The impact of using digital technologies on supply chain resilience and robustness: the role of memory under the covid-19 outbreak

Abstract

Purpose This paper’s main aim is to check the mediating effect of supply chain memory in the relationship between using digital technologies and both supply chain resilience and robustness. In addition, the impact of the COVID-19 disruption was tested as a moderator of the impact of supply chain memory on supply chain resilience and robustness. Design/methodology/approach Altogether, 257 supply chain managers answered the questionnaire, and data were analysed through structural equation modelling. Findings This paper contributes to theory and practice by demonstrating that the experience, familiarity and knowledge to deal with disruptions partially mediate the relationship between digital technologies, resilience and robustness. Moreover, our results show that memory is less efficient for the supply chain to maintain an acceptable level of performance in case of a new extreme disruptive event like COVID-19. The full model was able to explain 36.90% of supply chain memory, 41.58% of supply chain resilience and 46.21% of supply chain robustness. Originality/value The study helps to understand how to develop supply chain memory, positioning digital technologies as an antecedent of it. The impact of supply chain memory on supply chain resilience and robustness is proved. Knowledge about the impact of industry 4.0 technologies on disruption management is quantitatively improved. It demonstrates that digital technologies impact resilience and robustness mainly through supply chain memory. The study proves that supply chain memory is less efficient for the chain remains effective when a non-routine disruptive event occurs, but it is still imperative to recover from it.

Achieving supply chain resilience in an era of disruptions: a configuration approach of capacities and strategies

“…More in detail, Sturm et al (2021) focused on flexibility and agility to achieve SC resilience, extending the concept of collaboration. In addition, several authors have underlined the role of technological investments in achieving resilience (Balakrishnan and Ramanathan, 2021; Ghasemaghaei, 2019).…”

How intellectual capital builds supply chain resilience? Exploring mediation and interaction effects from an intellectual capital based view

“…A resilient supply chain can absorb or mitigate the impact of unexpected disruptions (Ali et al , 2017; Kamalahmadi and Parast, 2016; Pettit et al , 2013). SCR, as an organizational capability, enables the supply chain to quickly respond to unforeseen disruptions and restore operations (Alvarenga et al , 2023; Tukamuhabwa et al , 2015; Yu et al , 2019a).…”

“…Previous research has examined the antecedents for developing SCR (summarized in Table 1), including learning mechanisms (Scholten et al , 2019), managerial and organizational antecedents (Nikookar and Yanadori, 2022) and cooperation and trust (Yu et al , 2022). More recently, several empirical research has examined the roles of digital technologies in building SCR (Alvarenga et al , 2023; Dubey et al , 2023; Nakandala et al , 2023). However, none of those studies have investigated the role of IC in developing SCR.…”

“…Unforeseeable events such as the US-China trade wars and the COVID-19 outbreak (Alvarenga et al, 2023;Yu et al, 2019aYu et al, , 2022 have seriously disrupted the global supply chain and economy. In January of 2020, the contours of the COVID-19 pandemic were beginning to emerge.…”

“…Before long, supplies of key items such as N95 masks and other personal protective equipment became dreadfully short. This has elevated the importance of supply chain resilience (SCR), which is understood as the ability of a supply chain to return to a stable condition once it is disrupted (Alvarenga et al , 2023; Nakandala et al , 2023; Tukamuhabwa et al , 2015; Yu et al , 2022), to that of a “new boardroom imperative” (Birkinshaw, 2020). When both supply and demand are suddenly disrupted, firms use employees’ knowledge and IT investments to rapidly innovate.…”