This dissertation paper offers a theoretical and empirical explanation for why interfirm collaborations form yet fail, and further suggests how firms might manage them for a more positive outcome. The main focus of this dissertation was to research and investigate the implementation issues in the early stages of CPFR. The crux of the argument is that firms enter into collab¬orative relationships because these are expected to yield supe¬rior results relative to alternate organizational forms in certain situations, offering potentially synergistic combinations of complementary resources and capabilities, yet such relation¬ships are frequently prone to failure.
Since CPFR implementations are a recent phenomena and its literature base is extreme thin, a triangulation research method is employed. First, an exhaustive literature review was performed on academic and practitioner research to provide a foundation of the understanding of supply chain management (SCM) and CPFR systems and implementations. Second, four case studies of firms that attempted CPFR implementations were closely examined. Case study research offers many benefits including the ability to observe causality, combine evidence and logic to build, develop or support theory that is not available using other research methods (Maffei and Meredith, 1995). Third, a focus group of CPFR implementation experts was convened to strengthen the research design. Qualitative procedures such as focus groups enable the researcher to get in tune with the respondent and discover how that person sees reality. These insights can be used to develop more efficient follow up quantitative procedures such as mail out surveys (Krueger, 1994).
The research triangulation was used to develop hypotheses based on the qualitative data. A survey instrument was developed to test the validity of the hypotheses on practicing managers and consulting professionals. The instrument development procedure satisfies all the requirements for reliability and validity. In analyzing the results of the study, statistical analysis will accept or reject the qualitative hypotheses of CPFR implementation based upon survey results.
The results in this study confirmed that CPFR implementations should have a strategic basis with an emphasis in organizational factors, supply chain operational characteristics and less environmental uncertainty. The data confirmed that for successful CPFR implementations top management support is required, firms need to assess information technology and exchange information, establish economic, strategic and financial goals and make use of performance metrics before and after a CPFR implementation.
The main contribution of this research is apparent in the development of policies and guidelines that can help manufacturing professionals understand the issues surrounding CPFR Implementations. The results of this study are expected to provide academics and practitioners with elements and procedures that are critical to the success of CPFR implementations. This research will provide academics with a foundational tool to use when building theory about CPFR systems. The research design and findings of this study provide many avenues for further research investigations.