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1 – 10 of over 120000Fred Kyagante, Benjamin Tukamuhabwa, Joel Ngobi Makepu, Henry Mutebi and Colline Waiswa
This paper aims to investigate the relationship between information technology (IT) capabilities, information integration and supply chain resilience within the context of a…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the relationship between information technology (IT) capabilities, information integration and supply chain resilience within the context of a developing country.
Design/methodology/approach
Employing a structured questionnaire survey, the study collected cross-sectional data from 205 agro-food processing firms in Uganda, drawn from a sample of 248. The data were subsequently analyzed using SPSS version 27 to validate the hypothesized relationships.
Findings
The study findings revealed that IT capabilities and information integration are positively and significantly associated with supply chain resilience. Moreover, it established a positive and significant link between IT capabilities and information integration. The results further revealed both IT capabilities and information integration account for 62.2% of the variance in supply chain resilience (SCRES) in agro-food processing firms in Uganda. Notably, the findings revealed the partial mediating role of information integration, addressing the need to understanding the mechanisms through which IT capabilities influence SCRES.
Research limitations/implications
First, the study used a cross-sectional design which makes it difficult to test causality. Some of the study variables need to be studied over time due to their inherent behavioral elements such as collaboration and information sharing. Hence, future research that could, where possible, collect longitudinal data on the study variables would add value to the findings. Second, the study was limited to agro-food processing firms in Uganda in selected districts of Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono and Jinja. Further research needs to be done in other sectors such as service industry and other geographical locations in Uganda and other developing economies to provide more generality of the findings. Third, the study was based on IT capabilities, information integration and supply chain resilience. There are other variables that affect supply chain resilience such as business continuity planning strategy, interactions between teams within an organization in building resilience, supply chain velocity, system orientation and flexibility among others which can be interesting for further research.
Practical implications
Managers are advised to motivate their IT-related personnel. Efficient use of IT systems by staff, especially who are skillful at self-study, enhances their ability to respond to disruptions accordingly. This enhances SCRES. Additionally, to get feedback from supply chain stakeholders, agro-food processing firms should assess the quality of their supply chain services through using IT capabilities as well as integrating their information.
Originality/value
This study contributes to existing literature by adopting information processing perspective to provide an empirical understanding of IT capabilities and information integration as key resources and capabilities essential for information processing in building SCRES. Furthermore, the study introduces the novel insight of the mediating role of information integration as a pathway in which IT capabilities enhance SCRES in agro-food processing firms in Uganda.
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Qian Yang, Ruoqi Geng, Taiwen Feng and Tianxiong Li
This study aimed to investigate how different supply chain integrations (SCIs) (i.e. information integration and organisational integration) would impact product- and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to investigate how different supply chain integrations (SCIs) (i.e. information integration and organisational integration) would impact product- and service-oriented mass customisation capability (MCC) differently and the moderating role of characteristics of customer needs (i.e. customer need tacitness and diversity).
Design/methodology/approach
From the perspective of information processing theory (IPT), the authors tested the hypotheses using survey data from 277 Chinese manufacturers.
Findings
The findings indicate that both information and operational integration contribute to product- and service-oriented MCCs. Operational integration promotes product-oriented MCC more, whereas information integration has a greater impact on service-oriented MCC. In addition, customer need tacitness negatively moderates the impact of operational integration on both product- and service-oriented MCC. Customer need diversity negatively moderates only the impact of operational integration on service-oriented MCC.
Practical implications
Managers should focus on not only the position (internal or external) but also the function of SCI when making decisions towards enhancing MCC. Diverse abilities to integrate with different functions are associated with different MCCs.
Originality/value
This study distinguishes between product- and service-oriented MCCs and provides novel insights for understanding how to enhance MCC from a SCI perspective.
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Dilupa Nakandala, Premaratne Samaranayake, Henry Lau and Krishnamurthy Ramanathan
Despite much research on supply chain (SC) integration and the growing emphasis on recent information technology advancements as an enabler of improved performance, there has been…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite much research on supply chain (SC) integration and the growing emphasis on recent information technology advancements as an enabler of improved performance, there has been limited research focussed specifically on information integration in supply chains (SCs). The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the literature on information integration in the fresh food supply chain (FFSC) from a holistic perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Literature review is done by systematically collecting and analysing the recent literature to identify various participant entities of the FFSC information network and their specific information needs.
Findings
The information needs of FFSC entities are diverse but the needs are common across multiple entities.
Research limitations/implications
This study only reviewed the FFSC-related literature; an extended study of the food industry may reveal a more comprehensive view.
Practical implications
These findings are useful for practitioners in understanding the participant entities in the information network and their information needs and for policymakers in formulating FFSC development initiatives.
Originality/value
The authors are not aware of another study that investigates the FFSC in a holistic approach, one that identifies the actors, their interactions and information needs.
