Supply chain management has gained wide importance for companies that produce goods or services. Though it is well understood that shifting from the single company to the whole supply chain triggers the need for reorganization and reengineering, strategic management or organizational theories have not yet been incorporated in supply chain management. This volume addresses the intersection between organizational theory, strategic management and supply chain management. Within the 23 chapters of the book, 35 authors show how new concepts help companies and their suppliers and customers to coordinate efficiently the partners in a supply chain. The concepts and methodologies presented are illustrated with case studies from various industries and logistical services.

Supply Chain Management and Cost Management are important developments helping companies to respond to increased global competition and demanding customer needs. Within the 23 chapters of the book, more than 35 authors provide insights into new concepts for cost control in supply chains. The frameworks presented are illustrated with case studies from the automotive, textile, white goods, and transportation industry as well as from retailing. Academics will benefit from the wide range of approaches presented, while practitioners will learn from the examples how their own company and the supply chains which they compete in, can be brought to lower costs and better performance.

For reseach in all subjects and among different philisopical paradigms, research methodologies form one of the key issues to rely on. This volume brings a series of papers together, which present different research methodologies as applied in supply chain management. This comprises review oriented papers that look at what kind of methodologies have been applied, as well as methodological papers discussing new developments needed to successfully conduct research in supply chain management. The third group is made up of applications of the respective methodologies, which serve as examples on how the different methodological approaches can be applied. All papers have undergone a review process to ensure their quality. Therefore, we hope that this book will serve as a valid source for current and future researchers in the field. While the workshop on "Research Methodologies in Supply Chain Management" took place at the Supply Chain Management Center, Carl von Ossietzky Univ- sity in Oldenburg, Germany, it is based on a collaboration with the Supply Chain Management Group of the Department of Operations Management at the Cop- hagen Business School and the Department of Production Management at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. We would like to thank all those who contributed to the workshop and this book.

Supply chain management has gained wide importance for companies that produce goods or services. Though it is well understood that shifting from the single company to the whole supply chain triggers the need for reorganization and reengineering, strategic management or organizational theories have not yet been incorporated in supply chain management. This volume addresses the intersection between organizational theory, strategic management and supply chain management. Within the 23 chapters of the book, 35 authors show how new concepts help companies and their suppliers and customers to coordinate efficiently the partners in a supply chain. The concepts and methodologies presented are illustrated with case studies from various industries and logistical services.

Supply Chain Management and Cost Management are important developments helping companies to respond to increased global competition and demanding customer needs. Within the 23 chapters of the book, more than 35 authors provide insights into new concepts for cost control in supply chains. The frameworks presented are illustrated with case studies from the automotive, textile, white goods, and transportation industry as well as from retailing. Academics will benefit from the wide range of approaches presented, while practitioners will learn from the examples how their own company and the supply chains which they compete in, can be brought to lower costs and better performance.

Magnus Westhaus erarbeitet auf der Grundlage einer Delphi-Studie eine Definition des Supply Chain Controlling. Mit Hilfe einer Publikations- und Zitatenanalyse identifiziert er die Bestandteile fur eine eigenstandige Konzeption des Supply Chain Controlling"

Vor dem Hintergrund der bankbetrieblichen Konkurrenzsituation untersucht Andreas Bruns, unter welchen Voraussetzungen Kreditinstitute den dringend notwendigen Wettbewerbsvorteil mit Hilfe einer simultan hybriden Qualitatsstrategie erreichen konnen. Ziel ist, die Qualitat der Bankleistungen zu verbessern und gleichzeitig die Kosten zu senken."

Aus den Bausteinen Stoffstrommanagement, Kreislaufmanagement, Closed-loop Supply Chain Management und Transaktionskostentheorie entwickelt Romy Morana einen Untersuchungsrahmen, der es ermoglicht, organisatorisch unterschiedliche Produktkreislaufe zu analysieren und miteinander zu vergleichen. Er gestattet die Untersuchung des gesamten Kreislaufs bis hin zum Verhalten des einzelnen Akteurs.

Julia Koplin prasentiert die Entwicklung eines umfassenden Nachhaltigkeitskonzeptes fur das Beschaffungsmanagement der Volkswagen AG, welches im Rahmen eines Aktionsforschungsprojektes des Konzerns in Kooperation mit der Universitat Oldenburg entstanden ist. Die Ergebnisse dieses Projektes werden sowohl inhaltlich als auch prozessbezogen aufgearbeitet und im Hinblick auf unterschiedlichste Nachhaltigkeitsanforderungen bezuglich ihrer Nutzbarkeit bewertet. Abschliessend leitet die Autorin allgemeine Handlungsempfehlungen fur Unternehmen zur Operationalisierung eines nachhaltigen Beschaffungsmanagements ab."