scholarly journals Reading on and between the lines: risk identification in collaborative and adversarial buyer–supplier relationships

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiyi Fan ◽  
Mark Stevenson

Purpose This paper aims to investigate how supply chain risks can be identified in both collaborative and adversarial buyer–supplier relationships (BSRs). Design/methodology/approach This research includes a multiple-case study involving ten Chinese manufacturers with two informants per organisation. Data have been interpreted from a multi-level social capital perspective (i.e. from both an individual and organisational level), supplemented by signalling theory. Findings Buyers use different risk identification strategies or apply the same strategy in different ways according to the BSR type. The impact of organisational social capital on risk identification is contingent upon the degree to which individual social capital is deployed in a way that benefits an individual’s own agenda versus that of the organisation. Signalling theory generally complements social capital theory and helps further understand how buyers can identify risks, especially in adversarial BSRs, e.g. by using indirect signals from suppliers or other supply chain actors to “read between the lines” and anticipate risks. Research limitations/implications Data collection is focussed on China and is from the buyer side only. Future research could explore other contexts and include the supplier perspective. Practical implications The types of relationships that are developed by buyers with their supply chain partners at an organisational and an individual level have implications for risk exposure and how risks can be identified. The multi-level analysis highlights how strategies such as employee rotation and retention can be deployed to support risk identification. Originality/value Much of the extant literature on supply chain risk management is focussed on risk mitigation, whereas risk identification is under-represented. A unique case-based insight is provided into risk identification in different types of BSRs by using a multi-level social capital approach complemented by signalling theory.

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 278-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irène Kilubi ◽  
Helen Rogers

Purpose As companies seek to continually innovate to remain globally competitive, they also need to be mindful of the impact of the potential associated supply chain risks. Hence, the purpose of this study is to explore the causal nexus of relationships linking supply chain risk management (SCRM) and strategic technology partnering (STP) capabilities (i.e. organizational capabilities, technological and innovative capabilities, learning and exploitation capabilities, complementary capabilities and network and partnership capabilities) as identified by Kilubi (2016). Design/methodology/approach The authors investigate STP capabilities that may positively influence SCRM and in turn foster organizational performance. By using conceptual theory building, the authors create a conceptual framework and use it to guide future investigation through research propositions. Social capital theory serves as the theoretical background. Findings Five STP capabilities have been identified as positive mediators for the relationship between SCRM and organizational performance, in particular flexibility and responsiveness. Originality/value This paper focuses on bridging the gap and identifying commonalities between two principal research disciplines, STP and SCRM, examining how these can be used to assist in the controlling and management of future risks. This study contributes to the ongoing development of SCRM and STP by integrating insights from social capital theory, supply chain management and strategic management.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Dorota Wojciechowska

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to present the latest scholarly trends in the field of social capital in libraries, to review research concepts published by LIS professionals and to suggest further research possibilities in this area. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents a review and critical analysis of literature associated with research on social capital in libraries to highlight its importance for the development of LIS and its impact on the functioning of environments linked with various types of libraries. The goal of literature analysis was to determine the current condition of research on social capital in libraries. The main trends were identified and the need for further qualitative analyses, which are missing at the moment, was confirmed. Findings It was determined that, so far, LIS professionals have focussed mainly on the role of municipal libraries in developing social capital, the problem of building trust, especially in immigrant circles and the impact of libraries on promoting a civil society. Academic libraries, rural libraries, organisational capital in libraries and individual social capital of librarians were a much less frequent subject of research. The role of libraries in developing social capital in educational (primary and secondary education) and professional (non-university professionals) circles is practically non-existent in research, and it will require in-depth studies and analyses in the coming years. Originality/value This paper constitutes a synthetic review of the latest research concepts concerning social capital in libraries. It identifies the most important research trends and areas that so far have not been explored and suggests research methods to help LIS professionals design future research in this area more effectively.


