Globalization has a critical impact on manufacturing, both locally and internationally.
Through broadening the marketplace and increasing competition, globalization leads
customers to place greater demands on manufacturers to increase quality, serviceability
and flexibility, while maintaining competitive costs (Laosirihongthong and Dangayach,
2005). Hence, firms are now looking at securing cost, quality, technology and other
competitive advantages as strategies to pursue in a globally competitive environment.
Currently, one popular route to competitive advantage is to add value for customers by
performing supply chain activities efficiently. As a result, many manufacturers are
focusing on their supply chain management practices (Goh and Pinaikul, 1998).