It is crucial to recognize that supply chain flexibility is important to build sustainable competitive edge in coping with uncertainty. This study puts forth an empirically…
Abstract
Purpose
It is crucial to recognize that supply chain flexibility is important to build sustainable competitive edge in coping with uncertainty. This study puts forth an empirically supported integrative framework to understand supply chain flexibility from market-oriented and network-oriented perspectives, interrelationships among its dimensions and the effect of supply chain complexity as a contingent factor.
Design/methodology/approach
The online survey data were collected from 201 manufacturing companies and checked for common method variance, validity and reliability. Structural equation modeling was then used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The results of this study demonstrate that there are interrelationships among market-oriented and network-oriented supply chain flexibility dimensions. It is the flexibility embedded in the supply chain network configuration that plays critical roles in superior performance in flexibility capabilities to create customer values. The interrelated effect among flexibility dimensions is contingent on the magnitude of the supply chain complexity corresponding to the number of supply chain tiers.
Originality/value
This study takes a step to advance understanding of supply chain flexibility from an integrative point of view consisting of market-oriented and network-oriented perspectives. This study is expected to provide practitioners the foundation to implement supply chain flexibility considering the interrelationships among flexibility dimensions. Our results suggest that to carry out a supply chain flexibility strategy, the vertical complexity of the supply chain structure needs to be taken into consideration.
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Anabela Soares, Ebrahim Soltani and Ying-Ying Liao
The extant literature highlights the notable lack of a consensus among operations and supply chain management scholars regarding the theoretical underpinnings and associated…
Abstract
Purpose
The extant literature highlights the notable lack of a consensus among operations and supply chain management scholars regarding the theoretical underpinnings and associated empirical evidence for the performance impact of supply chain quality management (SCQM) practices on quality. The purpose of this paper is to redress this imbalance in the literature through empirical examination of the relationship between SCQM practices and quality performance outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
In accordance with the research aim, a quantitative approach was adopted, and a multi-item scale Web-based survey was designed to collect primary data. A total number of 325 questionnaires were collected from a sample of UK-based manufacturing companies. Factor analysis, internal consistency and multivariate regressions were used to validate the multi-item scale and test the hypotheses.
Findings
The findings confirm the proposed hypotheses and reveal statistically significant results for the performance impact of SCQM practices on quality at an aggregate level. However, the results of the individual level analysis of SCQM practices appear to vary from practice to practice. Of various SCQM practices, customer focus with the highest beta value (i.e. ß = 0.303; t-value = 6.120; p = 0.000) was found to have the greatest impact on quality performance.
Practical implications
The findings encourage managers to place high priority on both inter-firm and intra-firm relationships as prerequisites for achieving superior quality performance. The propositions and the results of the study provide managers with some guidelines about effective management of upstream, midstream and downstream supply chain networks and awareness of the potential synergies arising from the combined effects of SCQM practices that could bring about desired quality performance outcomes across the entire supply chain network.
Originality/value
Real and sustainable quality performance often requires an equal focus on both intra- and inter-firm relationships among supply chain partners. Therefore, effective management of quality across the entire supply chain is deemed essential if a firm is to smoothly supply high-quality products and services to customers. But little research has been devoted to understanding conceptual underpinnings of SCQM as well as empirical support and validation for the conceptualisation and measurement of SCQM practices. Based on the insights gained from social network theory, this paper makes an attempt to address this gap and examine the impact of SCQM practices on quality performance.
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From the perspective of the economic theory of complementarity, the purpose of this paper is to examine how internal collaboration and external competencies would provoke and…
Abstract
Purpose
From the perspective of the economic theory of complementarity, the purpose of this paper is to examine how internal collaboration and external competencies would provoke and strengthen each other, and subsequently enhance organizational innovation capability.
Design/methodology/approach
The survey data were collected from 201 manufacturing firms and checked for common method variance, validity and reliability. Structural equation modeling was then used to test the hypothetical complementarity effect.
Findings
The results suggest that internal collaboration (as a manifestation of exploitative learning) and external competencies, which include supply network flexibility and supplier operational capabilities (as manifestation of exploratory learning), do in fact compensate for each other’s deficiencies. Complementary deployment of internal collaboration and external competencies enhances each other’s contribution to innovation capability. Practically, the study indicates that organizations should consider making concerted efforts to develop internal collaboration, supply network flexibility and supplier operational capability as a bundle.
