The paucity of studies in the field of supply chain management (SCM) focusing on repairing and maintenance operations within the services sector is an undeniable reality. It is important to explore how operations of maintenance and repair services (MRS) are nowadays structured and positioned to understand their contributions to SCM effectiveness. This research explored the integration level between internal functional areas of services organisations and principal business processes of suppliers and customers. The research also identified key barriers faced by SCM practitioners when deploying SCM best practices and models across the repair services providers. The primary data was collected from 89 SCM leaders and managers from organizations working in a Middle-Eastern country through the use of an online survey. The results revealed that there is a good level of internal integration between main business functional areas within MRS operations, e.g. material planning, purchasing, logistics, contracts, finance, and sales, with exception of reverse logistics, an important business function to the effective management of product services supply chain (PSSC). The study also revealed a partial level of external supply chain integration among local PSSCs participants, wherein only three SCM business processes; i.e. suppliers’ relationship management, order fulfilment, and service delivery management, are significantly integrated at interorganizational levels. Other crucial processes of SCM for PSSCs; customer relationship, services demand, services capacity, resources management, product and information flow management, and service product development, were all identified with a medium level of integration among local operations, which prevent local MRS organisation from generating additional values in terms of services and products quality improvement, product lifecycle management, and development of innovative services solutions to the market. The study also revealed that organizational cultures, resources availability, lack of vision and comprehension from top management, and absence of trust and collaboration within SCM participants are the main obstacles associated with the deployment of models and SCM best practices within repairing services operations.

@article{oscm-2017-265,
  title={Supply Chain Management Integration in Maintenance and Repair Services Sector},
  year={2017},
  author={Arthur deSouza and Abubaker Haddud},
  journal={Operations and Supply Chain Management: An International Journal},
  volume={10},
  number={4},
  pages={200--213},
  doi={10.31387/oscm0290191}
}

Arthur deSouza, Abubaker Haddud (2017). Supply Chain Management Integration in Maintenance and Repair Services Sector. Operations and Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 10(4), 200-213. https://doi.org/10.31387/oscm0290191