This issue highlights several interesting developments in the area of the supply chain and we are happy that this journal continues to emerge as a leading platform for national and international researchers to publish their works in the area of SCM and allied areas. This issue is a reflection of our continuous effort to further improve the standards of this journal in terms of academic and practical value delivery. We are sure, like previous issues, it contributes to the theory building and makes available new practical frameworks/models via empirical research or methodology for various contemporary issues in supply chain management (SCM) and allied areas. Five papers published in it together offer theoretical and practical insights that hold immense value to the practice and research of SCM. A brief overview of each paper is discussed in this column.

The paper, “Applying Failure Mode and Effects Analysis to Supplier Selection”, by Cliff Wellborn, seeks to provide a tool to help supply chain decision makers evaluate various supplier options by quantifying the risks associated with each supplier. It is an important contribution as supplier selection is a critical decision in SCM. Although organizations devote significant resources to establish detailed operating plans with suppliers, a few have developed mature risk management programs to deal with supplier failures. Supplier selection should include considerations for supplier risks.

The second paper, “Food Processors (Fiji) Limited: A Case Study”, by Jashwini J Narayan, focuses on two goals. First, on unveiling the factors that continue to plague the said public enterprise. A list of suggestions and recommendations follow as the second aim. The findings of this research are of importance and it hopes to contribute positively, in terms of suggestions which may be worth noting. To a certain extent, the results of this study may also have implications for similar government-owned entities in other countries.

The third paper, “China’s Renminbi Currency Logistics Network: A Brief Introduction”, by Reginald D Smith, Nan Zhu and Long Wang, introduces currency logistics which is becoming a field of increasing interest and importance both in practitioners and academic circles. In this paper, China’s nationwide logistics network for the Renminbi is discussed. In addition to its basic structure, its key problems such as production costs, inventory levels and transportation and storage security are described and analyzed. It makes an interesting reading for an avid researcher and pragmatic practitioner.

The next paper, “Vendor Rating: A Tool for Quality in Supply Chain Management”, by H A Mandave and P M Khodke, presents the views expressed by the experts in literature and studies vendor-rating methodologies used by industries requiring supplies of mechanical engineering components. Weightages recognized during study would help organizations to understand the explicit and implied requirements of their customers. Apparently, basis of vendor rating is quality and delivery reliability.

The last paper, “Alignment of Supply Chain Strategy with Business Strategy”, by Amarnath Mitra and Sunil Bhardwaj, makes an attempt to identify the challenges and issues in the area of supply chain alignment with overall business strategies through contemporary literature survey and finally presents a set of caselets in FMCG, real estate and manufacturing which justify the cause and elucidates the importance of aligning supply chain strategy with business strategy.

We promise to keep publishing high-quality, empirical as well as conceptual research work.

-- Sunil Bhardwaj
Consulting Editor