The role of top management in supply chain management practices

Despite the often stated importance, little about top management's role in supply chain management (SCM) practices is known. The purpose of this paper is therefore to explore the role of top management in two retail companies that successfully utilise opportunities given by SCM practices.

As an empirical basis for the research, two Swedish retail companies are explored. Members of the top management teams have been interviewed about their role in the company and their priorities.

The top management role is described by introducing four archetypes; the supply chain thinker, the relationship manager, the controller and the organiser for the future.

This paper adds to existing theory by giving a more detailed description of top management's role in SCM practices, i.e. how SCM practices could actually be managed, and, in the extension, to the understanding for what is needed to implement more SCM practices in real existing companies and supply chains.