Xianglu Hua, Lingyu Hu, Reham Eltantawy, Liangqing Zhang, Bin Wang, Yifan Tian and Justin Zuopeng Zhang
Achieving sustainability and sustainable performance has emerged as a critical area of focus for both academic research and practice. However, this pursuit faces challenges…
Abstract
Purpose
Achieving sustainability and sustainable performance has emerged as a critical area of focus for both academic research and practice. However, this pursuit faces challenges, particularly concerning the inadequacy of supply chain information. To address this issue, our study employs the organizational information processing theory to explore how adopting blockchain technology enables firms to learn from and collaborate with their supply chain partners, ultimately facilitating their sustainable performance even in the presence of organizational inertia.
Design/methodology/approach
Underpinned by the organizational information processing theory and drawing data from 220 manufacturing firms in China, we use structural equation modeling to test our conceptual model.
Findings
Our results demonstrate that blockchain technology adoption can significantly enhance sustainable performance. Furthermore, supply chain learning acts as a mediator between blockchain technology adoption and sustainable performance, while organizational inertia plays a negative moderating role between blockchain technology adoption and supply chain learning.
Originality/value
These findings extend the existing literature on blockchain technology adoption and supply chain management, offering novel insights into the pivotal role of blockchain in fostering supply chain learning and achieving sustainable performance. Our study provides valuable practical implications for managers seeking to leverage blockchain technology to enhance sustainability and facilitate organizational learning.
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Reham A. Eltantawy, Gavin L. Fox and Larry Giunipero
There is a lack of extensive research related to the immediate consequences of supply management ethical responsibility (SMER) and the moderating and/or mediating factors that…
Abstract
Purpose
There is a lack of extensive research related to the immediate consequences of supply management ethical responsibility (SMER) and the moderating and/or mediating factors that strengthen or weaken its consequences. Although the underlying presumption is that companies no longer have the luxury of ignoring the importance of SMER, the lack of empirical research of SMER's impact on supply management performance (SMP) reflects the need for research that draws on and empirically tests established theories concerning the role of corporate ethics within the context of supply management (SM). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the impact of SMER and strategic supply management skills on SM perceived reputation and performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Structural equation modeling is employed to investigate the hypothesized relationships. A sample of 162 purchasing managers provided the data via survey.
Findings
Strategic supply management skills and perceived reputation have a positive direct impact on performance. SMER is not directly affected by skills and has an indirect impact on performance through its positive relationship with perceived reputation.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that SMER is limited in its ability to predict performance, but is a valuable component of building SM perceived reputation. Firms should not ignore SMER, as it may provide strategic marketing advantage as an order qualifier or limiting criterion.
Originality/value
This paper investigates the interplay among several important determinants of supply chain performance, including the greatly under‐studied ethics construct.
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This study serve aims to fill a gap in the supply management literature with respect to supply management contribution to channel members' performance and its antecedents…
Abstract
Purpose
This study serve aims to fill a gap in the supply management literature with respect to supply management contribution to channel members' performance and its antecedents: strategic supply management skills and supplier integration. The resource‐based theory of the firm is used to establish the tested theoretical framework.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample used consists of 152 firms represented by highly ranked supply management professionals. The conceptual model and the hypothesized relationships are tested using structural equation modeling.
Findings
Support was found for the causal relationships among: strategic supply management skills and supply management contribution to channel members' performance; supplier integration and supply management contribution to channel members' performance; and for supply management strategic skills and supplier integration. Additionally, strategic supply management skills were found to have a significant mediated effect on supply management channel members' performance through supplier integration.
Practical implications
This study offers some guidance to supply management professionals who need both a clear understanding of the underlying tradeoffs involved in deploying the tested strategies and a prescriptive model to help guide their use. The results of this study will help supply management professionals in rationalizing their making various decisions concerning supplier relationships, recruiting the necessary skills in the supply management function, and investing in a supply knowledge base.
Originality/value
Although previous literature documented the link between supply management and the focal firm's performance, the research of supply management's contribution to channel members' performance has been largely overlooked. This work answers the recent calls for more empirical research in general and, specifically, for more empirical supply management strategy research. It should assist future researchers who focus on strategic supply management and channel performance and would also be of interest to supply management practitioners interested in keeping up with the academic literature.
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This study aims to explore the necessary role of supply management (SM) resilience capabilities in making effective trade-offs to attain an ambidextrous state, i.e. the state of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the necessary role of supply management (SM) resilience capabilities in making effective trade-offs to attain an ambidextrous state, i.e. the state of attaining exploitation and exploration with dexterity, or achieving high levels of both. Sustainability requires effective trade-offs among economic, environmental and social outcomes while maintaining the longevity of the buying firm. Existing literature highlights the difficulty of making effective trade-offs due to likely tensions between divergent demands, i.e. tensions between exploitative and explorative performance goals.
Design/methodology/approach
This conceptual study extends insights from the dynamic capabilities approach to explore the nature of SM resilience and its role in attaining ambidexterity.
Findings
This study proposes SM resilience as a multifaceted dynamic capability that is determined by two contrasting aspects of stability (engineering and ecological resilience) that aid the buyer’s firm to ambidextrously adapt and transform in turbulent environments.
Practical implications
The study highlights the competencies and resilience capabilities that managers need to develop and maintain in pursuing an effective balance of exploitation and exploration in SM.
Originality/value
The proposed framework extends existing SM sustainability frameworks by examining the nature and dimensionality of resilience and linking it to ambidexterity. The proposed framework provides a platform for the integration of theoretical aspects from various research streams; socio-ecological literature, dynamic capabilities and organizational ambidexterity.
