The conceptual framework on integrated flexibility: an evolution to data-driven supply chain management

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anurodhsingh Khanuja ◽  
Rajesh Kumar Jain
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Dynamic Capability ◽  
Relational View ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supply Chain Flexibility

PurposeThis paper aims to establish a relationship between supply chain integration (SCI) and supply chain flexibility (SCF) to develop a two-dimensional approach, i.e. integrated flexibility.Design/methodology/approachBuilding on a relational view and dynamic capability theory, this paper argues that integrated flexibility is the strategy that enables organisations to achieve different positions and states to create distinctive capability. The article has proposed the conceptual framework that connects different supply chain strategies and practices to improve supply chain performance (SCP) considering the cross-disciplinary approach.FindingsThe conceptual framework around the new perspective, i.e. integrated flexibility, is built to deal with issues related to operations management. The paper suggests examining the mediating effect of SCF between SCI and SCP and the moderating role of knowledge management (KM), data analytics (DA) and quality management (QM) practices on their relationship. Moreover, research direction in terms of propositions and implications are developed to showcase how underlying practices streamline the supply chain and lead to superior SCP.Practical implicationsThe proposed framework discusses the degree of integration and flexibility levels to guide practitioners in designing a supply chain strategy with their partners and answering how much resources need to be extended to achieve flexible operations and realise SCP.Originality/valueAuthors have developed an entirely new integrated flexibility concept that provides a base to sustain in the competitive market. The foundation of integrated flexibility is built on relational view and dynamic capability theory and supported by DA, QM and KM.

Total eclipse on business performance and mass personalization: how supply chain flexibility eclipses lean production direct effect

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Manuel Maqueira ◽  
Luciano Romualdo Novais ◽  
Sebastian Bruque
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Lean Production ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Supporting Evidence ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supply Chain Flexibility ◽  
Mass Personalization

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the mediating role of Supply Chain Flexibility on the interrelationships binding Lean Production implementation, Mass Personalization and business performance. Design/methodology/approach A random sample of 260 companies obtained from a population of 1,717 Spanish companies that occupy an intermediate position in the supply chain has been used to test the proposed hypothetical framework. Telephone surveys using a computerized system have been used to collect data, obtaining a response rate of 15.6 and a structural equation model has been designed to test the six proposed hypotheses. Findings Companies initially implement Lean Production to optimize Mass Personalization processes and improve business performance. However, in the presence of Supply Chain Flexibility, Lean Production implementation no longer has a direct impact on Mass Personalization and business performance, but it does have an indirect impact through the flexibility it achieves (shown as a total mediating path). Therefore, companies should implement Lean Production to achieve flexibility and thus optimize the Mass Personalization processes and obtain better performance. Originality/value Academics and business managers may have supporting evidence on the role played by the total mediating effect of Supply Chain Flexibility on the relationship between Lean Production, Mass Personalization and business performance. A better knowledge of these management resources and their relationship could affect the way researchers and practitioners approach them, becoming more aware of the important role of the supply chain in competitiveness.

The mediating effect of supply chain flexibility on the relationship between supply chain integration and supply chain performance

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anurodhsingh Khanuja ◽  
Rajesh Kumar Jain
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Supply Chain Performance ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supplier Integration ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeSupply chain integration (SCI) and flexibility (SCF) are recognised as crucial business practices and capability in the global competitive market. However, limited research has paid attention to study the relationship between SCI, SCF and their impact on supply chain performance (SCP). Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to establish a relationship between integration, flexibility and performance.Design/methodology/approachThe structural equation modelling technique was used to analyse the 187 data collected from Indian organisations through the survey methodology.FindingsFindings indicate that external integration contributes significantly to realise SCF and SCP. Sourcing and logistics flexibility also help to improve the SCP. The mediation analysis showed that the association of customer and supplier integration with SCP is partially and fully mediated by logistics flexibility, respectively. This study suggests that integration influences the SCP when the firm has a strong association with downstream partners and enough capability for logistics flexibility.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has collected cross-sectional data to analyse the relationship between SCI, SCF and SCP. However, as integration requires an effort of the years, longitudinal data and industry-specific studies may provide comprehensive views to validate the results of this study.Originality/valueBuilding on relational view theory and dynamic capability theory, the study has proposed the SCP assessment framework based on the relationship between SCI and SCF.

