Control towers in the supply chain context: concepts and capabilities

Abstract

The growing demand for enhanced supply chain visibility and control has drawn significant attention to the role of Control Towers (CTs). This dissertation aims to answer three key questions: defining what a CT is, categorizing the most common types of CTs in supply chains, and identifying and structuring its capabilities to achieve these objectives, a qualitative research approach was employed, integrating a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA), and Directed Content Analysis (DCA). Findings indicate that CTs are centralized systems that provide end-to-end visibility and control in real-time by integrating people, processes, and technology, while supporting decision-making to enhance supply chain operational efficiency. CT capabilities were categorized into four key areas: Visibility, Alerting, Decision Support, and Automation. Additionally, the research defined three primary types of CTs: Transportation Management, Inventory and Warehouse Management, and Supply Chain Management. These categories were refined and validated through interviews with 21 industry practitioners. The results not only significantly contribute to the existing literature by addressing the lack of standardized definitions and frameworks, offering well-structured concepts grounded in both theory and practice but also provide actionable insights for professionals seeking to implement or refine CTs in their operations.