How U.S. Companies are Embracing Remote Work

Supply chain management (SCM) has been recognized as a crucial management field that aids enterprises in enhancing their supply chain operations (Markus 2000). Supply chain management (SCM) encompasses the movement of goods, data, and funds within a network that includes suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and customers. Over the past decade, there has been a noticeable change in interorganizational relationships. We've moved away from the traditional market-based arm's-length relationships and towards more strategic partnership-like relationships (Bensaou 1997; Scott 2000). It has been observed in both academic and practitioner literature that business competitions in various industries have shifted from being between individual firms to being between supply chains (e.g., Lambert and Cooper 2000; Oh and Rhee 2008; Straub et al. 2004). 

The emergence of a knowledge-intensive economy has been a key driver behind the paradigm shift in supply chain relationships. 

The success of most products and services in a knowledge-intensive economy hinges on the growth of intangible assets rooted in knowledge, such as technological expertise, innovative product design, effective marketing strategies, customer preferences, and a deep understanding of value-added networks. As the landscape of new product development continues to evolve and market environments become increasingly fast-paced and competitive, the delivery of value to customers is no longer limited to a single company. (Hult et al. 2004; Inkpen and Dinur 1998; Lincoln et al. 1998). <Firms that> are in tune with the latest trends and understand the language of the younger generation.Those who possess the skill of effectively managing knowledge resources across different organizations will reap greater economic rewards (Van de Ven 2005). As an illustration, Motorola successfully decreased the rate of stock-outs for its mobile phone handsets by working together with retailers to exchange and utilize information on product plans, exceptions, and forecasts (Cederlund et al. 2007). Experts who analyze the strategic impacts of knowledge management have highlighted the importance of knowledge and knowledge management in establishing a strong supply chain relationship and achieving favorable supply chain performance. 

As an example, Jarvenpaa and Tanriverdi (2003) suggest that knowledge creation plays a crucial role in a company's ability to survive and remain competitive in its value chain.

The study conducted by Hult et al. (2004) highlights the significance of the knowledge development process within a strategic supply chain. This process involves activities such as acquiring knowledge, distributing knowledge, and forming shared meaning. The researchers found that this process plays a crucial role in determining the efficiency of the supply chain, specifically in terms of cycle time. Although the importance of knowledge in supply chains is widely recognized, there is still a need for a comprehensive understanding of what defines a supply chain's knowledge management capability and how to develop this capability within supply chains (Gunasekaran and Ngai 2007). Building a strong supply chain knowledge management capability that is hard for other supply chain partnerships to copy requires supply chain firms to adopt a relationship-oriented approach to their operations. This involves aligning goals and activities within the supply chain (Im and Rai 2008). Nevertheless, the process of combining and exchanging knowledge within a supply chain can be challenging and require careful navigation due to the diverse skills and interests of multiple enterprises involved.  As an illustration, EDI technologies have been utilized in supply chain management for numerous decades to streamline transactions between trading partners. However, there is a lack of both theoretical and empirical research on the impact of supply chain IT on a supply chain's knowledge management capabilities (Malhotra et al. 2005). As supply chain relationships evolve, they are shifting away from being solely price-focused and transactional, and are now becoming more knowledge-driven.

Various companies were implicated in the chain (Van de Ven 2005). 

Managing knowledge in supply chains can be challenging due to the competing and conflicting goals of firms. Companies that come together to form knowledge-based networks can vary in size, industry, and organizational structures. These variations can cause discrepancies in the outcomes that partnering companies anticipate from the supply chain. Take, for instance, a small supplier that's all about operational excellence. They're more likely to prioritize improving their order-interface knowledge and might not be too concerned about gathering product or customer knowledge. It is crucial for supply chain partners to establish strong organizational and technological foundations to effectively utilize knowledge management capabilities within the supply chain. Information and communication technologies have proven to have a significant impact on the operational efficiency of supply chains (Lee 2000) and help maintain strong relationships within the network (Saraf et al. 2007). IT plays a crucial role in supply chain management (SCM), enabling firms to exchange information quickly, execute plans accurately, and carry out various SC functions and activities with efficiency. Some of the technologies used in SCM include supply chain management systems (SCMS), Internet/Web, electronic data interchange (EDI), ratio frequency identification (RFID), and mobile technologies.