The purpose of this article is to comparatively analyze and quantitatively assess the competitive priorities in three supply chains from the petrochemical industry: A, B, and C. The research was carried out in the second half of 2006. The article revises definitions on supply chains with emphasis on network shapes. Then, it presents the three case studies: A, B, and C. The research identifies seven competitive priorities in the petrochemical industry: quality, lead-time, flexibility, cost, innovation, communication and safety, which were unfolded in dimensions. The priorities were analyzed by managers with the support of the AHP multi-criteria method, reaching a competitiveness structure that supported the assessment based on judgment. Finally, the differences betweenthe priorities and the assessed performances formed a structure of objectives for the chains. Results showed that Ashould prioritize quality,B should prioritize flexibility, while C should prioritize cost reduction.
Supply chain; Production strategies; Competitive criteria; Competition in the petrochemical industry; Performance assessment in supply chain
