Aircraft has brought about organizational and logistic changes in the firm's supply chain. The
impact of the MRP system on the supply chain is investigated by analysing the relationship
between Alenia Aircraft and the firm Alfa, one of its more significant subcontractors. The
case study highlights the current trends within Alenia Aircraft's supply chain. A tiering of
the subcontracting firms is taking place through a selection process, leading some traditional
subcontractors to become main subcontractors while only some of them become main verticalized
subcontractors. In this selection and tiering process of the supply chain, a crucial role
is played by the subcontractors' managerial, organizational and logistic capabilities. © 1997
Elsevier Science Ltd