Expectations about the effects of performance measurement are high.
The range of functions that performance measurement is supposed to
fulfil is vast. However, our study suggests that the use of performance measurement
in the context of supply chain management poses a range of new questions.
Although on the face of it, all companies in our study had quite complex and
sophisticated supplier evaluation schemes, the use of the performance measurement
and management systems in place, to some extent appears to be rather ambiguous.
Companies seem to be still in a testing phase, to find the most suitable measures and
measurement system, and to establish the appropriate management processes that
support continuous improvement and control of the supply chain. With this study we hope to
contribute to these thoughts by reflecting on the underlying concepts and basic purposes of
measurement.