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This study investigates how supply chain characteristics influence a rival firm's response to a focal firm's product preannouncements from a competitive dynamics perspective. Indeed, many firms recognize that it is critical to leverage their supply chains to gain a competitive advantage. We propose that common suppliers enhance a rival firm's awareness of the focal firm's credibility, reducing competitive responses. In addition, a rival firm's strong supplier inventory performance will motivate rivals to respond more aggressively, while the rival's supply–chain partnerships enhance its capability to react to the focal firm. Using panel data from S&P 1500 firms between 2007 and 2015, our findings provide support for our hypotheses, illustrating that supply chain characteristics can significantly influence a rival firm's responses to the focal firm's preannouncements. This research contributes to the competitive dynamics and supply chain management literature by highlighting the strategic role of supply chain characteristics in interfirm competition, offering practical insights for managers on leveraging supply chain resources to effectively navigate competitive threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eyeing superior operational performance, transportation, and warehousing management, researchers have turned their much‐needed attention to autonomous and IoT‐driven intralogistics systems. Despite its potential, a systematic evaluation of its overall business needs and the criteria for its success at each stage of adoption is missing in the literature. Using the business analysis framework, augmented by the technology adoption model, this study seeks to provide the business context for adopting autonomous and IoT‐driven intralogistics by identifying business requirements and critical success factors for such systems. We thematically analyze 85 recent research articles on autonomous and IoT‐driven intralogistics systems to identify business requirements that are linked to the mission of maximizing operational profit for the warehousing and storage industry. Then, using the identified business requirements as a base, we thematically analyze those 85 research articles again to identify critical success factors at different stages of technology adoption, namely information, analysis, acquisition, and utilization. We use the findings to develop propositions for future researchers. These findings provide a foundation for developing empirical, descriptive, and normative research on adopting and managing these systems for the warehousing and storage industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2014, the government of the state of Indian Punjab amended its existing system of public distribution of food grains by launching the "new atta‐daal (wheat‐pulses) scheme". Instead of distributing subsidized food grains monthly to its underprivileged citizens, the state started distributing grains on a biannual basis (i.e., every 6 months). The state claims that the new system yields logistical and monetary benefits that favour the state treasury; however, beneficiaries have voiced concerns regarding grain handling and one‐time payments. To achieve a beneficial outcome for multiple stakeholders with conflicting objectives, a formal analysis of different policy alternatives is necessary. This research paper applies multi‐criteria decision analysis to evaluate alternative public grain distribution schemes for the district of Ludhiana in Indian Punjab. First, an objectives hierarchy and measures for the decision problem were developed using emergent codes from qualitative data collected via semi‐structured interviews, focus group discussions, and guided conversations with 40 participants representing eight different stakeholders. Using the rank‐order method, weights were then assessed to identify the relative importance of these measures. Five feasible grain distribution policy alternatives were generated, and data describing the performance of these alternatives with respect to each measure were collected via Likert scale surveys of over 300 beneficiary households across 14 different villages (rural) and localities (urban) of Ludhiana district in Punjab. Value functions were assigned to each measure to identify the best performing alternative, and sensitivity analysis was performed to establish the robustness of the final solution. Overall, beneficiaries preferred a 6‐monthly distribution system with improvements, such as better communication and disciplined distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]