A taxonomy of supply chain collaborations: an investigation on CPFR initiatives

Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR) programs seek to improve the ability to anticipate and satisfy future demand, by enhancing collaboration among companies within the supply network. The premise of this research is that CPFR collaboration is not a question of either/or as it can assume a number of different forms across supply networks. In particular, the aim of this study is to comprehend the rationale behind the managerial choices that lead companies to implement different types of CPFR collaborations. Seven case studies of supply networks whose central firms operate in different sectors have been analysed. The paper identifies six types of CPFR collaborations, the choice of which can be explained by considering some important contingent factors, such as the CPFR goals, characteristics of the products and the markets in which they are sold, the supply network’s physical and relational structure and the CPFR development stage