In practice, there is not a “one size fits all” supply chain, but they evolve over time and differ regarding several characteristics, e.g., organizational forms and structures, type of companies involved, collaborating processes and digitization. For instance, supply chains of multinational automotive manufacturers consist of thousands of suppliers as well as retailers whereas small manufacturers have rather small supply chains with only a few suppliers. In order to assess how good a supply chain is managed, supply chain maturity models have been designed. These models describe different levels of maturity for supply chains and help supply chains to assess their current position.

Hence, this Bachelor thesis aims at investigating and systemizing existing maturity models in the domain of supply chain management (SCM). Established maturity models from literature covering company and supply chain collaborations should be researched, explained in detail and analyzed. The thesis is grounded on existing research results (classifications and reviews) in the area of maturity models for supply chain management. First, a literature review in the area of supply chain management and maturity models should be performed. Relevant literature from the research domains supply chain management, coordination and collaborations should be investigated. This will also cover the maturity models of the respective domains. The identified maturity models should be presented and subsequently be analyzed regarding their covered aspects, dimensions and characteristics. A morphological analysis should investigate the variety, frequency and depth of different dimensions and their configurations. The summarizing overview of the identified maturity models should be presented in a morphological box (Zwickybox). Furthermore, the identified dimensions should be analyzed regarding their applicability and relevance. This thesis is grounded on existing research results (classifications and reviews) in the area of maturity models for supply chain management.

The thesis can be written in either English or German. Since scientific literature and many domain-related terms are primarily available in English, it is recommended to write the thesis in English.

If you are interested in this topic, any related topics or have any questions, please send me an e-mail. Then, we can have a meeting to explain and talk about the topic in person.

Exemplary literature:

• Introduction of SCM: Stadtler, Hartmut; Kilger, Christoph; Meyr, Herbert (Hg.) (2015): Supply Chain Management and Advanced Planning: Springer Berlin Heidelberg (Springer Texts in Business and Economics).
• Meng, Xianhai; Sun, Ming; Jones, Martyn (2011): Maturity Model for Supply Chain Relationships in Construction. In: J. Manage. Eng. 27 (2), S. 97–105. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000035.
• Lahti, M.; Shamsuzzoha, A.H.M.; Helo, P. (2009): Developing a maturity model for Supply Chain Management. In: IJLSM 5 (6), S. 654. DOI: 10.1504/IJLSM.2009.024796.