The main goal set in this doctoral thesis was aimed to theoretically investigate and empirically prove the possibility of gaining the competitive advantages using the supply chain management (SCM) concept in small hotels of the Adriatic region of the Republic of Croatia. In order to achieve the aimed goal of this research, a theoretical model based first of all on demonstrating the hypotheses about a strong contribution of using the supply chain management concept in the hotel industry as well as in other industries with the aim of gaining the competitive advantages was created and suggested. Special attention, right in the theoretical part of the thesis, is given to the classification of the basic features of the hotel industry and small hotels, in that way that the special attention is dedicated to studying the characteristics of the hotel industry in the Republic of Croatia as well as the characteristics and importance of the small hotels in the Adriatic region of the Republic of Croatia for the Croatian hotel industry in general. Further in the theoretical part, a special emphasis through a research is put on the idea of the supply chain management as a form of strategy for gaining the competitive advantages in terms of the historical development of the concept, its notional definition, characteristics and goals. In addition to that, the theoretical part about the supply chain management includes also a survey of the research about using this concept in the hotel industry, while the end of the theoretical part of the supply chain management shows some of the significant and key factors of the supply chain management itself. During the research work, the possibility of using the supply chain management was tested in that way that the collected data were analyzed through descriptive analysis, factor analysis and correlation analysis determining the connection following the sequence of the given variables. In order to empirically prove the possibility of implementing the SCM concept in gaining the competitive advantages, hierarchy regression analysis was used. Results of this empirical research undoubtedly show which variables are assumed to have the predictive contribution, and which are assumed to have the mediation effect on the competitive advantages in small hotels of the Adriatic region of the Republic of Croatia. Also, it is believed that this research will be of a great help not only to scientists, but also to business operators in hotel industry, hospitality industry and tourism wishing to gain the competitive advantage over their competition.