What is value? Towards an integrated conceptualisation of supply chain value

Abstract

Despite the importance placed upon value within the business literature, many academics still label it ambiguous. Indeed, within supply chain management there are many different views of value, complicated by the misalignment of firm and industrial customer perceptions; the firm view based upon utilitarian and financial views, and customer perceptions based upon the trade-off between benefits and sacrifices. However, as the firm and customer are closely inter-linked, there is a need for more integrated conceptualisations. This research paper moves in this direction through the development of a multidimensional, integrated supply chain value model, based upon several operational dimensions of value.