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Reham Eltantawy, Antony Paulraj, Larry Giunipero, Dag Naslund and Abhinay A. Thute
The purpose of this paper is to address the issue of supply management coordination among a prominent contact lens company (customer), its carton supplier (first tier), and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address the issue of supply management coordination among a prominent contact lens company (customer), its carton supplier (first tier), and paperboard supplier (second tier). Adopting concepts within the theory of swift and even flow, the authors integrate the physical (material) and information flow among these supply partners to ensure higher productivity through timely production and distribution of the cartons, which reduced the lead-times and inventory levels at the three companies in this supply chain.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a longitudinal case study (action research (AR)), which combines qualitative and quantitative analyses. Observations over time, documents such as contracts, joint agreements, meeting agendas and minutes, personal conversations, and in-depth interviews were mainly used, with quantitative measurement of operational performance.
Findings
The complete solution to eliminate waste and improve the existing system is provided, as well as the ordering process solution in the form of service level models. The results of the study proved supply management coordination to be a pioneering approach in reducing inventory, reducing the safety stock at the buyer’s facility, improving the forecasts, lowering the product delivery lead-times, and establishing an information system throughout the three tiers of the supply chain.
Originality/value
The paper draws upon real-life data from a three echelon supply chain in the manufacturing industry. Combining this triadic focus with action-based research makes it a unique opportunity to reveal insights into the issue of coordination among supply chain members and consequent performance outcomes.
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Larry Giunipero, Robert B. Handfield and Reham Eltantawy
In the last decade there have been dramatic impacts on, and changes within, the field of purchasing/supply management. Given supply management's new strategic role, this research…
Abstract
Purpose
In the last decade there have been dramatic impacts on, and changes within, the field of purchasing/supply management. Given supply management's new strategic role, this research seeks to examine the key skills and knowledge necessary for firms to improve in order to maximize the purchasing function's contribution to the organization. The research also aims to identifies the major shifts in supply management that have occurred in the last decade.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative study was conducted with a series of focus group meetings with 54 executives across the USA in order to construct theoretical relationships with which to develop a grounded theory of supply management skills evolution in a changing business environment.
Findings
The implications from this research indicate that supply management professionals will assume a more strategic role in the future. The data indicate that there are strong trends underlying this movement. These include the need for building strategic relationships, focusing on total cost and strategic cost reduction, yet collaborating and integrating with suppliers. While in the past these efforts may have appeared to be contradictory, with proper strategic planning they can be complementary.
Originality/value
Supply managers of the future need to acquire strategic skills that add value and enable effective alignment with key business functions at a senior decision‐making level. Additional research is needed in the area to determine how best to recruit and train managers in these skills to move forward.
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Reham Eltantawy, Larry Giunipero and Robert Handfield
Recently, focus in strategic sourcing (SS) has shifted from the exchange of tangible goods toward the exchange of intangibles, such as specialized skills, knowledge, and…
Abstract
Purpose
Recently, focus in strategic sourcing (SS) has shifted from the exchange of tangible goods toward the exchange of intangibles, such as specialized skills, knowledge, and processes. The purpose of this paper is to aim to delineate the domain of, and operationally test, strategic sourcing orientation (SSO); a management philosophy directed at identifying and meeting the needs and goals of SS.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a mixed-methods research design and underpinned by a service dominant logic (SDL) inspired resource-based view (RBV), the authors first use the qualitative input of 41 top sourcing executives in four focus groups to derive four first-order “orientations” (learning, performance, planning, and relational-process) that were found to reflect SSO. Second, the authors propose a theoretically grounded operationalization of SSO derived from the qualitative data and extant literature. A sample of 174 top sourcing executives was used to test the proposed SSO and its impact on SS reputation, supplier management, and performance outcomes.
Findings
The results indicate strong support for the theorized SSO and its impact on SS reputation and supplier management, and, consequently, on performance outcomes.
Originality/value
While many firms encourage a culture to enable SS to realize enhanced performance, research has failed to provide a holistic account of this orientation. This study employs a mixed-methods research design to conceptualize and operationalize such orientation.
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Larry C. Giunipero and Reham Aly Eltantawy
Supply managers must manage many risks in their increasingly competitive environments. Traditionally this meant buffering against uncertainties, which sub‐optimized operational…
Abstract
Supply managers must manage many risks in their increasingly competitive environments. Traditionally this meant buffering against uncertainties, which sub‐optimized operational performance. Risk management can be a more effective approach to deal with these uncertainties by identifying potential losses. This conceptual study proposes that situational factors‐ degree of product technology, security needs, the relative importance of the supplier, and the purchasers’ prior experience with the situation should be taken into consideration when determining the level of risk management in the supply chain. Doing so can avoid unforeseen losses and lead to better anticipation of risks.
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Gregory T. Gundlach, Yemisi A. Bolumole, Reham A. Eltantawy and Robert Frankel
The paper seeks to examine the changing landscape of supply chain management, marketing channels of distribution, logistics and purchasing.
Abstract
Purpose
The paper seeks to examine the changing landscape of supply chain management, marketing channels of distribution, logistics and purchasing.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors examine and take stock of the changing nature and landscape surrounding the related disciplines of supply chain management, marketing channels of distribution, logistics and purchasing. This examination highlights the considerable evolution and significant advances occurring within and between these disciplines.
Findings
The authors find that this new landscape provides both opportunities and challenges for future scholarship and practice in these related disciplines.
Originality/value
The examination and findings should be of value to those attempting to understand the evolving nature and interrelationship of these fields, and those who currently practise within them.