Supply chain co-ordination and industry clockspeed: An exploratory study

The increasing velocity of change, or clockspeed, in the business environment is a key challenge for firms and industries nowadays. In this study, the impact of industry and organisation clockspeed on specific mechanisms used for supply chain co-ordination is investigated from an information-processing perspective. This article addresses the differences in supply chain co-ordination strategies between firms in high-clockspeed industries and those in less turbulent environments. We translated Galbraith??s generic co-ordination mechanisms into specific supply chain co-ordination strategies. Using an exploratory case study research design, we collected recent data on industry and organisation clockspeed. The main finding is that the relationship between the level of clockspeed and the extent to which ??lateral relations?? are applied and activities are outsourced is an increasing function.