The Impact of Big Data Capability on Enterprise Performance—theMediating Effect of Supply Chain Flexibility

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 5641-5655
Author(s):  
Ji Feng ◽  
Cheng Guiqing ◽  
Jia Xuedi ◽  
Luo Qubo ◽  
Wu Fan
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Enterprise Performance ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Supply Chain Flexibility ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Development Capability

Based on 234 survey data of 35 pilot demonstration enterprises in intelligent manufacturing, this paper tested the mediating role of supply chain flexibility in the process of big data capability affecting enterprise performance. The empirical results show that the foundation capability, application capability, and development capability all have a significant positive impact on enterprises performance. Big data foundation capability has a significant positive effect on the supply chain flexibility in terms of product flexibility, logistics flexibility and production flexibility, and it has no significant effect on purchasing flexibility and information flexibility. Both big data application capability and big data development capability have a positive effect on supply chain flexibility. In addition to purchasing flexibility, the other dimensions of supply chain flexibility and supply chain flexibility comprehensive factors all have a mediating effect on the relationship between big data capabilities and firm performance. The conclusions of this study have a positive enlightenment role for enterprises to develop big data capabilities and create a flexible supply chain to meet the needs of the market and customers.

The role of capabilities in shaping sustainable supply chain flexibility and enhancing circular economy-target performance: an empirical study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Surajit Bag ◽  
Muhammad Sabbir Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Data Analytics ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Supply Chain Flexibility ◽  
Target Performance ◽  
Analytics Capability

Purpose A circular economy is a popular approach considered by many firms to address sustainable development goals strategically. Literature indicates that collaborative relationships among supply chain partners facilitate circular economy practices. However, there is a dearth of studies in lower-middle-income countries indicating the unique challenges industries face whilst practising circular economy principles and how the challenges can be overcome. To address the calls of previous researchers, this study aims to explore the following relationships: engagement and alliance capability whilst data analytics capability plays a mediating role; the relationship between alliance and data analytics capability with sustainable supply chain flexibility whilst industry dynamism is considered as a moderating variable and the relationship between sustainable supply chain flexibility and circular economy-target performance. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey was performed and data was collected from 760 employees of Indian firms. Covariance-based structural equation modelling was applied to perform the path analysis to determine a firm’s capabilities in shaping sustainable supply chain flexibility and enhancing circular economy target performance. Findings Drawing upon dynamic capability theory, it was first established that engagement capability has a positive and significant influence on alliance capability, whilst data analytics capability played a partial mediating role. Second, it was established that alliance capability and data analytics capability significantly affect sustainable supply chain flexibility, whilst industry dynamism played a moderating role. Finally, it was clear that sustainable supply chain flexibility had a significant and positive effect on circular economy target performance, ultimately enhancing sustainability. Originality/value This study advances the circular economy literature by recommending that firms must consider some critical operational level capabilities to develop their dynamic capability, i.e. sustainable supply chain flexibility, to better meet the competitive market conditions in turbulent business environments.

scholarly journals Improving retail supply flexibility using buyer-supplier relational capabilities

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Obayi ◽  
S.C. Koh ◽  
David Oglethorpe ◽  
Seyed M. Ebrahimi
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supplier Relationships ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Supply Chain Flexibility ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Relational Capabilities ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of three important relational capabilities – absorptive capacity (AC), transactive memory systems (TMS), and organisational interoperability (OI); on the flexibility of buyer-supplier relationships and performance in retail supply chains. Drawing on the relational view of strategic management, the impact of relational capabilities on two forms of supply chain flexibility is examined – configuration flexibility (CF) for switching suppliers with minimal penalties, and planning and control flexibility (PCF) for altering supply schedules, quality, and delivery lead-time. Design/methodology/approach Strategic- and tactical-level managers from 211 retail stores in the UK were surveyed. The authors validated a measurement model with structural equation modelling and tested four hypotheses on the mediating role of relational capabilities on supply chain flexibility and retail performance, controlling for size, duration of relationship, and market segment. Findings Results showed that the three relational capabilities partially mediated the positive effect of CF and PCF on operational performance in big middle and niche retailers. Examining the interaction effect of the forms of flexibility on the relational capabilities and performance, the authors found positive interaction effects on TMS and OI but a non-significant effect on AC. Practical implications In addition to providing novel theoretical insights on supply chain flexibility, the findings have practical implications for supplier selection and buyer-supplier relationship management. Originality/value Overall, the study highlights the impacts of relational capabilities on adopted operational strategies such as flexibility, buyer-supplier relationships, and retail performance.

Supply chain flexibility

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 964-1026 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorieke H.M. Manders ◽  
Marjolein C.J. Caniëls ◽  
Paul W.Th. Ghijsen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Studies ◽  
Supply Chain Flexibility ◽  
State Of Research ◽  
Number Of Publications

