This is important, since as they point out implementation failure rates
have been estimated at 70 per cent. Unfortunately, this problem is even more
pronounced within the supply chain literature where there is a dearth of research into
change management issues surrounding their implementation. Fourthly, as
highlighted earlier, relatively few researchers have attempted to benchmark the
performance of supply chains, despite the repeated calls for a greater focus on
competitors (e.g. Beamon, 1999). Moreover, where studies have been undertaken, they
have invariably been conducted in a single country and within a specific market sector
(e.g. Basnet et al., 2003). Therefore, whilst these studies are undoubtedly valuable, there
is a pressing need for international benchmarking of supply chain performance, in
order that comparisons can be made across countries and both within and across
market sectors. Finally, few researchers have explored whether the benefits of supply
chain performance measurement systems are outweighed by the cost of implementing
and maintaining them in increasingly dynamic business environments. This is likely to
be especially pertinent for small enterprises which may lack the resources, time or
information to undertake the analyses required to optimise supply chain activities
(Morgan, 2004). As Morgan observes, one consequence for larger enterprises interested
in measuring the performance of their supply chain is they may be forced to consider
the developing the capabilities of their suppliers to implement meaningful performance
measurement systems.