An interesting article about the need for supply chain advocates. These folks help participants see how they fit into supply chains and how they can change operations to make things work better for everyone.
http://supplychainmit.com/2015/10/20/the-rise-of-the-supply-chain-advocate/
At the end though, all the participants must feel satisfied that they are gaining from participation. This is a knotty allocation problem and admits no easy solution. For instance it is unlikely that any pricing system can fairly divide the costs or benefits.
And if participants don’t play, the supply chain does not get the full benefit. That dilutes the power of the integration, and costs more. So there is a premium on keeping everyone on board.
The advocate can play a key role in keeping the coalition together. She can make sure fact based information is shared and consistently present the reasons for sticking together. It’s a negotiation process that goes on forever. The mediator can keep it going.
Supply Chain and Logistics 