Measuring the Strategic Fit of Supply Chain Coordination Systems

Working Paper #1 by Tim McLaren, Milena Head, and Yufei Yuan, April 2003.

• SCCSs synchronize information between customers and suppliers.
• Flexible e-business technologies created a confusing variety of options.
• Objective one: clarify strategic fit and its role in performance.
• Objective two: report a study exploring measures of strategic fit.
• A preliminary model of strategic fit was presented.
• Experts and three Canadian manufacturers helped refine and validate it.
• Fit means capabilities support competitive strategy and integration level.
• A pilot study matched capabilities to theoretically ideal capabilities.
• The recommended survey measures looked reasonable and economical.

Keywords: strategic alignment, corporate strategy, interorganizational information systems, supply chain management.