Re-designing demand-driven supply chains: a design science approach

Purpose Whilst there is a plethora of academic theory and practitioner guidance on supply chain management design, there remains a notable gap in linking managerial practice to academic theory through a replicable re-design methodology. This paper addresses that gap by deriving an intervention-based, design-oriented approach that managers can apply when redesigning their supply chains to deliver customer and shareholder value. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts design science research and develops a prescriptive artefact through embedded field interventions in three re-design projects over 12 years. CIMO-logic structures theorizing and evaluation: context (C) – demand-driven supply chains, intervention (I) – re-design actions, mechanisms (M) – why the actions work and outcomes (O) – operational and financial effects. Findings The authors identify repeatable intervention patterns that improve service levels, inventory turns and lead-time reliability. The CIMO mechanisms clarify when demand-driven re-design succeeds or fails, and how to sequence actions (diagnose, pilot, scale). Research limitations/implications The study only provides insights, which are mostly for medium-sized firms operating in the fast-moving consumer goods industrial sector. Practical implications The authors provide a stepwise method managers can reuse to re-design demand-driven supply chains, including governance checkpoints and data requirements. Originality/value The paper contributes a reusable, evidence-based seven-step re-design methodology that operationalizes segmentation and alignment theory into implementable cross-functional design choices and makes the evaluation/selection logic explicit by integrating value impact and feasibility constraints.