Does national culture matter? Understanding the impact of supply chain integration in multiple countries

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shan Liu ◽  
Jing Tan ◽  
Hongyi Mao ◽  
Yeming Gong

Purpose With increasing globalization, supply chain management in various national cultures requires understanding. This study aims to examine the moderating effects of individualistic and uncertainty avoidance cultures on the relationship between supply chain integration (SCI) and different dimensions of firm performance (i.e. flexibility and financial). Design/methodology/approach This study collected 124 pairwise survey data from supply chain and senior managers of retail firms in 35 countries. Hofstede’s national culture index was used to examine the moderating effects. Structural equation modeling and regression analysis were used to test the model. Findings Results corroborate that in a higher uncertainty avoidance culture, the positive influence of SCI on flexibility performance is stronger, but that on financial performance is weaker. By contrast, individualism reduces the positive influence of SCI on financial performance, but does not moderate that on flexibility performance. Originality/value This paper proposes a contingent model for SCI-performance relationships by integrating the relational view and the national cultural perspective. Critical national cultural dimensions moderate the effects of SCI on flexibility and financial performance. Therefore, operational managers should design differential SCI strategies in various cultural settings.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikhat Afshan ◽  
Purnendu Mandal ◽  
Angappa Gunasekaran ◽  
Jaideep Motwani

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of immediate performance outcomes on the relationship between dimensions of supply chain integration (SCI) and financial performance.Design/methodology/approachThis study tests the proposed model linking dimensions of SCI, immediate performance outcomes and financial performance using structural equation modeling on a sample of Indian manufacturing companies.FindingsThe findings suggest that the relationship between dimensions of SCI and firm performance is fully mediated through the immediate performance outcomes.Originality/valueThis study deals with the potential benefits of SCI, especially in developing countries like India, where a little research has been done in this area. Also, this study provides support to practitioners that SCI is an effective way of improving both supply chain performance and financial performance.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yubing Yu ◽  
Baofeng Huo ◽  
Zuopeng (Justin) Zhang

PurposeBased on the resource-based view and organizational capability theory, we examine the effect of information technology (IT) on company performance through supply chain integration (SCI) from the upstream and downstream perspective of the whole supply chain.Design/methodology/approachBased on data collected from 296 cross-border e-commerce (CBE) companies in China, we used structural equation modeling with LISREL to test the conceptual model.FindingsThe results show that supplier and customer IT significantly promote supplier and customer system and process integration. Supplier system and process integration enhance operational performance. Meanwhile, IT indirectly affects financial performance through operational performance. Customer system integration has positive effects on operational and financial performance, with an indirect effect on financial performance through operational performance. However, customer process integration only improves financial performance.Research limitations/implicationsWe only use cross-sectional data from Zhejiang province of China to investigate relationships of related constructs. Future studies can also use longitudinal data in combination with secondary data from other provinces, regions and countries.Practical implicationsThe results provide important managerial insights for CBE companies to sustain their competitive advantages by improving their performances through IT and SCI practices throughout the upstream and downstream data-driven supply chain.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the IT and SCI literature by exploring the effectiveness of IT in improving SCI and company performance from the upstream and downstream perspective and the perspective of IT.


Author(s):  
Baofeng Huo ◽  
Zhaojun Han ◽  
Haozhe Chen ◽  
Xiande Zhao

Purpose – Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the purpose of this paper is to combine concepts from human resource management (HRM) and supply chain management (SCM) fields and explore the effects of high-involvement HRM practices on supply chain integration (SCI). Design/methodology/approach – Using empirical survey data collected from ten countries, the authors examine the specific effects of three dimensions of high-involvement HRM practices – employee skills, incentives and participation – on three types of SCI – internal integration, supplier and customer integration. The authors use structural equation modeling and the maximum-likelihood estimation method to test the proposed relationships. Findings – The results confirm the overall relevancy of HRM to SCI. However, several proposed links are not supported by the data collected. Originality/value – This study makes both theoretical and managerial contributions by empirically examining the interface between HRM and SCI. More specifically, it examines the effects of different high-involvement HRM practices on different types of SCI. The findings will not only help researchers to better understand the interface, but will also guide managers in adjusting HRM practices to achieve desired operational goals.


2018 ◽  
Vol 118 (9) ◽  
pp. 1749-1765 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingu Kang ◽  
Ma Ga (Mark) Yang ◽  
Youngwon Park ◽  
Baofeng Huo

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of supply chain integration (SCI) in improving sustainability management practices (SMPs) and performance. Design/methodology/approach Based on data collected from 931 manufacturing firms in multiple countries and regions, the authors conducted a structural equation modeling analysis to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings The findings suggest that supplier and customer integration are vital enablers for both intra- and inter-organizational SMPs. The results also reveal that both intra- and inter-organizational SMPs are significantly and positively associated with sustainability performance (i.e. economic, environmental and social performance) and function as complements to jointly enhance environmental and social performance. Originality/value This study incorporates SCI into the sustainability literature, providing a new perspective on sustainability and supply chain management research.


Author(s):  
Hooshang M. Beheshti ◽  
Pejvak Oghazi ◽  
Rana Mostaghel ◽  
Magnus Hultman

Purpose – This article aims to explore the impact of supply chain integration on the financial performance of Swedish manufacturing firms. Design/methodology/approach – The literature review provided the foundation for the development of the survey instrument and hypotheses for the study. In addition, the survey instrument was tested by the experts in the field and modified before it was sent to the managers in the survey group. Findings – The findings show that supply chain integration at any level is beneficial to the financial well being of the firm. Companies with total supply chain integration reported the highest level of financial performance. Research limitations/implications – Data were collected from Swedish manufacturing firms without regard to the size of the firm. The results show that supply chain integration is beneficial at any level. Practical implications – The findings will assist managers with decisions regarding supply chain integration and its role as a critical factor in improving the financial performance of manufacturing companies. Originality/value – Limited empirical studies have been conducted in this area, especially in Sweden. This study provides insight for manufacturing managers with regard to the importance of supply chain management and the competitive nature of business in the global market.