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Yaqin Yuan, Linlin Liu and Liu Liu
This paper aims to investigate the relationship between information integration, supply chain capabilities and credit quality of small and middle enterprises (SMEs) in supply…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the relationship between information integration, supply chain capabilities and credit quality of small and middle enterprises (SMEs) in supply chain finance (SCF).
Design/methodology/approach
Grounded in the resource-based view (RBV) and signaling theory, this study proposes a theoretical model. Then, structural equation modeling and interview analysis are employed to test the theoretical model.
Findings
The results show that both two aspects of information integration, namely, information technology and information sharing, have positive effects on the SMEs’ credit quality in SCF, and these effects are mediated by supply chain capabilities.
Originality/value
First, the paper contributes to SCF literature by simultaneously examining the role of two dimensions of information integration (information technology and information sharing) in enhancing SMEs’ credit quality. Second, this paper enriches the existing theoretical research on SCF by integrating the SMEs perspective and SCF service provider perspective. Moreover, this paper explores the indirect effects of information integration on SMEs’ credit quality by incorporating supply chain capabilities as a mediating factor.
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Veera Pandiyan Kaliani Sundram, Atikah Shamsul Bahrin, Zarina Binti Abdul Munir and Ali Hussein Zolait
The purpose of this paper is to explain the relationship between supply chain information management, supply chain information system (IS) infrastructure, supply chain integration…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explain the relationship between supply chain information management, supply chain information system (IS) infrastructure, supply chain integration and the manufacturing performance of firms in manufacturing industry in Malaysia. Therefore, the study addresses a gap in research concerning the effect of supply chain information practices toward manufacturing performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The research design for this study employed the quantitative method using survey questionnaires that have been developed based on a thorough and detailed analysis of the relevant literature. Based on a sample consist of 248 usable data, mediated multiple regression analysis was used to examine the research model.
Findings
The findings indicate that supply chain integration fully mediates the relationship between supply chain information management and supply chain information system infrastructure (ISI) toward manufacturing performance.
Research limitations/implications
This research is limited to a particular sample: i.e. electrical and electronics manufacturing firms in Peninsular Malaysia. Thus, the results need to be generalized to encompass wider samples.
Practical implications
Organizations interest in making all members in their supply chain to communicate using information network to support managers in better decision making while adopting more enhanced information management and system infrastructure. As a plus, it helps in integrating various internal and external value chain processes across manufacturing firms in the organization’s supply chain network. As result, manufacturing firms could improve their performance in the long run.
Originality/value
The originality of this study lies in employing a newly developed framework-based existing theoretical argument to examine the effectiveness of supply chain information management and system infrastructure with an improved influence from supply chain integration toward the manufacturing performance.
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Elina Sillanpää and Ilkka Sillanpää
The purpose of the study is to formulate a model for the information integration development. The service supply chain is managed with information; therefore, the functionality of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to formulate a model for the information integration development. The service supply chain is managed with information; therefore, the functionality of the flow of information is an essential part of service business. The aim of this study is to address this issue by looking into the meaning and development of the elements of information integration in real estate and user services.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is a qualitative research into elements of information integration and developing them in real estate and user services. Collecting the data for the study consisted of three stages: a workshop and two rounds of interviews.
Findings
The finding of the study is a model for developing information integration in a real estate and user services. The model presents the meanings of the six elements which integration consists of and which need to be developed to increase information integration.
Research limitations/implications
In services, the supply chain is typically shorter than in production. This study is limited to analyse the supply chain between a customer and a service provider since these are the most significant and often the only parties in the supply chain of real estate and user services.
Practical implications
The results can be utilized when developing information integration in the service supply chain and developing service providers operations.
Originality/value
The research results bring additional value to the previous studies regarding elements of information integration by developing a model for the sequence of development of these elements.
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Kizito Elijah Kanyoma, Frank Wogbe Agbola and Richard Oloruntoba
The purpose of this paper is to explain the interrelationships in internal and external supply chain integration (SCI) across multiple tiers of manufacturing-based small and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explain the interrelationships in internal and external supply chain integration (SCI) across multiple tiers of manufacturing-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a developing country, Malawi.
Design/methodology/approach
Utilizing the resource-based view, resource-dependence and network theory perspectives, and drawing on a multiple embedded case-study approach, the research investigated the internal and external linkages within three-tier supplier, manufacturer and retailer SCs and described varying perspectives of SCI across supply chain positions.
Findings
Firms with strategic intra-firm resources were less committed to external integration, deploying their resources as a source of power to dominate and exploit their dependent partners. The SCI across multiple tiers was impaired by dependence but enhanced by interdependence strategies of firms. Although lack of trust, promotion of non-overlapping self-interests, corruption in sourcing processes and resource constraints negatively affected SCI, firm commitment to external integration promoted greater commitment among firms, thus having a positive effect on SCI.
Research limitations/implications
Further analysis of SCI of SME triads and a more systematic longitudinal analysis across other market segments should be explored to generalize the conclusions of this study.
