Logistics and Purchasing: “A Tale of Two Cities”?
Résumé
Even if it is recognized that the logistics and purchasing functions need to collaborate to improve the management of supply chains, they often are considered very different from each other, an argument used to justify their differentiation and sometimes compartmentalization. This article questions this assumption. Based on an analysis of the evolution of the two functions since the 1970s, the article shows that they have a lot in common, enabling their collaboration to improve supply chain integration. The comparison and the ensuing discussion lead to raising some managerial issues and suggesting avenues for further research.