Quality management in a supply chain perspective - Strategic and operativechoices in a textile-apparel network

Supply chain management (SCM) is conceived by academics and practitioners a s either an an extension of logistics or an all-encompassing approach to bu siness integration. From the authors' point of view, SCM involves not only involves logistic activities but also other processes such as quality manag ement. This paper seeks to understand how quality can be managed using a su pply chain perspective and what the operative and strategic consequences ar e for bath the individual companies and the whole supply network. It report s a case study conducted on Marzotto, an important Italian textile and appa rel company, and ifs supply chain relationships. The study compares the qua lity practices in the two different kinds of supply network of which Marzot to is the focal firm. One is managed rising a traditional customer-supplier approach and the other a broader and mort co-ordinated perspective. h the latter case, it was found that the whole supply network could improve its a bility to meet the expectations of the final consumer in terms of quality t hrough the joint definition and co-management of quality practices/procedur es.