Supply chain management practices and supply chain performance in the Australian manufacturing industry

Supply chain management (SCM) is identified as a strategic tool for firms to improve their performance and secure their competitiveness. This research identifies five aspects of SCM practice: supplier and customer relations, internal operations, information sharing, information technology (IT) and training. The survey in the Australian manufacturing industry was conducted to study the extent to which SCM practices were implemented. It examined the relationship between SCM practices and firms' performance. The results show that SCM practices differentiate firms with low and high level of performance. The results specifically highlight the contribution of IT and information sharing to firms’ operational performance. Also, the study found that training significantly contributes to most performance measures.