2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 290-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Baldridge ◽  
Alison M. Konrad ◽  
Mark E. Moore ◽  
Yang Yang

Purpose Persons with childhood-onset disabilities are among the most marginalized populations, often unemployed or underemployment in jobs providing neither adequate hours for financial self-sufficiency nor fulfillment through skill-utilization. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which social capital in the form of strong ties with family and friends is associated with enhanced employment outcomes for persons with childhood-onset disabilities. Design/methodology/approach Questioning the current theoretical consensus that strong social ties are unimportant to employment quality, the authors draw on disability research and opportunity, motivation and ability social capital theory to propose a model of the impact of strong ties with family and friends on paid-work-hours and skill-utilization as well as the potential moderating role of gender and disability severity. The authors then test this model using data from 1,380 people with childhood-onset disabilities and OLS regression analysis. Findings As theorized, family-of-origin-size is positively associated with hours worked. Family-of-origin-size is also associated with having more close friends and children. These strong ties, in turn, are positively associated with hours worked. The impact of having more children on hours worked and skill-utilization, however, is positive for men but non-significant for women. Originality/value This study breaks new ground by focusing on the association between strong ties with family and friends and employment quality for people with childhood-onset disabilities – a marginalized and understudied group. Findings further indicate the particular vulnerability of women with disabilities.


2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Fuchs ◽  
Andreas Otto

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand value creation of information technology (IT) in supply chain planning (SCP). The impact of different IT components in SCP remains unclear and requires some thorough research. In addition, an analysis of the optimization dimension provides insights into intra-functional, inter-functional and cross-company optimization. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was conducted among German companies using a continuous production flow. In total, 47 of 193 contacted companies completed the web survey, which corresponds to a response rate of 24 percent. Findings – IT functionality for SCP is widely spread. The value of IT functionality in SCP is tremendous. Implementations in demand fulfillment and available-to-promise (ATP) have the biggest value creation potential. Supply chain performance indicators can be improved by investments in certain functional domains. Packaged standard software is widely distributed and should be considered as the first option. IT functionality to improve intra-functional processes is significantly more often implemented than IT functionality for inter-functional or cross-company process optimization although the realized value is comparable. Research limitations/implications – Respondents of the survey are limited to the German continuous production flow industry. Future research could be interesting in the discrete manufacturing industry. Originality/value – The paper provides empirical insights into the value of IT in SCP where data are less available than in the ERP context. Furthermore, this paper provides first insights into the optimization dimension whether processes are optimized intra-functional, inter-functional or cross-company.


2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 898-917 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yosra Mani ◽  
Lassaad Lakhal

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how internal social capital – as a part of the familiness resources– affects family firm performance. The social capital theory states that internal social capital within family businesses is composed of three dimensions: the structural dimension, the relational dimension, and the cognitive dimension. The aim of the paper is to study the relationship between each dimension of internal social capital and family firm performance. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs an empirical investigation which is based on a sample of 114 Tunisian family firms. Findings – Results demonstrate that the structural and relational dimensions are positively associated with financial and non-financial family firm’s performance. However, the cognitive dimension has a significant positive effect on financial performance but not on non-financial family firm performance. Originality/value – The proposed model aims to test the direct effect of internal social capital dimensions on financial and non-financial family firm’s performance. Besides, there is a lack of empirical evidence aiming at understanding the impact of structural, cognitive and relational social capital on the performance of family firms.


2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (12) ◽  
pp. 2389-2412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo K.S. Lam

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to theoretically hypothesise and empirically test the impact of sustainable supply chain practices (SSCPs) on firms’ financial risk. Design/methodology/approach This research adopts signalling theory to explain the signalling role of SSCPs and the moderating role of the signalling environment in terms of supply chain characteristics. It collects and combines longitudinal secondary data from multiple sources to test the direct impact of SSCPs on firms’ financial risk and the moderating role of supply chain complexity and efficiency. It conducts various additional tests to check the robustness of the findings and to account for alternative explanations. Findings This research shows that SSCPs help firms reduce financial risk but do not affect their returns. Moreover, the risk reduction of SSCPs is greater for firms with more complex and efficient supply chains. The findings are robust to alternative variable measurements and analysing strategies. Research limitations/implications This research reveals the role of SSCPs in reducing financial risk, urging researchers to pay more attention to the financial risk implications of supply chain practices in general and SSCPs in particular. Practical implications This research encourages firms to engage in SSCPs to reduce financial risk and enables them to assess the urgency of their SSCPs investments in view of the complexity and efficiency of their supply chains. Originality/value This is the first research examining the impact of SSCPs on financial risk, based on longitudinal secondary data and signalling theory. The empirical evidence documented and the theoretical perspective adopted offer important implications for future practice and research on SSCPs.


