Birota: Pedaling Through Supply Chain Complexity

Stefania Boscari (), Dirk Pieter van Donk () and Sanne Wolf ()
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Stefania Boscari: University of Groningen, Faculty of Economic and Business, Operations Department
Dirk Pieter van Donk: University of Groningen, Faculty of Economic and Business, Operations Department
Sanne Wolf: University of Groningen, Faculty of Economic and Business, Operations Department

A chapter in Pedagogical Case Studies in Purchasing and Supply Management, 2026, pp 123-138 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Birota, a mid-sized French manufacturer of professional and retail road bikes, is navigating a series of strategic and operational challenges as it seeks to align its global supply chain with a diverse product portfolio and shifting market conditions. Students are asked to assess Birota’s supply chain structure, identify and justify its decoupling point(s), classify its products, and evaluate whether the current supply chain strategies are appropriate. They also compare Birota’s supply chain to those of competitors, analyze the alignment between marketing and purchasing functions, and assess supply chain risks and resilience in the context of growing sustainability pressures. The case encourages the application of foundational supply chain theories while confronting students with the complexities of real-world decision-making.

Keywords: Decoupling point; Product–supply chain alignment; Marketing–purchasing integration; Risk and resilience; Sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-032-12235-3_7

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-12235-3_7

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