Exploring the influence of supply chain collaboration on supply chain visibility, stakeholder trust, environmental and financial performances: a partial least square approach

Creating a sustainable future through Industry 4.0 technologies: Untying the role of circular economy practices and supply chain visibility

The intersection of Industry 4.0 technology (I4.0‐Tech) with sustainability (SUS) remains largely unexplored, particularly due to its interactions with supply chain visibility (SCV) and circular economy practices (CEP). To fill this gap, our study empirically examines I4.0‐Tech's impact on SUS through SCV and CEP. We utilized structural equation modeling to test the hypothesized relationships using data from a survey of 344 medium and large Chinese firms. The empirical findings support the indirect role of I4.0 through SCV, and CEP. I4.0‐Tech enables real‐time material and product tracking for SCV. Optimizing material utilization, fostering closed‐loop supply chains, and allowing circular product design enhance CEP. Furthermore, our findings show a positive relationship between SCV, CEP, and SUS. This highlights the need for robust supply chain capabilities in enabling I4.0‐Tech to drive SUS. This paradigm emphasizes recalibrating approaches to SCV and CEP‐focused frameworks to easily include and exploit I4.0‐Tech. This study contributes to the literature and gives actionable insights for managers and policymakers wanting to synergize I4.0‐Tech, SCV, and CEP in industrial processes to promote sustainability goals and a sustainable future.

Analyzing how government spending, incentives, and supply chains affect financial performance in energy poverty alleviation

Poor access to modern energy services, or energy poverty, continues to be a significant barrier to socioeconomic progress and well-being. The complicated connections between public investment, incentives, supplier chains, and the financial success of energy poverty alleviation efforts are explored in this paper. This research examines the history of eradicating energy poverty worldwide, particularly in China. It examines how these aspects affect the efficiency and long-term viability of reducing energy poverty initiatives. This research synthesizes the evidence on government expenditure patterns and their impact on initiatives to reduce energy poverty via an extensive literature examination. The development of infrastructure, capacity building, and the deployment of energy technology are all made possible in large part by government spending. Financial and regulatory incentives have also been shown to encourage the energy industry's private sector engagement and innovation. These incentives help expand underprivileged groups' access to electricity by creating an atmosphere conducive to investment. This research also examines supply chains' crucial role in combating energy poverty. For the effective installation and upkeep of energy projects, efficient and resilient supply chains are crucial because they guarantee the availability of vital materials and resources. An integrated supply chain strategy may improve project results, save costs, and eliminate risks related to logistical difficulties. Government funding, incentives, and supply chains all have a connection that affects how well energy poverty alleviation programs function financially. Maintaining projects after their first execution requires sustained financial performance. It explores how supply network interruptions may affect financial performance, highlighting the need for robust supply chain management techniques. As a result, this study adds to a comprehensive knowledge of the complex processes underpinning the reduction of energy poverty. It offers insights into developing efficient policies and strategies by examining how government actions, incentives, supply chains, and financial performance interact. These observations are relevant for practitioners, investors, and academics trying to increase access to sustainable energy sources and reduce poverty in addition to policymakers. This report provides helpful recommendations for boosting the effectiveness and endurance of energy poverty reduction activities as nations work to reach global sustainable development objectives.

Supply Chain Resilience and Operational Performance: The Role of Digital Technologies in Jordanian Manufacturing Firms

This study aims to analyze the relationship between supply chain resilience (SCR) practices and operational performance and the moderating role of digital technologies in Jordanian manufacturing firms. A descriptive-analytical approach was adopted using a questionnaire based on the study model and previous related literature. Four hundred supply chain (SC)-related managers within seventy-one firms were reached to collect the needed data; three hundred and seventy-two complete questionnaires were analyzed. The results revealed that the level of SCR practices and operational performance was high; SCR (with its sub-dimensions: SC agility (SCA), SC flexibility (SCF), and SC collaboration (SCC)) had a significant positive relationship with operational performance; and the appropriate use of digital technologies had a significant moderating impact on the aggregate level of the SCR–operational performance relationship. Finally, research limitations, practical implications, and future research conclude this study.

