Article ID: | iaor20132607 |
Volume: | 15 |
Issue: | 23 |
Start Page Number: | 129 |
End Page Number: | 142 |
Publication Date: | May 2013 |
Journal: | International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management |
Authors: | Gerschberger Markus, Traxler Romana |
Keywords: | Austria, benchmarking, value chain |
High external variety is one of the main challenges to be faced within value networks. However, in practice there is a notable failure to manage this increasingly high variety and to embed variety management approaches in company structures. Therefore, the purpose of the paper is to present a benchmarking study of external product variety in the Austrian agricultural sector. In addition, a longitudinal case study showing the development of external variety in proportion to financial parameters in a specific company over the last ten years is executed. Finally the paper gives an overview of existing and planned variety management approaches in the company studied.