The influence of supply chain leadership and followership on organizational performance: An empirical study on a Portuguese energy supplier

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze how supply chain leadership and supply chain followership affect a company's value. Specifically, this will take place through an analysis of transformational leadership and followership behaviors on shared value creation, in order to achieve higher performance and greater alignment of common values.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a structured questionnaire to gather data from a cross-sectional sample of 456 supply chain partners of the largest Portuguese energy supplier. Structural equation modeling is used to test the proposed hypotheses, and a multigroup analysis is conducted to find out how supplier dependence can impact the suggested relationships.

Findings

Findings suggest that supply chain leadership positively impacts supply chain followership, shared value, and common values. Additionally, it was possible to observe that the influence of supply chain leadership and supply chain followership on performance occurs in an indirect way through the mediation of shared value and common values.

Research limitations/implications

The research considers only one company's suppliers. The relationships between variables need to be explored in other practical case studies and longitudinal investigations.

Originality/value

The study provides a better understanding of the impacts and chain of effects between supply chain leadership and supply chain followership on performance, while considering the role of dependence as a moderating variable. The overall results may support the importance of truly sustainable business leadership capable of promoting shared value creation along the entire supply chain.

Citation

Fontoura, P. and Coelho, A. (2020), "The influence of supply chain leadership and followership on organizational performance: An empirical study on a Portuguese energy supplier", Baltic Journal of Management, Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 333-353. https://doi.org/10.1108/BJM-01-2019-0012