How does firm innovativeness enable supply chain resilience? The moderating role of supply uncertainty and interdependence

Abstract

Despite its potential benefits in a wide range of circumstances, firm innovativeness received scant attention in relation to managing the various risks and uncertainties in the global business environment. Likewise, there is still a limited understanding of firms’ supply chain resilience (SCR) and its related antecedents in the strategic management literature. This research focuses on exploring the relationship between firm innovativeness and SCR in an attempt to facilitate bridging the gap between two important research streams and shed some light on the contingent value of firm innovativeness against disruptions and adversities. The moderating role of supply uncertainty and interdependence in the focal relationship was also hypothesised and tested. Findings suggest that firm innovativeness is positively associated with firm SCR, and supply uncertainty negatively moderates this relationship but interdependence does not. We argue that this could be due to the dual nature of interdependence in supply networks.

Keywords:

• firm innovativeness
• environmental uncertainty
• interdependence
• supply chain resilience

Acknowledgements

This research did not receive external funding. We would like to thank Professor Elizabeth Rose, Professor Stephen Silver, and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable input in the development of this manuscript.

Notes on contributors

Ismail Gölgeci is a doctoral candidate and research fellow at University of Vaasa, Finland. His research interests focus on global marketing strategy and global supply chain management. His research has been published in Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, and Journal of Strategic Marketing. He frequently presents and his research at various international academic conferences. Email: [email protected]

Serhiy Y. Ponomarov (Ph.D. University of Tennessee) currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management at The Citadel, USA. His research interests focus on supply chain risk management, visibility, and demand-supply integration. Prior to completing his Ph.D. programme at the University of Tennessee, he has earned an MBA from the University of Louisiana and MS in Industrial Statistics from the University of Tennessee. He has several years of professional and consulting experience in the areas of supply chain management, demand forecasting, consumer marketing, and Lean Six Sigma operations. His research has been published in Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, The International Journal of Logistics Management, and Supply Chain Forum: An International Journal. He is also regularly presenting and publishing his research at several academic conferences and professional meetings. Email: [email protected]