Enablers of supply chain integration: Interpersonal and interorganizational relationship perspectives
Abstract
Purpose
Previous research on supply chain integration (SCI) enablers has primarily focussed on interorganizational relationships, the purpose of this paper is to broaden the discussion to include interpersonal relationships (IPRs).
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a comprehensive literature review, a series of propositions are postulated and synthesized into a conceptual model of how IPRs maintain and enable SCI, which is decomposed into strategic alliance, information sharing, and process coordination.
Findings
The authors find that IPRs including personal affection, communication, and credibility, have a positive influence on SCI, and these links are mediated by interorganizational relationships including trust, commitment, and power.
Originality/value
The framework developed in this study provides new insights into the role of interpersonal networks in interorganizational relationships, which lead to SCI.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 71372058). This paper was partly presented at the Ninth International Conference on Operations and Supply Chain Management, Ningbo, China, July 13-15, 2015.
Citation
Wang, B., Childerhouse, P., Kang, Y., Huo, B. and Mathrani, S. (2016), "Enablers of supply chain integration: Interpersonal and interorganizational relationship perspectives", Industrial Management & Data Systems, Vol. 116 No. 4, pp. 838-855. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-09-2015-0403
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited