An Analysis of Frameworks for Measuring Supply Chain Agility

The ability of an organisation to adapt to change and rapidly reconfigure in response to market opportunities becomes crucial. Planning and managing complex supply chains requires the definition and observance of metrics representing agile capabilities as critical performance factors. Agility metrics are difficult to define, due to the the concept of agility with its multidimensionality and vagueness. Some definitions of agility are given, and the link between agility and the related concepts of flexibility and adaptability is discussed. A majority of measurement frameworks rely on financial metrics or evaluate the performance of individual business functions, neglecting strategic orientation. Some are using concepts like complexity or flexibility as surrogate measures. Few models follow a truly holistic approach. This paper discusses different models to define and operationalize agility. The models are examined for their approach and applicability for measuring agility in supply chains. The frameworks are classified for their scope, their agility focus and their approach to measurement.