Environmental responsibility information disclosure, cooperative resources, and enterprise market competitiveness

Environmental responsibility information disclosure is an important means for high-polluting enterprises to win the recognition and support of external stakeholders. This study constructs a fixed-effects model based on panel data of 951 Chinese high-polluting enterprises in Shanghai and Shenzhen A-shares from 2015 to 2019 to verify the effect of environmental responsibility information disclosure on enterprise market competitiveness and the mediating effect of cooperative resources. The sample enterprises are further divided into state-owned and non-state-owned enterprises, and the results show that environmental responsibility information disclosure is more effective for non-state-owned enterprises to obtain cooperative resources and thus enhance market competitiveness. This study highlights the effectiveness of environmental responsibility information disclosure in strengthening the enterprise market competitiveness from the perspective of stakeholders in the supply chain, which has certain inspirations and empirical implications for enterprises to strengthen their environmental responsibility information disclosure system.

Firms’ dynamic capabilities and supply chain risk management: a B2B perspective

Purpose

This study examines the relationships between collaboration capability (CC) and supply chain risk management (SCRM) and the mediating role of supply chain alignment (SCA) between CC and SCRM. It also investigates the moderating role of data-driven culture (DDC) on the path joining CC and SCA.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted via a structured questionnaire among the 297 managers of Business-to-business (B2B) firms. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The result found a positive and significant relationship between CC and SCRM, CC and SCA, and SCA and SCRM. The research found a significant mediating role of SCA between CC and SCRM. The study also found a significant moderating role of DBC between CC and SCA.

Practical implications

The outcomes demonstrate the management and societal relevance of the study from the viewpoint of businesses in developing nations. To cope with dynamic shifts, managers and decision makers need to take initiative for collaboration among the supplier, to align with their supply chain operations and enhance preparedness of DDC to overcome supply chain-related risks in the future.

Originality/value

The results of this empirical study have the significant potential to provide valuable guidance and insights about the B2B firms’ CC to develop SCA to enhance SCRM as risk management for the supply chain can aid in loss prevention and provide an edge over competitors. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, these relationships based on the dynamic capability view (DCV) add to existing studies on B2B firms’ supply chains in a novel way.

Lean manufacturing and firms’ financial performance: the role of strategic supplier partnership and information sharing

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of strategic supplier partnership and moderating role of information sharing (IS), in the relationship between lean manufacturing and firms’ financial performance (FP).

Design/methodology/approach

Utilizing the contingency approach, this study develops a research model to validate the proposition that a proper integration of supply chain (SC) practices enhances the financial performance of the firm. The study uses data from one hundred and fifty-seven manufacturing firms. The results are generated on structural equation modeling (SEM) using AMOS software.

Findings

The study finds that strategic supplier partnership partially mediates the relationship between lean manufacturing and FP, whereas, empirically, it could not demonstrate that IS significantly moderates the relationship between lean manufacturing and FP.

Practical implications

The paper theoretically develops logic for and empirically shows that strategic supplier partnership is an appropriate practice for mediating the impact of lean manufacturing on FP.

Originality/value

This strategic supply chain integration contributes to theory and demonstrates that SC practices’ correct synchronization and orchestration may realize superior FP. In addition, this research provides a sustainable strategic SC model that creates value and provides a competitive advantage for firms in the long term.

Investigating the role of stakeholder engagement for more resilient vaccine supply chains during COVID-19

The complexity of the supply chains and the uncertainties in the processes cause business to become more vulnerable in the face of disruptions. Pandemic situations such as COVID-19 cause sudden disruptions in supply chains, causing processes to be disrupted. Especially in multi-stakeholder supply chains, the importance of stakeholder communication, motivation, and regulations i.e. comes to the forefront in order to ensure the resilience of supply chains. As learned with the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine supply chains are also one of the multi-stakeholder supply chains and are extremely vulnerable to disruptions. In COVID-19 times, the importance of vaccine supply chain management and the resilience in vaccine supply chains increased. To have more resilient vaccine supply chains, stakeholder engagement is an essential issue. Therefore, the Graph Theory Matrix Approach has been used to determine factors of stakeholder engagement in multi-stakeholder vaccine supply chains and to specify the relationships between the factors of project and stakeholder engagement in vaccine supply chains to increase resilience in disruption times. The aim of the study is to identify the factors of project and stakeholder engagement that are necessary to ensure the resilience of multi-stakeholder vaccine supply chains and not be affected by disruptions such as COVID-19 as it is today. As a result of the study, innovativeness of stakeholders is the most important factor of stakeholder engagement in vaccine supply chains.

