Developing a Streamlined Tool for Supply Chain Evaluation in Ecuadorian Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

This paper proposes a tool that simplifies the methodology for supply chain analysis in small and medium-sized enterprises. This approach is based on a compilation of methodologies and performance indicators obtained through an empirical literature review and is followed by the development of the proposed tool. The evaluation instrument was validated through an expert judgment process and quantified by Aiken’s V coefficient, with favorable results. A survey was conducted with a sample of twenty local companies in Cuenca, Ecuador, to assess the tool’s performance across different productive sectors. The results indicate that the majority of the businesses studied manage functional products and possess routinized supply chains with a low degree of focal firm influence. Additionally, opportunities for improvement in their management are identified, with the least-controlled components being production and procurement.