Supply chain resilience (SCR) is often seen as a dynamic capability that enables firms to effectively cope with disruptions and unforeseen events in the business environment. However, empirical research focusing on influencing factors on SCR is still limited. Based on the resource-based view (RBV) and the dynamic capabilities theory (DCT), we examine if absorptive capacity (AC) does in fact moderate the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and SCR. Drawing upon a sample of 171 Yemeni manufacturing SMEs, we tested the relationships in the proposed model. The findings of the data analysis using SmartPLS show that EO positively affects SCR, further, AC positively moderates the relationship between EO and SCR. With this outcome, it is expected that SME managers in Yemen demonstrate significant interest in developing the AC of their firms. This has implications that with the development of AC, it is expected that SMEs will be able to utilize the full potential of EO to improve SCR.

In the literature on channel relationships, there is a complex and hostile relationship between manufacturers and large retailers, especially given the growing strength of retail organizations in the global context. This study thus examines (a) the impacts of relational marketing bonds on economic and social satisfaction and (b) the role of economic satisfaction in the relationships between relational marketing bonds and social satisfactionin the manufacturer-retailer relationship. This quantitative study presents empirical findings from a survey of 140 large retailers using partial least squares. The results revealed that organizational bonds, but not interpersonal bonds, were crucial in affecting retailers' economic satisfaction. Meanwhile, interpersonal bonds were crucial in affecting retailers' social satisfaction. The results also provided strong evidence of the relationship between retailers' economic and social satisfaction as well as the crucial role of economic satisfaction as a mediator between organizational bonds and social satisfaction. Theoretical and managerial implications are extracted from these findings.

Available literatures have confirmed that there are unstable and complex relationship between manufacturers and large retailers especially in the growing strength of retail organizations in the global context. This study thus examines the impacts of retailer's satisfaction dimensions on its commitment, and the moderating effect of the manufacturer brands' strength on the relationships between retailer's satisfaction dimensions, and its commitment. This quantitative study presents the empirical findings from a survey of 140 large retailers using partial least squares (PLS). The results indicate that retailer's economic and social satisfaction have strong positive influence on retailer's commitment, and surprisingly, the retailer's social satisfaction is more influential on its commitment than retailer's economic satisfaction. The study also found that the strength of manufacturer's brands enhances the relationship between retailer's economic satisfaction and its commitment, but not the relationship between retailer's social satisfaction and its commitment. Theoretical and managerial implications are extracted from these findings.

PurposeAlthough understanding how different resources are interconnected within firms is important, there are few studies that have focused on this area. This study aims to explore the unique and interactive effects of technical lean practices (TLPs) and human lean practices (TLPs) on the operational performance (OP) of manufacturing SMEs in Yemen, a less developed country (LDC).Design/methodology/approachDepending on data collected from 318 manufacturing SMEs in Yemen, the relationships in the proposed model were tested using hierarchical regression analysis via PROCESS Macro V. 3.5 in SPSS.FindingsThe results show that both TLPs and HLPs have unique effects on OP of SMEs. More importantly, both TLPs and HLPs have synergistic effects on OP.Practical implicationsThe study would be of interest to Lean practitioners, as the results of this study can be used in firms to put a focus on how TLPs and HLPs have to interact when it comes to the successful implementation of lean manufacturing (LM).Originality/valueAlthough research interest in LM is increasing, the interactive effects of TLPs and HLPs remain to be understood. This study provides an initial empirical evidence for performance outcomes from the interaction between TLPs and HLPs of SMEs in LDCs such as Yemen. Most of the previous studies on lean practices have focused on SMEs in developed countries, which may not fully apply to LDCs such as Yemen. This is helpful for SMEs' managers in the context of LDCs to understand how TLPs can further improve OP when interacting with HLPs.