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Book Review of Supply Chain Networks and Business Process Orientation: Advanced Strategies and Best Practices. By K. McCormack, W. C. Johnson and W. T. Walker (CRC Press, Tampa, 2002), xix + 219 pp., US$59.95, £38.99 (hbk), ISBN 1-57444-327-5

This book was written with the premise that horizontally and well-integrated supply chain networks will increasingly dominate the competitive business world. It introduces the concept of business process orientation (BPO), covered by the authors in an earlier work, as the core principle connecting companies in a supply chain network. This concept is used throughout, particularly as it relates to supply chain performance and supply chain maturity. The importance and contribution of Internet technologies to supply chain maturity are also discussed in a separate chapter. The authors use easy-to-understand language and explain the concepts covered practically. They also suggest that the survey instruments developed could easily be used by managers to evaluate their companies’ supply chain networks. The statistical methods used for data analysis are not complex or rigorous, making it easy for managers to understand as well. The two case studies at the end also serve a practical purpose by putting some of the concepts discussed into perspective. One of the good attributes of the book is probably its use of survey methodology to test the various hypotheses formulated by the authors. Thus, rather than basing the whole book on personal prescriptions, the authors empirically tested their research ideas, which gave their arguments and conclusions more credibility. However, the small sample sizes obtained from the different survey studies conducted might have potentially created issues of generalization. Overall, Supply Chain Networks and Business Process Orientation can be used as a useful source by managers interested in learning more about the importance of BPO for designing and creating effective supply chain networks. It can also be used by supply chain management researchers as a background study to conduct more rigorous analyses related to supply chain networks and BPO.