What Better Defines Demand Chain Management: A Q-Sort Technique Based Perspective

It is an attempt to put the extant literature systematically forth for further academic inquiry into the emerging area of DCM. It being an emerging aspect lacks robust literature base, however, the author is making modest attempt to review the associated literature. The point of departure for the research emanates from the partially conflicting ideas about the concept of DCM and lack of empirical research in the field. The study is based on interpretive epistemology, inductive approach and uses content analysis to provide an overview of the existing academic literature on demand chain management by summarizing definitions and a few defining constructs based on the previous research findings in this area. The authors have summarized around 30 definitions along with corresponding defining constructs. The article bridges the gap in the existing demand chain management definitions and major general vis-à-vis specific defining constructs. The research papers reviewed came from selected databases, which, however, limits the external validity or generalizability of the findings to the whole existing literature on demand chain management. The review of existing literature was done to reduce the time and efforts of present and future researchers in this area by providing a quick snapshot of the existing definitions and major defining constructs that comprises demand chain management. Further, Q-sort technique was used to seek the most appropriate definition of demand chain management and its underlying constructs. Finally, it sums up with the identification research problem and avenues for future research.