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Service organization supply chains provide a context that amplifies the complexity of interorganizational interdependencies and the need to build unique capabilities and innovative solutions, especially when confronted with man-made or natural disasters. Using the lens of complex adaptive systems (CAS), this study aims to investigate the role of absorptive capacity (AC), change management capability and information quality in improving a firm’s ability to cope with disasters – disaster immunity (DI). The study uniquely parses absorptive capacity into a three-variable, second-order construct (absorptive human resource management, absorptive complementary knowledge and absorptive infrastructure).

Using data collected from 264 US service firms in a supply chain context, this paper evaluates the research model using the structural equation modeling approach.

The second-order, three-dimensional framework for AC has far superior psychometric properties as compared to the previous unidimensional conceptualizations. Results show that AC influences a firm’s DI through change management capability and information quality – two DI enhancing resources.

The paper builds on previous conceptual discussions of absorptive capacity as a multidimensional construct by operationalizing AC as a latent variable with three dimensions (above). Moreover, this paper shows that AC, change management capability, information quality and DI are interrelated parts of a CAS.

This paper aims to address the challenges knowledge actors face when using knowledge codifiability to develop common interests. The challenge is compounded when actors with diverse knowledge domains depend on each other to complete tasks, and, simultaneously, update their knowledge to address novelty in the organizational environment.

Given this context, this paper studies the impact of two moderating variables, systems dependence (Z) and novelty (W), on the relationship between knowledge codifiability (X) and common interests (M). This study also examines whether common interests (M) mediate the relationship between knowledge codifiability (X) and knowledge transfer (Y). To test the hypotheses, the authors collected data from 163 entrepreneurs in the southwest USA.

The results demonstrate that novelty in the knowledge domain of actors provides a supporting context for knowledge codifiability to develop common interests, but only when actors’ dependence on each other to complete tasks is at low to medium level. Moreover, the results also provide evidence that common interests mediate the relationship between codifiability and ease of knowledge transfer.

Using the results, this study provides a decision-making framework for managing tasks based on system dependence and novelty level.

This paper aims to develop and test a model of buyer–supplier relational investment that links supply chain integration (SCI) to supplier flexibility performance (SFLEX) advantages in different manufacturing environments. Relational stability (RS) and information quality (IQL) are viewed as key indicators of intermediating commitment investments in supplier relationships to help support supplier accommodations for special requests for order flexibility. The model is applied to investigate the relative importance of manufacturer relational investments with suppliers in both make-to-stock (MTS) and make-to-order (MTO) production environments.

A survey of 206 US manufacturing firms was used to test the proposed research model using structural equation modeling and multiple-group analysis techniques.

Social exchange investments in relationship stability and information quality are found to fully mediate the positive performance relationship between supply chain integration and supplier flexibility performance for manufacturers. However, the relative importance of each form of investment in enhancing supplier flexibility performance varies based on the buyer’s (manufacturer’s) order fulfillment environment (make-to-stock versus make-to-order).

The proposed model may assist manufacturers make more informed relational exchange investments and supply chain configuration decisions that most conducive to enhancing supplier flexibility performance for different production environments.

This study recognizes service as the majority contributor to global and US gross domestic product and the importance of innovation speed to service innovation. Generating innovative products and services at a faster rate generates advantages for business-to-business (B2B) service organizations in keeping up with and moving ahead of rivals. This study aims to introduce the concept of capacity for social exchange (CSE) in buyer–supplier relationships, which reflects the degree to which individuals possess competencies that enable the exchange of information, and this study also explores how CSE affects knowledge sharing and innovation speed within a supply chain organization.

The sampling frame of this research consisted of service businesses in the USA. The data were collected through Zoomerang, an online survey research firm where the B2B panel of Zoomerang formed the sampling frame. The data was collected from 264 B2B service sector executives.

