International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

Zhang, Qiansong; Pan, Jieyi; Feng, Taiwen

2020 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpdlm-01-2020-0027

Since firms are often puzzled with the adoption of proper governing mechanism to achieve their environmental benefits, this research examines how green supplier integration (GSI) affects environmental performance via environmental innovation and the moderating role of ambidextrous governance.Design/methodology/approachThe authors tested the hypotheses by adopting two-waved survey data from 206 Chinese manufacturers and the hierarchical regression analysis.FindingsThe results revealed that GSI is positively linked with both incremental and radical environmental innovation, which further enhance environmental performance. Moreover, balanced ambidexterity enhanced the link between GSI and incremental environmental innovation, while combined ambidexterity alleviated the link between GSI and radical environmental innovation.Practical implicationsFirms should integrate suppliers into their activities of dealing with environmental issues to realize environmental benefits through facilitating environmental innovation. Moreover, the choice of different dimensions of ambidextrous governance can affect the environmental benefits of GSI.Originality/valueThis research enriches the authors’ understanding of how to achieve environmental benefits by engaging in GSI, and it provides a novel and insightful approach for better managing GSI from the perspective of ambidextrous governance.

Gligor, David; Bozkurt, Siddik; Gölgeci, Ismail; Maloni, Michael J.

2020 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpdlm-01-2020-0004

Despite the recent wealth of supply chain agility literature, scholars have yet to thoroughly examine its impacts on the customer experience. To address this gap, we assess the effects of supply chain agility on customer value and customer satisfaction, including the moderating role of customer loyalty, from the perspectives of both business customers (B2B) and end-customers (B2C).Design/methodology/approachWe used multivariate regression analysis to evaluate direct, indirect and conditional effects across survey responses from 148 senior-level supply chain managers (buyers) (Study 1) and 170 end-customers (i.e. consumers) (Study 2).FindingsThe results reveal that supply chain agility retains a direct link to both B2B and B2C’ value and satisfaction. However, a higher level of customer loyalty reduces the strength of these relationships, signifying that agility is less important with established customers. In this respect, agility is important to attract new customers, but more agility is not always beneficial once the customer relationship is established.Originality/valueThe current study is among the first to examine end-customer response to supply chain agility. The findings complement existing literature by providing novel insights into the impact of supply chain agility on both business customers (B2B) and end-customers (B2C).

Ellinger, Alexander E.; Adams, Frank G.; Franke, George R.; Herrin, Gregory D.; deCoster, Tyler E.; Filips, Karli E.

2020 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpdlm-07-2019-0209

Supply chain management (SCM) proficiency is generally associated with superior business performance. Yet, SCM research continues to focus predominantly on the performance of individual firms, rather than on the collective performance of multiple supply chain participants as espoused by the extended enterprise (EE) concept. In response to calls for quantitative studies that examine the collective performance of multiple supply chain participants, this research study compares the combined performance of triads comprising focal firms recognized for their relative SCM proficiency and their upstream (supplier) and downstream (customer) supply chain partners with that of their close industry competitors' triads.Design/methodology/approachThe triadic, longitudinal examination of multiple supply chain participants' collective performance utilized archival financial data of the period 2007–2017 from the Compustat database and the supply chain (SPLC) function of Bloomberg.FindingsFindings of this study indicated that supply chain triads that included focal firms recognized for their relative SCM proficiency experienced significantly lower sales and general administrative expenses and significantly higher productivity, return on assets and profitability over time than their close industry competitors' triads. However, contrary to expectations, the performance advantages identified did not extend to revenue growth.Research limitations/implicationsSupply chain triads cannot fully represent entire supply chains or EEs. However, this study’s triadic analysis can be viewed as a practically achievable proxy for further validating the EE concept. Moreover, based on assertions that triadic studies are suitable for SCM research and on empirical studies that consistently show individual firms recognized for their relative SCM proficiency outperform competitors, the authors contend that the study’s findings appropriately corroborate the value of the EE concept.Practical implicationsBecause such empirical evidence is so rare, the consistent, collective performance advantages identified in this study should be highly significant to managers.Originality/valueRobust, longitudinal evidence that supply chain triads which include focal firms recognized for relative SCM proficiency collectively outperform their close industry competitors' triads extends generally accepted associations between SCM proficiency and business performance, suggesting that the application of extended resource-based view (ERBV) in supply chain contexts warrants further examination and further substantiates the efficacy of the EE concept.