Flexibility measurement issues in supply chain management

Resumo

The essential problem being analyzed in the present paper is the search for methods to assess or rather measure supply chain flexibility. Due to a multi-dimensional characteristic supply chain flexibility is particularly difficult to analyze and to evaluate with adequate performance measurement instruments as they are often ineffective qualitative frameworks or quantitative metrics that are limited in scope, non-inclusive or not significant enough. The question there-fore is whether there is a construct, a framework or any performance indicator that is capable of measuring supply chain flexibility adequately and that can be a benchmark; or is it necessary to develop an individual tool for a company because of its unique and special prerequisites to assess the flexibility of its supply chains?