Affiliations: [a] Department of Business Administration, University of Illinois, 1206 South Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820, USA | [b] Department of Business Management, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA | [c] Department of Business Management, Seattle University, Seattle, WA 98122, USA
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Matthew W. McCarter, Department of Business Administration, 202 Survey, 1206 South Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820, USA. Tel.: +1 217 531 8984; E-mail: mmccart6@uiuc.edu.
Abstract: Some scholars have been so blunt as to claim that information technology is the answer to all the problems facing supply chain managers. We posit that, although information technology integration is necessary for a supply chain to succeed, people are also crucial. We further propose that managers must take into consideration organizational culture and the education and training of employees to facilitate supply chain collaboration and success. We interviewed 51 senior-level supply chain managers across five channel positions. Findings support our position that management of people is crucial to supply chain integration, and that integration is improved through an accommodating organizational culture and training and educational programs. Also from our findings, we supply a prescription for building the supply chain cross-functional manager.
Keywords: Supply chain management, information technology, organizational culture, education and training
