The Structure of the Toyota Supply Network: An Empirical Analysis
Increasing awareness of the intrinsically complex nature of supply networks has brought the field of supply chain management into the domain of network science. However, due to the difficulties of acquiring large-scale and consistent empirical data sets, a more complete picture of a real-world supply network has remained remarkably elusive. In this paper, we present novel data that characterize the Toyota supply network, and identify key structural features using measures from social network analysis and the more recent field of network science. We show that the network structure for the Toyota supply network departs widely from the simplified models on which much previous work is based. Our analysis reveals the heterogeneous composition of the network and identifies key firms. Further analysis reveals the existence of constituent sub-networks, and we show that their structures reflect various factors, such as product categorization, geographical closeness and business alignment. Mapping the topology, geography, and distribution of productive capabilities for this supply network provides a critical first step for developing a more empirically-grounded theory of distributed production.
Year of publication: |
2014-03
|
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Authors: | Kito, Tomomi ; Brintrup, Alexandra ; New, Steve ; Reed-Tsochas, Felix |
Publisher: |
Saïd Business School Working Paper |
Saved in:
Online Resource
Type of publication: | Book / Working Paper |
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Language: | English |
Notes: | Kito, Tomomi, Brintrup, Alexandra, New, Steve and Reed-Tsochas, Felix (2014) The Structure of the Toyota Supply Network: An Empirical Analysis. Saïd Business School Working Paper. |
Other identifiers: | 10.2139/ssrn.2412512 [DOI] |
Source: | BASE |
Persistent link: https://www.econbiz.de/10011426516
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