Informal governance in the digital transformation

Keller, Jakob; Burkhardt, Patricia; Lasch, Rainer

doi:10.1108/ijopm-09-2020-0660

Cited by 29 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 66 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This accorded with Keller et al. ’s (2021) findings from German firms, which found that digitalization decreases the use of informal governance mechanisms, but also calls for further engagement regarding supply network disruption.…”

Section: Outcome Evaluation and Design Propositionssupporting

confidence: 80%

Supply chain transparency for sustainability – an intervention-based research approach

Santharm¹,

Ramanathan

2022

IJOPM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all manufacturing sectors from basic products to luxury goods including the automobile industry. This has necessitated a new line of research on competency building, transparency, and sustainability in automotive supply chains. In this study, the authors examine the competencies required to improve the automotive supply chain routine operations to address the parts supply crisis from multitier suppliers in the post-COVID-19 environment. The authors also propose a list of competencies required in the automotive supply chains to deploy the transparency for sustainability (TfS) framework on a long-term basis.Design/methodology/approachThe authors have adapted a cross-case study process using intervention-based research and a design science approach for use in this study and used multiple sources for data collection such as published literature, operational experience, and critical opinions of original equipment manufacturer representatives. The research design includes interviews with global OEMs practitioners as one of the relevant sources of information.FindingsThe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak on automotive manufacturing operations and global supply chains is unprecedented. The TfS framework cycle has been validated using the real-world semiconductor supply crisis which deals with multitier sustainable supply chain management (MTSSCM), and the authors found that there are competency gaps when compared with existing literature. The list of key competencies identified along with the formulation of design propositions to facilitate both the supply crisis and collaboration among automotive firms to enhance their business performance were also presented.Research limitations/implicationsThe COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the automobile sector significantly. This situation has created many opportunities and obstacles, but this paper only considers the automotive semi-conductor shortage situation, which may be resolved in the near future when there are more installed capacities. Therefore, it is unclear whether the proposed responses will result in long-term solutions. Further adjustments may be needed to revisit the TfS framework. The research paper only addresses the automotive side of the current supply crisis, but more sustainability issues may arise in the future, which need to be dealt with separately.Practical implicationsResearch findings may prove particularly interesting to global automotive vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and policy makers who are seeking to understand multitier supply networks to resolve the current challenges associated with the post-COVID-19 pandemic situation.Originality/valueIn addition to contributing to developing competency requirements, this study enhances the evolving research stream of MTSSCM by linking it to wider research applications of intervention-based research coupled with design science.

show abstract

Section: Outcome Evaluation and Design Propositionssupporting

confidence: 80%

Supply chain transparency for sustainability – an intervention-based research approach

Santharm¹,

Ramanathan

2022

IJOPM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…2.1 The relational exchange and signaling perspectives of norm of solidarity, blockchain, and trust Interorganizational relationship governance is pivotal to supply chain management (Cao and Lumineau, 2015). Rather than being a process or an activity, governance itself is a guidance framework for firms to behave in interorganizational relationships (Keller et al, 2021;Liu et al, 2009). Extant literature has pointed out the critical importance of governance mechanisms in achieving better relationship performance and satisfaction (e.g.…”

Section: Theoretical Foundationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leveraging digital and relational governance mechanisms in developing trusting supply chain relationships: the interplay between blockchain and norm of solidarity

Dai

Paulraj

et al. 2022

IJOPM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

PurposeDrawing on the signaling theory and the relational exchange theory, this study investigates how buyer–supplier trust is influenced through the congruence and incongruence between blockchain and norm of solidarity. The moderating role of technology uncertainty is further examined.Design/methodology/approachUsing a survey data of 110 Chinese firms, this study empirically tests not only the combined effect of blockchain and norm of solidarity on trust, but also how this combined effect is moderated by technology uncertainty. The proposed hypotheses are tested using the polynomial regression analysis and the response surface methodology.FindingsThe results suggest that trust increases along with an increasing congruence between blockchain and norm or solidarity, but in a diminishing rate (i.e. an inverted U-shaped relationship). Simultaneously, incongruence between blockchain and norm of solidarity can also guarantee sufficient trust (i.e. a U-shaped relationship). Moreover, technology uncertainty overturns the inverted U-shaped relationship between blockchain and norm of solidarity congruence on trust into a U-shaped relationship and nullifies the U-shaped relationship between blockchain and norm of solidarity incongruence on trust.Originality/valueThis study enriches supply chain governance literature by introducing the emerging blockchain governance and examining the blockchain governance's interplay with a conventional relational norm. The study emphasizes that the combined effects of these two are quite complex. Blockchain and norm of solidarity can offset each other’s limitations when both are at low to moderate levels. But simultaneous pursuit of both high blockchain and norm has only limited marginal benefits. Furthermore, the study also highlights the importance of technology uncertainty under which the combined effects between the two governance mechanisms vary. Collectively, the results provide nuanced insights into the design of supply chain governance portfolios in the digital era.

show abstract

“…Interestingly, the special issue is also characterized by the adoption of a variety of research methods, i.e. Delphi (Hohn and Durach, 2021), multiple case study (Keller et al, 2021;Aben et al, 2021) and survey (Yang et al, 2021;Paolucci et al, 2021;Faruquee et al, 2021;Son et al, 2021). This variety of methods highlights that research on governance in the context of digitalized supply chains is not exclusively at an exploratory stage; it seems research is advancing towards the development and testing of complex models to grasp the dynamics and implication of digital transformation in the context of buyer-supplier relationships.…”

Section: Main Themes Across the Articlesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The article sheds light on potential social sustainability issues that may be amplified as the results of AM adoption; moreover, implementing AM may also reinforce existing supply chain governance structures, currently dominated by powerful apparel retailers. Keller et al (2021) explore the role of informal governance mechanisms to coordinate actors of digitalized supply chains, using case studies of ten German firms. Digitalized supply chain may reduce the need for interpersonal contacts, which in turn may decrease the ability to coordinate with informal governance mechanisms; however, the need for personal contacts remains paramount in the context of specific phases of a digitalized business relationship; in other words, interpersonal contacts are not completely replaceable by digital technology.…”

Section: Articles Included In the Special Issuementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The other studies consider more general digital technologies and their interplay. For instance, Keller et al (2021) investigate ten German digitalized supply chains to investigate the role of digitalization in terms of data analytics and transparency; Yang et al (2021) focus on supply-side digitalization, i.e. the buyer's adoption of digital supply chain systems to perform transaction with its suppliers; technologies such as IoT, cloud computing, big data analytics, 5G and blockchain to digitalize the supply-side processes (e.g.…”

Section: Main Themes Across the Articlesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Guest editorialEmerging research and future pathways in digital supply chain governance

Barbieri¹,

Ellram

Formentini

et al. 2021

IJOPM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Informal governance in the digital transformation

Cited by 29 publications

References 66 publications

Supply chain transparency for sustainability – an intervention-based research approach

Supply chain transparency for sustainability – an intervention-based research approach

Leveraging digital and relational governance mechanisms in developing trusting supply chain relationships: the interplay between blockchain and norm of solidarity

Guest editorialEmerging research and future pathways in digital supply chain governance

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About