Unlocking supply chain agility and supply chain performance through the development of intangible supply chain analytical capabilities

TLDR

Studies increasingly identify supply chain analytical capabilities as key enablers of supply chain agility and performance. This study examines how environmental dynamism and competitive pressures affect supply chain analytics, and how intangible supply chain analytical capabilities moderate the link between big data characteristics and agility to improve performance. The authors constructed and empirically tested a model grounded in big data, dynamic capability theory, and two ISCAC sub‑dimensions—organisational learning and data‑driven culture—to support agility and performance. Results show that environmental dynamism influences big data volume and velocity, velocity drives agility, organisational learning moderates the velocity–agility relationship, data‑driven culture moderates the variety–agility relationship, and agility significantly enhances performance.

Abstract

Purpose Increasingly, studies are reporting supply chain analytical capabilities as a key enabler of supply chain agility (SCAG) and supply chain performance (SCP). This study investigates the impact of environmental dynamism and competitive pressures in a supply chain analytics setting, and how intangible supply chain analytical capabilities (ISCAC) moderate the relationship between big data characteristics (BDC's) and SCAG in support of enhanced SCP. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on the literature on big data, supply chain analytical capabilities, and dynamic capability theory to empirically develop and test a supply chain analytical capabilities model in support of SCAG and SCP. ISCAC was the moderated construct and was tested using two sub-dimensions, supply chain organisational learning and supply chain data driven culture. Findings The results show that whilst environmental dynamism has a significant relationship on the three key BDC's, only the volume and velocity dimensions are significant in relation to competitive pressures. Furthermore, only the velocity element of BDC's has a significant positive impact on SCAG. In terms of moderation, the supply chain organisational learning dimension of ISCAC was shown to only moderate the velocity aspect of BDC's on SCAG, whereas for the supply chain data driven culture dimension of ISCAC, only the variety aspect was shown to moderate of BDC on SCAG. SCAG had a significant impact on SCP. Originality/value This study adds to the existing knowledge in the supply chain analytical capabilities domain by presenting a nuanced moderation model that includes external factors (environmental dynamism and competitive pressures), their relationships with BDC's and how ISCAC (namely, supply chain organisational learning and supply chain data driven culture) moderates and strengthens aspects of BDC's in support of SCAG and enhanced SCP.