OVERVIEW

To reap the most benefit from level 5 efforts, the linked businesses should apply their efforts toward specific customers and consumer groups, such that the perception these groups have of the network is one of superior capabilities and the one that renders the greatest satisfaction or, more importantly, the greatest overall value. Attaining such a condition requires the features of supply chain maturity to be matched with a "customer intelligence progression." That is, the network allies will be using the knowledge being shared, as well as the process improvements, to distinguish the final results in the eyes of the most important buyers.

Using the maturity model, which is repeated as Figure 8.1, to describe the progression of supply chain efforts, we are reminded that the first two levels are internal only, where focus is brought to functional improvement and operational excellence to internal operations. The cultural wall standing between levels 2 and 3 represents all of the collective inhibitions and obstacles to accepting an external view of the processing and working collaboratively with willing business allies to build network improvements, which distinguish the value chain in the eyes of the most important customers. Levels 3 and 4 represent the positions achieved by market leaders, while level 5 is intended to indicate the presence of total network connectivity with the highest processing capabilities.

Figure 8.1: Supply Chain Maturity Model Evolution to Industry Networks and Collaborative Commerce Is Inhibited by a Lack of Customer-Focused Processes and Organizational Alignment

As Figure 8.2...