaborative Planning, Forecasting & Replenishment (CPFR). CPFR uses collaborative IT to create efficiencies in the movement of goods between along the supply chain, by increasing the precision with which demand is predicted. Using surveys of supply-chain focused middle management in medium sized companies, I intend to examine the challenges in using CPFR to manage demand along supply chains, from an organizational and technical level.

Past Research The famous “Gang of Four”, led by Erich Gamma, converted Gamma’s dissertation into a world class book of 23 software design patterns (Gamma, Helm, Johnson, & Vlissides, 1993). While this book revolutionized the thinking on software design patterns in building robust, adaptable software, the GoF wrote their book in technical language, and also abstract C++ code samples which were hard to understand. So while the book is well renowned within the ranks of hard-core computer scientists, it never gained the traction that it should have amongst more general Information Technology personal, especially systems analysts and software developers. In order to make their ground breaking work more accessible to a wider audience, I synthesized the design pattern literature in order to reinterpret their book. I published my treatise on Programmer’s Heaven, a website dedicated to empowering software developers to build high quality software (GoF Design Patterns @ Programmers Heaven). I explained the design patterns in plain English and also used everyday examples. Additionally, I reinforced the treatise on design patterns with functioning, visually appealing UI code written in Visual Basic .Net. These code samples are different from the examples used in my explanations so as to reinforce the concept of the patterns. My aim of increasing the relevance and intellectual accessibility of the technical content are illustrated in my articles on Software Design Patterns (AspAlliance Author Profile _ David Simmonds) where I build on my analysis and synthesis of the best of the design pattern literature. I explain in plain English, how to put more work upfront in the software design process so as to create robust, adaptable code. This makes the effort of programmers who maintain that code, more efficient and less stressful. This code can be modified for future use without breaking the existing logic and structure of the code. End users benefit from having software that they can have confidence in, since it can be adapted dynamically in real world conditions. In this situation, Marketing, management, accounting and finance departments get solutions that remain stable when customized for future needs.

Current Research Supply chains consist of business partners engaged in the manufacturing, distribution and retailing of products on their way to the end-consumer. But supply chains do not always run smoothly as Forrester (1958) illustrated by showing that managers in different companies who do not collaborate in managing demand along the supply chain, can cause customer demand information to distort and amplify while moving upstream in the supply chain. This results in inaccurate forecasts, inefficient asset utilization and Poor customer service; causing what has come to be known as the bullwhip effect. Because of the bullwhip effect there are glitches which manifest themselves in unnecessarily high Inventory in some cases, and product shortages in other situations. High inventory means that money remains tied up in goods sitting in a warehouse which is expensive to operate. On the flip-side, product shortages result in an immediate loss of revenue as well as eventual loss of customer good will, with the possibility of the customer switching to a different brand or store for life (Boone & Ganeshan, 2007). The Bullwhip effect reduces the value to customers as well as companies along the whole supply chain since it drives up costs for everyone (Kwon & Suh, 2004).

Until recently, supply chain companies maintained an arms-length approach to order-management with their suppliers and customers in the supply chain. They were wary of offering insights into their internal operations, due to a general lack of trust, fearing that company secrets would be leaked to competitors. However, the difficulties in managing the bullwhip effect has affected competition so intensely that in recent years, reduction of the bullwhip effect necessitates that companies abandon the arms-length approach. Companies now treat customers and suppliers as partners since their mutual survival requires reduction of the bullwhip effect and maximization of value across the whole supply chain (Hoyt & Huq, 2000; Min & Zhou, 2002). Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR) is the latest attempt to reduce the Bullwhip effect across supply chains. CPFR draws on collaboration and information sharing using advanced IT. A major aim of CPFR is the collaborative creation of optimal product planning, accurate forecasts and precisely timed orders which are fine-tuned on a regular basis. According to (Li, 2007), CPFR involves 9 steps which include the creation of collaborative agreements and business plans, making sales-forecasts, detecting and dealing with forecast-exceptions and collaborating on the resolution of exception items. CPFR continues with creation of order-forecasts and detecting and resolving order-exceptions collaboratively. The final step is the iterative generation and fine-tuning of orders.

In my current research, I highlight the potential for Information Technology to create value in the more time- sensitive steps of CPFR such as fine-tuning of business plans, identification of forecast-exceptions & order- exceptions, as well as resolution of forecast-exceptions and order-exceptions. I will demonstrate that development of closer businesses relationships, deepening of trust between partners and fine tuning of product plans will benefit from the enhanced communication allowed by the use of Information Technology at all levels of the organization. I will show that the way IT systems are used by manufacturing and procurement personnel to tweak forecasts and replenishment plans, will depend on the industries and product-parameters. I hope to also demonstrate that the trust-dimension of the workplace will affect the level at and function for which IT systems are used in supply chain companies, by measuring measure market and operational performance in various situations. My work represents a contribution to IT research by demonstrating that CPFR is not used in the balanced and complete way as is taken for granted. It also looks at the antecedents of use within the three by three matrix of level represents the intersection of two dimensions of use- level including strategic, tactical & operational-intersecting with functional use including Planning, Forecasting, Replenishment. References Boone, T., & Ganeshan, R. (2007). The frontiers of eBusiness technology and supply chains. Journal of Operations Management, 25(6), 1195-1198. Forrester, J. W. (1958). Industrial dynamics: a major breakthrough for decision makers. Harvard business review, 36(4), 37-66. Gamma, E., Helm, R., Johnson, R., & Vlissides, J. (1993). Design patterns: Abstraction and reuse of object-oriented design. ECOOP’93—Object-Oriented Programming, 406-431. Hoyt, J., & Huq, F. (2000). From arms-length to collaborative relationships in the supply chain: an evolutionary process. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 30(9), 750-764. Kwon, I., & Suh, T. (2004). Factors affecting the level of trust and commitment in supply chain relationships. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 40(2), 4-14. Li, L. (2007). Supply chain management: concepts, techniques and practices enhancing the value through collaboration: World Scientific Pub Co Inc. Min, H., & Zhou, G. (2002). Supply chain modeling: past, present and future. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 43(1-2), 231-249.