Most research has analyzed and discussed supply chain phenomena at the macro-organizational level so far. However, this book addresses these phenomena at the micro-individual level. The reason is that, given the diversifying challenges in supply chain management (SCM), relying only on a few SCM leaders such as SCM professionals and top executives is risky, and it is essential to encourage the behaviors of SCM followers belonging to various departments (e.g., production, logistics, purchasing, sales, and product development) and trading partners (e.g., suppliers and customers).
Through this book, the authors insist that all individuals participating in supply chain integration (SCI) activities need to contribute to achieving a challenging, common purpose through interactions among individuals. First, this book organizes a multilevel model of SCI, encompassing both organizational and individual levels. After that, this book provides a detailed explanation of the relationships among variables at the individual level. The individual-level model consists of four variables: antecedents, mediating/moderating factors, work behaviors, and individual outcomes. These variables are established based on insights from organizational behavior theory. The authors then demonstrate the validity of the aforementioned model through empirical study and apply the followership theory to individual-level supply chain behaviors.