Amin K. Alsadi and Wassim J. Aloulou
Little previous research has investigated the relationships among strategic orientations, supply chain integration and firm performance. The purpose of this study is to advance a…
Abstract
Purpose
Little previous research has investigated the relationships among strategic orientations, supply chain integration and firm performance. The purpose of this study is to advance a research model that examines the direct and indirect effects of strategic orientations via supply chain integration on firm performance in the Saudi transitional context.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on data collected from a survey using questionnaires completed by 187 top management members of Saudi firms from different sectors. To analyse the data and test the proposed hypotheses, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were conducted using the AMOS statistical analysis package.
Findings
Results show that both market orientation and supply chain integration have a significant positive direct effect on Saudi firm performance. They also reveal that supply chain integration fully mediates the effect of technology orientation on firm performance, while partially mediating the effect of market orientation on firm performance.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to the literature by showing how SCI could serve as an organizational capability that links strategic resources to firm performance. The main limitation of this study is that it was not possible to generalize the findings. Future research perspectives were proposed to address this limitation and add new insights to the field.
Practical implications
The results could help decision-makers in Saudi firms choose the right strategic orientations and aid them in integrating their supply chains by sharing the necessary information and coordinating operations with key partners to enhance their firms' performance.
Originality/value
This study is one of the first to conduct such an investigation in the Saudi context. The study simultaneously examines the role of supply chain integration in linking strategic orientations to firm performance and fills a current research gap in such a transitional context.
Details
Keywords
Mohammed Ali and Aniekan Essien
The purpose of this study is to explore how big data analytics (BDA) as a potential information technology (IT) innovation can facilitate the retail logistics supply chain (SC…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore how big data analytics (BDA) as a potential information technology (IT) innovation can facilitate the retail logistics supply chain (SC) from the perspective of outbound logistics operations in the United Kingdom. The authors' goal was to better understand how BDA can be integrated to streamline SCs and logistical networks by using the technology, organisational and environmental model.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors applied existing theoretical foundations for theory building based on semi-structured interviews with 15 SC and logistics managers.
Findings
The perceived benefits of using BDA in outbound retail logistics comprised the strongest predictor amongst technological, organisational and environmental issues, followed by top management support (TMS). A framework was proposed for the adoption of BDA in retail logistics. Contextual concepts from previous literature have helped us understand how environmental changes impact BDA decision-making, as such: (i) SC maturity levels and connectivity affect BDA utilisation, (ii) connected SCs improve data accessibility and information exchange, (iii) the benefits of BDAs also affect adoption and (iv) outsourcing complex tasks to experts allows companies to focus on core businesses instead of investing in IT infrastructure.
Research limitations/implications
Outside the key findings listed, this study shows that there is no one-size-fits-it-all approach for use within all organisational settings. The proposed framework reveals that the perceived benefit of BDA is non-transferrable and requires top-level management support for successful implementation.
Originality/value
The existing literature focusses on the approaches to applying BDA in SC and logistics but fails to present a deep dive into retail outbound logistics activity. This study addresses the “how” and proposes a social-inclusive framework for a technology-enabled topic.