11. Effective Supply Chain Collaboration

Collaboration is a commonly used term in business today, but few managers understand how to implement collaboration effectively, nor do they appreciate the potential value that may be unlocked by collaborating internally within the organisation and externally across the supply chain. Focusing on an individual’s or a team’s behaviour (e.g. cooperation, trust, commitment and communication) often gets neglected, but communication and trust are all too frequently linked with partnership failure. Recognising and managing behaviour in collaborative partnerships becomes essential when managing more strategic and higher risk partnerships. This chapter explores different interpretations and approaches adopted within organisations to manage collaborative working. Case study examples provide important insights in understanding some of the key challenges, benefits and lessons that may be learned and transferred in ensuring future best practices in collaborative working.