Practical implications
The external influences on dyadic relationships go beyond the interactions of heterogeneous firms in the network to encompass interpersonal interactions across the network, where individuals may potentially prioritize personal connections and sabotage the interests of their firms.
Originality/value
The research explored the internal and external dimensions of SCI in multi-tier SCs of SMEs, and provided for the first time new evidence to show that firm commitment to engaging with partners complements the mechanisms of SCI within a developing country context. It highlights the need to develop trust, eliminate corruption, promote greater commitment of SC partners and encourage greater investment in firms’ resource capabilities to enhance SCI among SMEs.
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Nicholas Berente, Betty Vandenbosch and Benoit Aubert
Many business process improvement efforts emphasize better integration, yet process integration can mean many things. The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the importance of…
Abstract
Purpose
Many business process improvement efforts emphasize better integration, yet process integration can mean many things. The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the importance of information flows to modern business processes, and draw upon recent organizational and information systems literature to characterize process integration and to derive four principles of process integration: accessibility, timeliness, transparency, and granularity of information flows.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a field study, the four principles of process integration are applied to analyze ten different business processes across five organizations.
Findings
In total, 18 generalized activities are identified that describe non‐integrated behavior, and “keying in known data” was found to be the most common. Among other findings, analysis highlights the importance of documentation to modern business processes, especially for coordination roles, and the paper describes three different purposes for documentation found in the data: content, process validation, and posterity.
Research limitations/implications
The articulation of “business process integration” offers a foundation for future research in this area. Findings are limited in generalizability to various levels of processes, as well as possible instrument‐related biases.
Practical implications
The principles of process integration provide a lens through which practitioners can analyze processes. Empirical findings stress the role of documentation, forms of documentation, and types of non‐integrated work.
Originality/value
The paper characterizes process integration in relation to other commonly‐used constructs such as organizational integration, data integration, and application integration. Principles are derived from the literature that can guide future inquiry and practice associated with business process improvement.
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Macarena Sacristán-Díaz, Pedro Garrido-Vega and José Moyano-Fuentes
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationships between the different dimensions of supply chain integration (SCI). First, the sequence in which these dimensions should…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationships between the different dimensions of supply chain integration (SCI). First, the sequence in which these dimensions should be implemented and some possible mediating effects are investigated. Then, relationships are examined more closely to observe whether they present more complex non-linear forms than those usually analysed.
Design/methodology/approach
Required information was gathered from a sample of 477 Spanish industrial companies (23.4 per cent response rate). PLS structural equation modelling was applied to capture non-linear relationships between SCI dimensions.
Findings
The results indicate that internal integration leads to external integration and that within external integration, information flow integration provides the basis for financial flow integration and physical flow integration. Thus, the results suggest the existence of a logical sequence to achieve SCI. In addition, clearly different non-linear relationships are observed between the analysed variables.
Practical implications
It seems that a sufficient minimum value has to be reached for internal integration to have a positive effect on external information and financial integration. In addition, a higher degree of information integration appears to facilitate financial and physical integration, although a medium degree of information integration results in a lower degree of financial integration. Therefore, managers should not expect that efforts made to increase one integration dimension will always produce the same effect on the other dimensions.
Originality/value
An empirical contribution is made to knowledge of the logical SCI sequence. This contribution is not only important for academia, but also for managers seeking to improve supply chain performance through integration.
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Veera Pandiyan Kaliani Sundram, Prem Chhetri and Atika Shamsul Bahrin
This paper presents the concerns in manufacturing supply chain. Further this study investigates the role of information technology (IT) and information sharing (IS) in…
Abstract
This paper presents the concerns in manufacturing supply chain. Further this study investigates the role of information technology (IT) and information sharing (IS) in manufacturing supply chain and determines its impact towards supply chain integration (SCI), supply chain performance (SCP), and manufacturing firm performance (FP) in Malaysia. The theoretical framework was proposed for the study on the basis of existing literature. The study administered a survey questionnaire to collect data from manufacturing firms in Malaysia with 112 respondents. A multiple regression analysis is conducted to establish the relationship between IT, IS, SCI, and FP. The study finds that IT and sharing has significant positive effect towards and performance. Firms that use IT and practice IS across partners in the supply chain are more likely to integrate their internal and external value chain for better performance both within and across the manufacturing firms in the supply chain. This study can be of interest to the manufacturing industry as well as other industry practitioners interested in improving the performance of the organization and supply chain in total. For supply chain practitioners, this results indicate that the firms should adopt IT and IS practices to strategically improve SCI. This in turn will also improve the supply chain network and firm’s performance. This study employs a newly developed framework which depicts the causal relationship between IT, IS, SCI, Supply Chain Performance, and FP in Malaysia. Furthermore, it closes a gap in existing literature by examining the effect IT and communication (ICT) practices toward manufacturing firms’ performance and SCP in a single setting. In addition, the current study attempted to construct a model which would estimate and interpret SCP and FP simultaneously, and to evaluate this model in an empirical fashion.
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