Supply Chain Management and its Route to Normal Science: a Kuhnian Analysis

Abstract

The evolution of science has intrigued countless scientists. Many philosophers hold that scientific evolution is linear and constantly adding to the overall body of knowledge. Thomas Kuhn changed this view. In his famous work, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, he proposes a route to normal science. He explains that paradigm shifts are arduous and require long time periods to occur. Using qualitative research combined with a Kuhnian model, we explain the evolution of Supply Chain Management (SCM) from its origins. Some authors have traced SCM evolution with a focus on chronological and linear order. This paper brings a new approach using Kuhnian elements to explain how SCM has matured to its present form. This broad picture manifests the strenuous path of SCM’s evolution and helps to explain how it is close to becoming a normal science.