Other Agile (Flexible) Methods: QR and ECR

Quick Response (hereafter “QR”) can be traced to Blackburn (1991) and embodies the flexibility principles contained in agile. Fernie (1994) and Hines (2001) claim QR was coined in 1985 by Kurt Salmon Associates who identified deficiencies in the SCs of US fashion makers. Fisher and Raman (1996) define QR as lead time reduction through improved IT, automation, manufacturing, and use of airfreight. Lummus and Vokurka (1999) claim SCM derives from QR and ECR (Efficient Customer Response – the grocery trade equivalent of QR). As with agile, QR’s objectives are lead time compression and delivery of variety through buyer-supplier partnerships. Parallels with lean, agile, and SCM concepts are apparent. For example: echoing the observations of Hancock and Zaycko (1998) on lean, Lowson (2002) showed that performance degradation is likely if implementation of QR does not occur inside a framework of integration.