2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Carlos Pinho

Purpose This paper draw insights from social capital theory and examines the synergistic effect of several constructs on export performance within the context of exporter–intermediary relationships. Specifically, it assumes that social capital and the set of resources embedded therein strongly influence the extent to which both commitment and cooperation occur, and how these, in turn, impact on export performance. Design/methodology/approach Following a quantitative methodological approach, a survey is applied to a sample of small and medium-sized enterprise exporters, to empirically test the proposed conceptual model. Partial least squares structural equation modeling is used to test the empirical model. Findings The findings reveal that there is a positive and direct impact of social capital on export performance. Results also confirm that the presence of high social capital between exporters and intermediaries affects both high commitment and high cooperation. The study also confirms the mediation effect of cooperation in the relationship between social capital and export performance. Practical implications One possible shortfall of this research relates to the fact that this analysis only incorporates the view of one actor, the view of exporter firms. This limitation could open a rewarding direction for future research, which would be to analyze the view of both sides in a dyadic relationship. Originality/value This paper presents the original approach of looking at the relational antecedents of export performance.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamar Zekhnini ◽  
Anass Cherrafi ◽  
Imane Bouhaddou ◽  
Youssef Benghabrit ◽  
Jose Arturo Garza-Reyes

PurposeThis article presents a review of the existing state-of-the-art literature concerning Supply Chain Management 4.0 (SCM 4.0) and identifies and evaluates the relationship between digital technologies and Supply Chain Management.Design/methodology/approachA literature review of state-of-the-art publications in the subject field and a bibliometric analysis were conducted.FindingsThe paper identifies the impact of novel technologies on the different supply chain processes. Furthermore, the paper develops a roadmap framework for future research and practice.Practical implicationsThe proposed work is useful for both academics and practitioners as it outlines the pillar components for every supply chain transformation. It also proposes a range of research questions that can be used as a base to guide the future research direction of the field.Originality/valueThis paper presents a novel and original literature review-based study on SCM4.0 as no comprehensive review is available where bibliometric analysis, motivations, barriers and technologies' impact on different SC processes have been considered.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Chen ◽  
Byung Hee Lee ◽  
Asylgul Alymkulova

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate gender gaps in opportunity-driven entrepreneurship and illuminate the underlying mechanism of why women are less likely to create ventures in order to take advantage of the opportunity than men.Design/methodology/approachBy drawing on human/social capital theory and expanding extant gender-related entrepreneurship literature, this study addresses how human and social capital mediates the relationship between gender and opportunity-driven entrepreneurship. A sample of 115,367 individuals across 62 countries drawn from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor of 2016 was examined using multilevel logistic regression and Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) mediation analysis.FindingsFindings of this study demonstrate that women’s lack of entrepreneurial relevant knowledge and skills, intrapreneurship experience as well as social networks with other entrepreneurs contribute to women’s less likelihood of engaging in opportunity-driven entrepreneurship than their male counterparts.Originality/valueCompared to previous research mainly investigating macro-level determinants, this study further explores the explanatory factors affecting gender gaps in opportunity-driven entrepreneurship from the individual level. The findings provide an implication for public policy and give a direction to rethinking how to promote opportunity-driven entrepreneurship, especially for that led by women.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 1319-1350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monique Lynn Murfield ◽  
Wendy L. Tate

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine managerial perspectives in both buyer and supplier firms implementing environmental initiatives in their supply chains, and explore the impact of environmental initiatives on buyer-supplier relationships. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative, grounded theory approach is used as the methodological approach to this research, including 15 in-depth interviews with managers from buyer and supplier firms implementing environmental initiatives in their supply chains to gain multiple perspectives of the buyer-supplier relationships. Findings The results suggest that implementing environmental initiatives within the supply chain changes the buyer-supplier relationship from transactional to collaborative, shifting from a commodity-focused purchase to a more strategic purchase as environmental initiatives are implemented. Research limitations/implications Although both buyer and supplier perspectives were considered, matched dyads were not used; researchers should continue to provide a holistic perspective of the phenomenon with dyadic data. Additionally, the use of a qualitative research approach suggests a lack of generalizability of results, and therefore researchers should further test the propositions. Practical implications Implementing environmental initiatives within the supply chain may require different approaches to supply management and development for long-term success. Suppliers should recognize that the capability to implement environmental initiatives with their customers is a differentiator. The nuances involved in managing the implementation of environmental initiatives between firms can be better managed by collaboratively developing metrics specifically related to the environment. Originality/value Previous research in environmental supply chain management has examined drivers and barriers of implementing environmental initiatives with suppliers, but fails to address the relationship dynamics involved when implementing environmental initiatives between organizations. This research begins to fill that gap.


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