Originality/value
Extensive discussions exist in the literature on exploration and exploitation being essential components of innovation and their conflicting impact on innovation efficiency and effectiveness. But how an organization should operationally develop supply chain competencies in order to maximize overall innovation capability still remains largely an unanswered question. The current study advances the research on the inter-relationships between exploration and exploitation by empirically demonstrating the complementary nature of internal collaboration and external competencies in developing sustainable innovation capabilities.
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Enping (Shirley) Mai and Ying Liao
Building on the expectancy value theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of word-of-mouth (WOM) and customer value (i.e. functional value and…
Abstract
Purpose
Building on the expectancy value theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of word-of-mouth (WOM) and customer value (i.e. functional value and ease-of-doing-business value) on B2B business performance in the B2B sales process.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors develop a framework to understand how B2B WOM and customer value influence supplier sales performance. This model was tested using structural equation modeling with a sample of 220 suppliers on Alibaba.com.
Findings
The empirical findings demonstrate that B2B WOM valence and volume have positive influences on the number of quotations and the number of transactions, respectively. Additionally, B2B WOM volume mediates the relationship between operational performance and the number of transactions. Response rate mediates the relationships between response time and both the number of quotations and the number of transactions, respectively.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the industrial marketing of B2B sales on the digital platform by investigating two influencers on sales performance: WOM and customer value.
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Arun Aryal, Ying Liao, Prasnna Nattuthurai and Bo Li
The purpose of this study is to provide insights into the way in which understanding and implementation of disruptive technology, specifically big data analytics and the Internet…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to provide insights into the way in which understanding and implementation of disruptive technology, specifically big data analytics and the Internet of Things (IoT), have changed over time. The study also examines the ways in which research in supply chain and related fields differ when responding to and managing disruptive change.
Design/methodology/approach
This study follows a four-step systematic review process, consisting of literature collection, descriptive analysis, category selection and material evaluation. For the last stage of evaluating relevant issues and trends in the literature, the latent semantic analysis method was adopted using Leximancer, which allows more rapid, reliable and consistent content analysis.
Findings
The empirical analysis identified key research trends in big data analytics and IoT divided over two time-periods, in which research demonstrated steady growth by 2015 and the rapid growth was shown afterwards. The key finding of this review is that the main interest in recent big data is toward overlapping customer service, support and supply chain network, systems and performance. Major research themes in IoT moved from general supply chain and business information management to more specific context including supply chain design, model and performance.
Originality/value
In addition to providing more awareness of this research approach, the authors seek to identify important trends in disruptive technologies research over time.
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Scott Dellana, William J. Rowe and Ying Liao
The purpose of this research is to develop a validated general measure of supply chain risk management maturity (SCRMM) to assess organizational risk management maturity in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to develop a validated general measure of supply chain risk management maturity (SCRMM) to assess organizational risk management maturity in the context of the supply chain (SC).
Design/methodology/approach
Dimensions and statements measuring SCRMM were developed through a literature review and consultation with experts. The instrument was refined through a pilot study and a full-scale study of 140 SC managers in the USA. A final SCRMM instrument, consisting of 25 statements, was obtained through scale purification, exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis of construct validity. Cluster analysis was conducted to characterize the organizational groupings with respect to the instrument dimensions.
Findings
SCRMM was found to be comprised of the three main dimensions of SC Risk Management Orientation, Enterprise Risk Management Integration (ERMI), and SC Risk Collaboration. ERMI was found to be comprised of the three sub-dimensions of SC Risk Mitigation, Improvement of Risk Management Processes, and Organization Internal Risk Management. Cluster analysis revealed three groups characterized according to SCRMM as leaders, followers, and laggards.
Research limitations/implications
The findings are based on a sample in the USA, so the SCRMM scale may not generalize to supply chains in other countries or geographic regions.
Practical implications
The instrument provides a self-assessment and benchmark tool for businesses to advance their SC risk management through different stages of maturity.
Originality/value
This is a pioneering general instrument that treats risk management maturity of the organization in the context of the SC. Participants span many industries and SC positions.
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Ying-Kai Liao, Huseyin Fadullah Gungor, V.G. Girish, Jinyoung Lee and Wann-Yih Wu
This study aims to analyze the push and pull factors and its relationship with the theory of planned behavior about non-vegetarians’ intentions to buy plant-based meat products…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyze the push and pull factors and its relationship with the theory of planned behavior about non-vegetarians’ intentions to buy plant-based meat products. Previous studies seldom explored the intention of non-vegetarians’ intention to buy plant-based meat products.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was conducted among 447 non-vegetarians to investigate these relationships. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to scrutinize the data.