Author(s):  
Francisco Alejandro Pérez Gilabert ◽  
Jorge Luis Pena Acevedo

The objective of this study is to develop and test a framework for the role that supply chain strategy (SCS) and supply chain integration have in a firm’s financial performance and to increase the understanding of the role that these factors play in supply chain design. Structural equation modeling was used to test these relationships based on data obtained from small and medium exporting enterprises in Peru. This study responds to a gap in understanding the role of supply chains in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and how firms in Latin America, especially in Peru, apply supply chain concepts. Findings indicate that companies should prioritize their integration efforts depending on the type of supply chain strategy. Likewise, results show that customer integration is directly related to a firm’s financial performance. This study responds to the need to understand the development of supply chain strategies and the generation of competitive advantage in Peruvian export-manufacturing SMEs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 787-814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wantao Yu ◽  
Roberto Chavez ◽  
Mark Jacobs ◽  
Chee Yew Wong ◽  
Chunlin Yuan

Purpose It remains unclear how environmental scanning (ES) can generate firm performance through supply chain management (SCM) practices. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of ES on operational performance through supply chain integration (SCI) and supply chain responsiveness (SCR). Design/methodology/approach The scanning–interpretation–action–performance (SIAP) model and organization information processing theory (OIPT) are used to explain the ES–SCI–SCR–performance (S–I–A–P) relationships, which were tested by structural equation modeling of survey data of 329 manufacturing firms in China. Findings The results indicate that ES has a significant positive effect on SCI and SCR. SCI is significantly and positively related to SCR. SCR partially mediates the relationship between ES and operational performance, and fully mediates the relationship between SCI and operational performance. Practical implications Supply chain managers should collaborate with senior executives to obtain signals from ES activities, as input for building SCI and SCR and use SCI as a joint interpretation mechanism of ES signals for developing SCR to reap operational advantages in the rapidly changing business environment. Originality/value Strategic management academics and practitioners have explicitly emphasized the importance of ES in developing strategic plans but are unsure about the role of SCM in creating operational advantages through ES. Using the SIAP model, this study theorizes and demonstrates how SCI and SCR transform signals from ES into operational performance. In doing so, a more precise application of OIPT is explicated in the supply chain context.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Azwan Ahmad Shukor ◽  
Md. Shah Newaz ◽  
Muhammad Khalilur Rahman ◽  
Azni Zarina Taha

PurposeThis study investigates the impact of environmental uncertainty and organizational ambidexterity on supply chain integration and its relationship between supply chain agility and organizational flexibility in the manufacturing firms.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from 526 managers in services and manufacturing industry in Kuala Lumpur. The partial least square (SmartPLS 3.0) tool was applied through the use of the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique.FindingsThe results revealed that a strong relationship exist between environmental uncertainty and supply chain integrations including customer, supplier and internal integration. Organizational ambidexterity has a significant relationship with supply chain integration. Supply chain integrations were shown to have a positive impact on the firm's supply chain agility and organizational flexibility.Originality/valueThe findings may assist to establish a set of key drivers for enhancing supply chain agility and organizational flexibility as a supply chain management initiative in the manufacturing and service industry.


2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Divesh Ojha ◽  
Jeff Shockley ◽  
Pamela P. Rogers ◽  
Danielle Cooper ◽  
Pankaj C. Patel

Purpose This paper aims to develop and test a model of buyer–supplier relational investment that links supply chain integration (SCI) to supplier flexibility performance (SFLEX) advantages in different manufacturing environments. Relational stability (RS) and information quality (IQL) are viewed as key indicators of intermediating commitment investments in supplier relationships to help support supplier accommodations for special requests for order flexibility. The model is applied to investigate the relative importance of manufacturer relational investments with suppliers in both make-to-stock (MTS) and make-to-order (MTO) production environments. Design/methodology/approach A survey of 206 US manufacturing firms was used to test the proposed research model using structural equation modeling and multiple-group analysis techniques. Findings Social exchange investments in relationship stability and information quality are found to fully mediate the positive performance relationship between supply chain integration and supplier flexibility performance for manufacturers. However, the relative importance of each form of investment in enhancing supplier flexibility performance varies based on the buyer’s (manufacturer’s) order fulfillment environment (make-to-stock versus make-to-order). Originality/value The proposed model may assist manufacturers make more informed relational exchange investments and supply chain configuration decisions that most conducive to enhancing supplier flexibility performance for different production environments.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Byoungho Ellie Jin ◽  
Heesoon Yang ◽  
Naeun Lauren Kim

PurposeBuilt on the prototype and cue theories, the purpose of this study is to understand how a country's prototypical brand, a corporate brand that most consumers associate with a country (e.g. Samsung), contributes to forming two dimensions of country image – overall country image (i.e. macro country image) and product-specific country image (i.e. micro country image) – and how country image impacts the product quality evaluations of Korean cosmetics, along with the moderating effect of national culture.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 491 US and Chinese consumers ages 20 and older and analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsThe findings confirmed the positive influence of prototypical brand image on macro and micro country image. Macro country image also had a positive effect on micro country image. However, only micro country image yielded a positive influence on the quality evaluations of Korean cosmetics. Analyses of the moderating effect of national culture showed that the positive influence of prototypical brand image on macro and micro country image was found to be stronger in China than in the US.Originality/valueThese findings provided new theoretical perspectives for country image studies, and practical insights for companies and governments, especially those in countries whose country image is less distinctive, to help develop effective marketing strategies.


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