A cladistic classification of
commercial aerospace supply
chain evolution
Christen Rose-Anderssen
Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre with Boeing,
University of Sheffield, Rotherham, UK
James Baldwin
School of Management, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
Keith Ridgway
Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre with Boeing,
University of Sheffield, Rotherham, UK, and
Peter Allen, Liz Varga and Mark Strathern
Complex Systems Research Centre, Cranfield School of Management,
Cranfield, UK
Abstract
Purpose – This paper aims to address the advantage of considering an evolutionary classification
scheme for commercial aerospace supply chains. It is an industry wide approach. By going beyond the
performance of the single firm and considering the whole supply chain for a product a better
understanding of present states and performances of the firms within the chain can be achieved.
Design/methodology/approach – The approach is presented as evolutionary steps by
introduction of key supply chain characters. These steps are brought together by applying
cladistics to classify the evolutionary relationships between supply chain forms.
Findings – Key character states define the change of supply chain forms in the evolutionary
adaptation to market realities and to proactive responses to increased competition.
Originality/value – The potential benefits of this approach include a benchmark of best practice, a
strategic tool for policy development, and the creation of future scenarios.
Keywords Supply chain management, Classification, Aerospace industry
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The commercial aerospace manufacturing sector is the level of analysis in the paper.
The aim of the paper is to develop an original and innovative benchmarking
classification scheme for aerospace supply chains. The paper shows how the
commercial aerospace supply chains have evolved through strategically dropping and
adding practices as both adaptation and proactive responses to the environment.
Cladistics based on biological classification science has previously been applied to
discrete manufacturing systems (Baldwin et al., 2003, 2004; McCarthy, 1995; McCarthy
et al., 1997; McCarthy and Ridgway, 2000) but not to supply chains.
In this paper cladistics, as an overarching classification system, has been developed
from literature research. The visual representation of the relationship between
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Commercial
aerospace supply
chain
235
Received September 2007
Revised March 2008
Accepted July 2008
Journal of Manufacturing Technology
Management
Vol. 20 No. 2, 2009
pp. 235-257
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
1741-038X
DOI 10.1108/17410380910929646