Sustainable supply chain visibility assessment and proposals for improvements using fuzzy logic

Purpose

Visibility management is essential to sustainable supply chains (SSCs), allowing the ability to see the chain end-to-end, with opportunities to derive benefits, including competitive advantage. Central to visibility management is visibility assessment and identification of areas for improvement. This paper aims to propose a method of assessing visibility in SSCs and the generation of proposals for improvement.

Design/methodology/approach

A hierarchically structured assessment template is developed that comprises of dimensions, factors and attributes of visibility in SSCs. The template permits the use of linguistic variables. A fuzzy logic approach is adopted to calculate visibility levels and generate improvement areas based on linguistic data captured through the template. An industry-based case study is used to illustrate the process.

Findings

This study reveals that visibility can be measured straightforwardly using the method developed in this paper. It is found that automation and contextual factors can significantly impact visibility levels, so also is sustainability awareness and practices adopted.

Originality/value

This paper describes a visibility assessment model that incorporates linguistic variables, fuzzy logic and the use of an adaptable visibility assessment template. The assessment model can identify potential inhibitors of visibility for SSC under study.

The Mediating and Combined Effects of Trust and Satisfaction in the Relationship between Collaboration and the Performance of Innovation in Industry–Public Research Institute Partnerships

The purpose of this study was to analyze the mediating and combined effects of trust and satisfaction in a collaborative activity, while considering the effects of the performance of innovation in an Industry–Public Research Institute (I–PRI) collaboration. Data used in this study was collected through a survey targeting Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the INNOPOLIS Daedeok innovation cluster in Korea. PLS-SEM and fsQCA were used for the analysis of data collected. The results of this study show that trust mediates the relationship between collaboration and satisfaction, while satisfaction mediates the relationship between collaboration, and the performance of innovation, as well as the relationship between trust and the performance of innovation. In addition, it was confirmed that collaboration, trust, and satisfaction jointly affect the performance of innovation in I–PRI collaborations. Additionally, it was discovered that in-order to increase the performance of innovation - required to secure and maintain a competitive advantage; through I–PRI collaborations—SMEs need active collaboration with PRIs, and advanced management skills; to build mutual trust, and improve satisfaction. Finally, the theoretical implications of the factors that affect the performance of innovation in I–PRI collaborations were presented.

Supply chain performance measurement through collaborative effectiveness: an Asia–Pacific perspective

Purpose

The main purpose of this research is to investigate the supply chain performance through collaborative effectiveness, from the organisations of Asia–Pacific region perspective, compared with that of global organisations based on collaborative supply chain practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The survey research methodology was adopted, involving the collection of survey data from 223 participants across 10 different industries and 6 geographic regions. Data included 103 organisations in the Asia–Pacific region including Australia, India, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.

Findings

From a collaborative effectiveness perspective, the supply chain performance of Asia–Pacific organisations is different when compared with that of global organisations. It was also found that global organisations are driven by sales performance, while Asia–Pacific organisations are focussing mainly on the cost in terms of the number of employees, and therefore productivity. The metal industry stands out to be the best performing industry from a collaborative effectiveness perspective in the Asia–Pacific region and globally.

Practical implications

The research findings can be used as a guide by industry practitioners to develop benchmarks for collaborative supply chain practices by industry and region of operations. This research has been limited to a few industries such as manufacturing, logistics, service and retail industries.

Originality/value

This research generates new knowledge on the relationship between the collaborative effectiveness and supply chain performance, from the perspectives of both Asia–Pacific and global organisations, based on a collaborative effectiveness framework. The study proposes an innovative approach of assessing supply chain performance through collaborative effectiveness from the perspectives of geographical boundaries and industry types.

