Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to document the outcome of a global three-year long supply
chain improvement initiative at a multi-national producer of branded sporting goods that is
transforming from a holding structure to an integrated company. The case company is comprised of
seven internationally well-known sport brands, which form a diverse set of independent sub-cases, on
which the same supply chain metrics and change project approach was applied to improve supply chain performance.
Design/methodology/approach - By using in-depth case study and statistical analysis the paper
analyzes across the brands how supply chain complexity (SKU count), supply chain type (make or
buy) and seasonality affect completeness and punctuality of deliveries, and inventory as the change
project progresses.
Findings - Results show that reduction in supply chain complexity improves delivery performance,
but has no impact on inventory. Supply chain type has no impact on service level, but brands with
in-house production are better in improving inventory than those with outsourced production.
Non-seasonal business units improve service faster than seasonal ones, yet there is no impact on
inventory.
Research limitations/implications - The longitudinal data used for the analysis is biased with
the general business trend, yet the rich data from different cases and three-years of data collection
enables generalizations to a certain level.
Practical implications - The in-depth case study serves as an example for other companies on how
to initiate a supply chain improvement project across business units with tangible results.
Originality/value - The seven sub-cases with their different characteristics on which the same
improvement initiative was applied sets a unique ground for longitudinal analysis to study supply
chain complexity, type and seasonality.