Purpose The conceptualization of flexibility in organizations historically emerged from three views which relate to economic, to organizational and to manufacturing perspectives. Despite the growing number of publications about supply chain flexibility in the area of supply chain management, there is a lack of consensus on how to define and to conceptualize supply chain flexibility from a management point of view. The purpose of this paper is to present a comprehensive overview of the literature on the supply chain flexibility perspective and contributes to our understanding of the current state of research and its future development. Design/methodology/approach The research methodology used is the systematic literature review. In total 92 articles were selected from databases of well-known journal publishers in the field of economics, business studies and management sciences as well as grey literature to cover the topic of supply chain flexibility. Findings A limited number of studies in the field of supply chain flexibility apply theories and define the term supply chain flexibility. Instead they focus on a particular part or dimension of the supply chain. Based on the analysis, a distinction is made between flexibility in the supply chain and supply chain flexibility. Based on the function and characteristics of the supply chain, the authors selected 30 flexibility dimensions that cover supply chain flexibility by concentrating on the different business areas involved. Research limitations/implications The results support researchers and practitioners by identifying relevant trends and gaps in the field of supply chain flexibility. Originality/value The authors review the dimensions and aspects of supply chain flexibility that are currently taken into account in the literature. In this way, the authors provide an overarching perspective on the flexibility literature relating to supply chains.

Demand-supply balancing in manufacturing operations

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 564-583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joakim Coker ◽  
Petri Helo
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Inventory Management ◽  
Demand Management ◽  
Chain Structure ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Manufacturing Operations ◽  
Supply Chain Flexibility ◽  
Supply Chain Structure

Purpose – Demand-supply balancing (DSB) strategies and approaches are becoming increasingly important for manufacturing and operations. The purpose of this paper is to analyze practices of manufacturing companies and how they balance demand/supply in operations. Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaire-based interview has been conducted at 20 largest companies having manufacturing/operations in Finland. Findings – Supply chain structure, flexibility, demand management, capacity management, inventory management and revenue management are perceived as key practices for DSB. Research limitations/implications – The results show importance of supply chain-related parameters such as supply chain flexibility and inventory management in addition to production planning and control. The study is delimited to Finland companies but it gives an idea how decision making in operations generally can be perceived. Practical implications – DSB actions should be connected to operations strategy and long-term planning of the company. Originality/value – DSB is a strategic-level operations question which has an impact on several functions of supply chain.

scholarly journals Study on the Relations of Supply Chain Digitization, Flexibility and Sustainable Development—A Moderated Multiple Mediation Model

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 10043
Author(s):  
Qian Zhou ◽  
Shuxiang Wang
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Collaborative Management ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Supply Chain Flexibility ◽  
The Impact

In the face of an external environment featuring a high level of risk, multiple changes, and high uncertainty, the supply chain’s emergency replenishment, collaborative management, regulation of organic commodity, and low-cost rapid response will promote its’ sustainable growth and development, which is necessary for today’s economic development. The digitization and flexibility of the supply chain are of great value in obtaining the sustainable development of the supply chain. When dealing with an uncertain environment and market risk, current supply chain flexibility not only functions through its internal organizational flexibility, but also through collaborative creation and an extended supply chain network which will proactively form a replenishment supply sub-chain driven by the need for change responsiveness. This article constructs an associated model consisting of digitization, supply chain flexibility, and sustainability using an empirical analysis method to explore the implicit correlation of these factors. The analysis results of the mediating effect model show that both digitization and flexibility have significant positive effects on the sustainable development of the supply chain. Collaborative knowledge creation and supply chain flexibility play multiple mediating roles while market uncertainty positively moderates the impact of supply chain flexibility on supply chain sustainable development.

scholarly journals Supply chain flexibility in dynamic environments

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 636-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Araceli Rojo ◽  
Mark Stevenson ◽  
Francisco Javier Lloréns Montes ◽  
Maria Nieves Perez-Arostegui
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Dynamic Environments ◽  
Capabilities Approach ◽  
Structural Equations ◽  
Environmental Dynamism ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supply Chain Flexibility ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between environmental dynamism and supply chain flexibility (SCF) and to evaluate if two dynamic capabilities, i.e. operational absorptive capacity (OAC) and organisational learning (OL), are necessary competences for firms to develop such a responsive supply chain strategy as flexibility. Design/methodology/approach Hypothesised relationships are tested with survey data from 302 Spanish manufacturing firms using structural equations modelling. Findings Environmental dynamism is positively associated with both OAC and OL, and both dynamic capabilities enable SCF. The authors also find that the relationship between environmental dynamism and SCF is partially mediated by both dynamic capabilities. Research limitations/implications The study contributes to the literature, for example, by determining when it is advantageous to develop SCF, by specifying what capabilities a firm needs to develop to align SCF with the environment, and by opening the black box that is the relationship between the environment and SCF. Practical implications Managers should develop SCF via OAC and OL when they detect a high degree of environmental dynamism. Knowing when this is necessary relies on a good understanding of the environment. OAC is found to be a stronger enabler of SCF than OL. The findings provide managers with an insight into why some firms are able to develop more effective responses to dynamic environments than others. Originality/value This study is one of only a limited number of studies that adopt a dynamic capabilities approach to supply chain management. Prior literature has shown that dynamic capabilities can aid in developing strategic, structural, and operational flexibility. The authors extend this literature by showing that OAC and OL have an effect on SCF.

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