Building a Circular Supply Chain
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with the Circular Supply Chain Network, recently published a white paper entitled Building a Circular Supply Chain. This publication addresses the transition from traditional, linear supply chains to circular ones, emphasizing the increased resilience they offer. Circular supply chains, characterized by distributed networks, multidirectional flows, and maximization of product and material use, provide a solution to the vulnerabilities of linear models. These supply chains not only help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and costs, but also minimize dependence on natural resource extraction. The white paper also highlights the key role of supply chain professionals in this transformation. They are responsible for managing the vast quantities of materials in the global economy and can influence the wider adoption of circular economy principles. The paper and an accompanying fact sheet highlight nine focus areas for supply chain leaders to facilitate this crucial transition, providing a comprehensive guide to redefining supply chains in today’s economic landscape.
Practices for the Writing Stages of Qualitative SCM Research
I have often noticed that researchers in our discipline have many questions about what good qualitative SCM research should look like. A new article by Rockmann and Vough, Using Quotes to Present Claims: Practices for the Writing Stages of Qualitative Research, is a great guide for scholars of qualitative management research. It emphasizes the critical fourth stage of qualitative research – the writing of findings – which goes beyond study design, data collection, and analysis. The authors introduce practical tools such as claim tables and storyboarding for organizing and presenting data, especially quotes. These methods help categorize quotes based on vividness and comprehensiveness, ensuring that different perspectives are included. The approach emphasizes the balance between “showing” data and “telling” its meaning, which is critical to creating compelling narratives. This article is definitely useful for SCM researchers, guiding them in transforming complex qualitative data into powerful, coherent findings, thereby increasing the credibility and impact of their research.
Rockmann, K.W., & Vough, H.C. (2023). Using Quotes to Present Claims: Practices for the Writing Stages of Qualitative Research. Organizational Research Methods, _(_), _-_. https://doi.org/10.1177/10944281231210558
