Virtuous and vicious cycles on the road towards international supply chain management

An increasing number of companies claim to pursue international supply chain management (ISCM), but the empirical evidence of successful implementation programs is still scarce. This paper aims to contribute to theory-building in this area by presenting an exploratory causal model of goals, barriers, and enablers on the road towards effective ISCM. The model was established in a workshop with a panel of content matter experts. The results point at a disturbingly gloomy picture of vicious cycles frustrating the implementation of effective ISCM strategies. Fortunately, it appears that it is possible to apply the same generic mechanisms to create a virtuous cycle, for instance by promoting cross-functional careers and by actively responding to demanding customer needs. The challenge ahead is to test the model’s content and validity.