How the dimensions of culture influence supply chain collaboration: an explanatory sequential mixed-methods investigation

Purpose

This study aims to demonstrate how integration is achieved in an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design by assessing the effect of collaborative cultural dimensions on supply chain collaboration amongst firms in Ghana's downstream petroleum sector. Specifically, the study examined how collectivism, long-term orientation, power symmetry, as well as uncertainty avoidance influence supply chain collaboration. Besides, it also demonstrates how integration is achieved in an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the study employed a partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) analysis of quantitative data (N = 166), followed by a thematic analysis of eight semi-structured interviews to explain how and why the dimensions of collaborative culture impact supply chain collaboration.

Findings

The quantitative findings suggest that three out of the four dimensions of culture significantly predict supply chain collaboration. Integrating the quantitative and qualitative findings suggests convergence between the results of the quantitative and qualitative phases of the study as the qualitative results compliment the quantitative findings and offer more nuanced understanding of the cultural mechanisms responsible for successful supply chain collaborations.

Practical implications

The findings provide managers in the downstream petroleum sector with insights into how and why the dimensions of collaborative culture influence supply chain collaboration. These managers should, therefore, build corporate cultures characterized with high levels of long-term orientation, power symmetry and uncertainty avoidance.

Originality/value

Owing to the role of culture in successful supply chain collaborations, this study, through a mixed-methods design, links the dimensions of collaborative culture with supply chain collaboration in the downstream petroleum sector. Moreover, it demonstrates how integration and complementarity are achieved at the study design, methods, as well as the interpretation and reporting levels of an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design.

Sustainable service supply chain management: from a systematic literature review to a conceptual framework for performance evaluation of service only supply chain

Purpose

Despite increasing attentions to sustainable service supply chain management (SSSCM), a framework for performance evaluation of sustainable service only supply chain management (SSOSCM) is still missing. This paper tries to fill this gap and provides a novel conceptual framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The articles related to SSSCM are fetched from the databases of SCOPUS and Web of Science. Analysis of 174 articles identified by the systematic literature review is further carried out.

Findings

This research identifies the sustainable practices for service only supply chain (SOSC) as environmental management, social management, economic management, customer management, health, safety and risk management, technical sustainability, institutional sustainability, information and technology management as well as two performance measurement criteria as operational performance and organizational performance. This paper provides a novel conceptual framework for the performance evaluation of SSOSCM. The results call for future exploration in the following three broad directions-(1) customer's perception, involvement and their behaviour towards sustainability in SOSC context; (2) trade-off, incentive mechanism and multilevel evaluation for achieving sustainability in SOSC and (3) sustainability in SOSC from various point of views.

Practical implications

The managers can use the framework to assess the performance of the organization while researchers can explore the discussed research gaps.

Originality/value

This is the first paper that provides a novel conceptual framework for the performance evaluation of SSOSCM as well as potential future research directions.

Effect of information sharing in supply chains: understanding the roles of supply chain visibility, agility, collaboration on supply chain performance

Purpose

Exploring ways to acquire, sustain and improve competitive positions in supply chains through information sharing, supply chain visibility, collaboration and agility have been essential for scholars and practitioners. Basing on the relational view, resource based view and the extended resource based view, this study assesses the critical role of information sharing in supply chains through emphasizing its effect on supply chain visibility, collaboration, agility and supply chain performance. Particularly, the study proposes that information sharing, supply chain visibility, collaboration and agility collectively have crucial direct and indirect influences on supply chain performance which lead to superior gains, competitiveness and flexibility.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted a survey research design, a quantitative approach and partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in making data analysis and interpretations due to its suitability for predictive research models.

Findings

The results indicate information sharing positively and significantly influenced supply chain visibility, collaboration, agility and performance. Supply chain visibility presented significant effects on collaboration, agility and performance, while supply chain collaboration and agility had significant impact on supply chain performance. The study findings connote that information sharing is key to enhancing competitive gains and superior supply chain performance.

Originality/value

The study is among the few to probe on how information sharing as a variable interacts with supply chain visibility, collaboration, agility and performance. Although, information sharing has received a lot of attention in supply chains, this study is among the first to capture the study variables in a single model and thus, exposes the vital need for information sharing in improving supply chain performance seeing that it ensured significant and robust impacts on the study variables.