The key findings are as follows: CSE facilitates knowledge sharing; knowledge sharing is positively related to innovation speed; and the relationship between CSE and innovation speed is fully mediated by knowledge sharing. Additional analysis reveals that knowledge channels which are designed as boundary-spanning strategies used to transfer and create knowledge between business units, directly increase – and positively moderate – the relationship between CSE and innovation speed.

This study addresses the gap in literature focused on micro-level influencers on innovation. This study sets out by presenting the concept of CSE, and this study addresses limitations in prior work by examining the research questions.

The research first and uniquely explores the antecedent relationship among three highly studied environmental forces – competitive intensity (CI), market turbulence (MT) and technological turbulence (TT) – in a service context. Next, given the importance of services to the USA and global gross domestic product (GDP) and the unique characteristics of services versus product firms, the research examines the impact of environmental forces on innovation speed capability, a less studied but critical enabler of service innovation. Finally, this study aims to suggest the importance of the sequential relationship between two dynamic capabilities – innovation speed and operational flexibility – to realize advantage.

This study surveyed 264 US service firms in a business to business context and tested this research model using structural equation modeling.

The results yielded three major conclusions: in a service context when examining the relationship among the three environmental forces, CI appears to have the driving influence on MT and TT, MT, however, was the only environmental force that this study found to bare positive and significant direct influence on innovation speed. Looking at the zero-order effect of MT and TT on innovation speed this study found each to be positive and significant suggesting a negative suppression effect and innovation speed’s influence on performance relative to competitors is fully mediated by operational flexibility.

The paper contributes to context, as service firms represent the majority of the USA and global GDP. This study extends the literature on the highly studied environmental forces (MT, TT and CI) by examining how they influence each other in an antecedent role and in service context. This study extends service literature by going beyond the influence of environmental forces on innovation to examine the dynamic capability of innovation speed, suggested as uniquely important to service context and distinct from the more highly studied innovation construct. The study also extends prior research in the manufacturing (product) context that suggests the importance of sequential congruence between two critical dynamic capabilities – innovation speed and operational flexibility – necessary to deliver competitive advantage.

Organizations have long employed business continuity planning (BCP) to prevent disruption to their operations. The authors seek to extend existing theory by examining the impact of logistical business continuity planning (LBCP) – BCP in the context of logistics – on firms’ operational capabilities and financial performance.

Using data of firms operating in the US transportation and warehousing industries, the authors empirically test LBCP's affect on their business units’ financial performance.

The authors’ findings suggest that LBCP influences financial performance via improvement in logistical competitive capability and enhanced disaster immunity. Further, the findings indicate that when a firm employs mindful‐planning processes, an important element within LBCP, it can avoid the trade‐off between risk management and efficiency. The authors proffer that LBCP processes are dynamic capabilities because of improvement in logistical competitive capabilities and enhanced disaster immunity. Thus, when firms employ LBCP they gain a competitive advantage, which improves financial performance.

This is the first research paper which establishes the link between LBCP and its logistical competitive capability, disaster immunity and financial performance.

The purpose of this paper is to seek to develop psychometrically validated scale for logistical business continuity planning (LBCP) construct.

Using survey data from 106 firms in transportation and warehousing industry the psychometric properties of the proposed LBCP scale have been evaluated. The structure of the LBCP construct is also assessed. Three competing construct structures – Model A: hypothesized multidimensional second‐order factor model; Model B: first‐order multidimensional factor model; and Model C: first‐order unidimensional factor model – are proposed and then evaluated using structural equation modeling analyses.

The results indicate that the proposed scale has adequate psychometric properties. Furthermore, the results show that the hypothesized second‐order multidimensional model is the best‐fit and most parsimonious model.

The paper contributes to the knowledge on supply chain risk management by providing empirically validated measures for the LBCP construct. This scale provides a clear conceptualization of LBCP and should allow the authors to explore the nomological net around LBCP which is central to the survival of many organizations.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Turbulent environments provide opportunities for service-focused organizations to innovate and gain a competitive advantage.

The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.