So many mechanisms, so little action: The case for 3rd party supply chain coordination

Supply chain coordination (SCC) has been an area of intense interest for a while from multiple perspectives. Some focus on coordination models and mechanisms while others concentrate on collaboration methodology and practitioner experience. Little research has attempted to bridge these separate streams of research in a meaningful way. A proposal is made to use an independent and neutral third party coordinator to address the reported low application rates of the many coordination techniques available in the literature. A model is developed and payment options explored. A numerical example is presented.