A Conceptual Reference Framework for Data-driven Supply Chain Collaboration

This paper presents the preliminary results of the systematic empirically based development of a conceptual reference framework for data-driven supply chain collaboration based on the process model for empirically grounded reference modelling by Ahlemann and Gastl. The wider application of collaborative supply chain management is a requirement of increasingly competitive and global supply networks. Thus, the different aspects of supply chain collaboration, such as inter-organisational exchange of data and knowledge as well as sharing are considered to be essential factors for organisational growth. The paper attempts to fill the gap of a missing overview of this field by providing the initial results of the development of a comprehensive framework of data-driven supply chain collaboration. It contributes to the academic debate on collaborative enterprise architecture within collaborative supply chain management by providing a conceptualisation and categorisation of supply chain collaboration. Furthermore, this paper presents a valuable contribution to supply chain processes in organisations of all sectors by both providing a macro level perspective on the topic of collaborative supply chain management and by delivering a practical contribution in the form of an adaptable reference framework for application in the information technology sector.