Microdosing flexibility in an efficient supply chain
Lance W. Saunders, Jason R.W. Merrick, Mary C. Holcomb
Journal of Operations Management April 1, 2021 DOI: 10.1002/joom.1117 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | A large consumer packaged-goods company's cosmetics supply chain during the launch of a new product family |
| Topics | Microdosing |
| Key findings | The authors argue that the efficient supply-chain design was a good match for the product, and that the high mismatch costs stemmed primarily from a failure to deploy small but important responsiveness opportunities that were ignored because the chain was designated efficient. Mismatches also occurred because decision makers failed to distinguish between delivery and decision lead time. |
Abstract
Abstract: The designation of a supply chain as efficient or responsive has often been considered to be a dichotomy in theory and practice. This technical note explores this issue by describing an engagement by the research team with a large consumer packaged‐goods company within their cosmetics supply chain during the launch of a new product family. The company was experiencing high supply–demand mismatch costs that they attributed to their supply chain that was designed to emphasize efficiency over responsiveness. We analyzed the appropriateness of the supply‐chain design through the lens of theory and concluded that the efficient design was in fact a good match for the product. A simulation model allowed us to organize available data and identify the root cause of the mismatch costs. Results from the simulation showed that the mismatch costs stemmed primarily from a failure to deploy small but important responsiveness opportunities: Because the supply chain was designated as efficient, responsiveness was ignored, and this substantially increased mismatches. Mismatches also occurred because decision makers failed to distinguish between delivery and decision lead time.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on microdosing, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microdosing psilocybin for chronic pain: a case series Individuals with chronic neuropathic pain | 2022 | Case series | n = 3 |
| Microdosing of Psychoactive Substances in Business Practice Business managers and creative professionals | 2021 | Case study | |
| Treatment of neuropathic pain with repeated low-dose MDMA: a case report. 64-year-old male with neuropathic pain after chemotherapy and traumatic life experiences | 2025 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Psycholytic dosing or 'microdosing' of Amanita muscaria (red fly agaric) mushrooms—A retrospective case study A woman in her early thirties with depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders from... | 2023 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Clinical improvement following an integrative iboga microdosing protocol in post-concussive and hypoxic brain injury syndromes: a case series Three individuals with persistent neurologic symptoms after traumatic brain injury or... | 2026 | Case series | n = 3 |