Complexity transfer in supply chains: Further evidence from the field

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the theoretical and applied understanding of complexity transfers in supply chains through cross-case analysis of seven in-depth case studies conducted in UK manufacturing companies in the last ten years. An informationtheoretic methodology was followed in all cases, using entropy as a measure of complexity, internally – within the focal firm, and at the interface – with its suppliers and customers. This research paper reports on the experiences, quantitative results and qualitative insights from a diverse range of UK manufacturing companies on the measurement and management of complexity. In this paper the authors bring together over ten years of findings on manufacturing complexity research, with the main aim of contributing to a theoreticallygrounded understanding of complexity transfers in supply chains. In terms of theoretical development, the case studies are combined and extended into a theoretical framework of complexity transfer according to their exporting/importing and generating/absorbing properties. In terms of practical implications, the findings of this paper can be used as a predictive tool for companies to configure and manage their relationships with suppliers and customers within their supply chain, or to better understand their existing ones. Furthermore, the patterns of complexity transfer could be used as a means to guide the distribution of cost and benefits between partners in the supply chain.