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Interorganizational Systems and Supply Chain Agility in Uncertain Environments: The Mediation Role of Supply Chain Collaboration

Author

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  • Jingmei Zhou

    (Department of Management Science and Engineering, School of Business, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China)

  • Ting Xu

    (Department of Information Systems and Management Engineering, SUSTech Business School, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China)

  • Yuchi Chiao

    (College of Business, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China)

  • Yulin Fang

    (Faculty of Business and Economics, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China)

Abstract

Supply chain agility has been recognized as a key capability for firms working to achieve superior performance in uncertain business environments. Supply chain agility is challenging to achieve, however, because it requires the firm and its supply chain partners to collaborate closely yet flexibly across organizational boundaries. Extending the boundary object literature to the supply chain context, this study unveils the mechanism through which interorganizational systems (IOS), widely deployed to span organizational boundaries through interfirm digital connections, promote supply chain agility in uncertain environments. The concept of supply chain collaboration is introduced as the mediating mechanism between two key IOS characteristics (i.e., standardization and adaptability) and supply chain agility. Environmental uncertainty is incorporated as the contextual condition through contextualized theorization of IOS as boundary objects. The resulting hypotheses are tested via a two-wave, match-paired survey study on business and information technology executives in 156 manufacturing firms. Empirical findings provide general support to most hypotheses, and implications for theory development and professional practice are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Jingmei Zhou & Ting Xu & Yuchi Chiao & Yulin Fang, 2024. "Interorganizational Systems and Supply Chain Agility in Uncertain Environments: The Mediation Role of Supply Chain Collaboration," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 35(1), pages 184-202, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orisre:v:35:y:2024:i:1:p:184-202
    DOI: 10.1287/isre.2023.1210
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    References listed on IDEAS

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