One very important part of supply chain management research is the historical analysis of supply chain practices and properties over time. Just recently I published an article on the development of supply chain strategies over the course of 20 years.
Process orientation may or may not be a very hip topic right now. Nevertheless effective processes are a foundation for company performance. Lockamy, Childerhouse, Disney, Towill and McCormack (2008), analyze and explain the impact of process maturity and uncertainty on supply chain performance, the full paper can be obtained here free of charge.