Findings
Among the push factors product safety and flavor positively influence consumers’ attitude, whereas environmental protection and flavor positively influence subjective norms. Animal welfare, environmental protection and flavor positively influence perceived behavioral control. Among the pull factors, curiosity, product nutrition and price positively influence consumer attitudes toward plant-based meat products. Curiosity and price also positively influence subjective norms, but only product nutrition positively influences perceived behavioral control. On the other hand, the results also confirm that non-vegetarian customers' intentions to buy plant-based meat products is primarily influenced by attitude and perceived behavioral control, whereas subjective norms do not influence the intention to buy plant-based meat products. This study also reveals that there exists a moderating influence from perceived behavioral control between attitude and intention to buy plant-based meat products, whereas the moderating effect of perceived behavioral control on subjective norms and intention is insignificant.
Originality/value
The findings of this study offer practical recommendations for persuasive marketing strategies associated with plant-based meat substitutes.
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Adriana Andrea Amaya, Wann-Yih Wu and Ying-Kai Liao
Although previous studies noted the importance for organizations in establishing an innovation strategy, few have examined innovation orientation as a multidimensional knowledge…
Abstract
Purpose
Although previous studies noted the importance for organizations in establishing an innovation strategy, few have examined innovation orientation as a multidimensional knowledge configuration. Therefore, this study draws on the valuable theoretical underpinnings of the resource-based view and information processing theory to examine the mechanism through which an organization's innovation orientation (IO) and team unlearning (TU) can impact new product development (NPD) success.
Design/methodology/approach
A causal model was developed in order to analyze the role of innovation orientation and team unlearning on NPD success. This proposed model and several hypotheses were gauged using data from 255 NPD team members from Taiwanese high-tech and traditional companies.
Findings
The results indicate that both IO and TU relate to outcomes. Specifically, this study demonstrates that it is insufficient that firms simply establish the configurations needed to enhance their IO and TU, firms also need to find out the correct mechanism to enhance NPD success. The relationships between IO, TU and NPD success were fully mediated by team information processing.
Originality/value
This report sheds light on the importance of innovation orientation and team unlearning in today's NPD process and uncovers the underlying mechanism through which IO and TU contribute to NPD success. It also offers precise advice for the assessment of management of team information-processing to boost the performance of new products.
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Kun Liao, Erika Marsillac, Eldon Johnson and Ying Liao
The purpose of this paper is to understand and describe the conditions that compel and underscore global supply chain (SC) adaptations.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand and describe the conditions that compel and underscore global supply chain (SC) adaptations.
Design/methodology/approach
Insights from contingency theory, Porter's economic cluster theory and international factory mapping are used to analyze the SC adaptations that follow when an automotive firm moves from a domestic to a global SC.
Findings
An automotive global SC adaptation includes market entry considerations, the establishment of a three‐stage flexible time‐ and production‐based supplier network plan, and the integration of logistics partners.
Research limitations/implications
SC adaptations are an important consideration for any manufacturing expansion effort, especially international ones. Varying production levels impact supplier relationships and decisions and may result in varied supplier perspectives. Government regulations influence entry and routine decisions, while logistics issues and costs play an integral role in supplier perceptions and reactions.
Practical implications
With the rapid expansion of the Chinese auto market, entering manufacturing firms need more information about how to strategically locate, and develop and support supplier networks. A stepped supplier network establishment approach optimizes benefits for both manufacturing firm and suppliers. Evaluating and integrating logistics issues also sets the stage for future expansion efforts at optimal cost and supplier support.
Originality/value
The internationalization of the automotive SC involves adaptations that can only be successful through advance planning, strategic supplier networking, and systematic logistics integration.
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Ying Liao, Kun Liao and Robert Hutchinson
The purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework for prototyping outsourcing.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework for prototyping outsourcing.
Design/methodology/approach
This study provides an up‐to‐date literature review and an in‐depth case study.
Findings
This study identifies three factors (i.e. the degree of the prototyping to core competence, prototyping complexity, and supplier's capability of providing knowledge and speed for prototyping) and three types of risks (i.e. losing control over suppliers, dependency on suppliers, and supplier's lack of capabilities) for prototyping outsourcing decisions.
Practical implications
This paper provides guidelines for new product development managers in order to mitigate the risks associated with outsourcing and achieve effective prototyping.
Originality/value
This study provides a strategic outsourcing framework for prototyping.