The behavioural causes of the bullwhip effect: breaking the mould. (30th March 2009)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Niranjan, T.T.; Metri, Bhimaraya A.; Aggarwal, Vijay
• Is Part Of: International journal of services and operations management. Volume 5:Number 3(2009)
• Page Start: 350
• Page End: 374
• Publication Date: 2009-03-30
• Subjects: bullwhip effect -- BWE -- behavioural causes -- beer game -- experiments -- behavioural operations -- supply line underweighting -- SLU -- supply chain management -- SCM -- managerial incentives -- inventory management; Production management -- Periodicals; 658.5005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1744-2370

Abstract

The Bullwhip Effect (BWE) has been a major challenge facing supply chains for several decades. An important stream of literature has developed around Supply Line Underweighting (SLU) and hoarding behaviour as the behavioural causes of BWE. The present study builds on these studies and devises novel experiments to replicate and verify them. The findings suggest that the aforementioned behavioural causes do not hold and point to a need to break new ground on this well-researched topic. The paper concludes with the managerial and research implications.