Supply chain drivers, partnerships and performance of high-tech SMEs: An empirical study using SEM

Jafar Rezaei, Paul Trott, Roland Ortt

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    Abstract

    Purpose – In this study, high-tech small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SME) supply chain partnerships are examined. Partnerships are considered at the level of business function rather than the entire organisation. Secondly, the drivers of SMEs to engage in partnerships are assessed to see whether functions engage in partnerships for different reasons. Thirdly, performance per function is assessed to see the differential effect of partnerships on the function’s performance. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, the relationship between the drivers of SMEs to engage in partnerships, four types of partnerships (marketing and sales, R&D, purchasing and logistics, and production) and four types of functional performances of firms (marketing and sales, R&D, purchasing and logistics, and production) are examined. The data has been collected from 279 SMEs. The proposed hypotheses are tested using structural equation modelling (SEM). Findings – The results indicate that there are considerable differences between business functions in terms of the degree of involvement in partnerships and the effect of partnerships on the performance of these functions. This paper contributes to research by explaining the contradictory results of partnerships on SMEs performance. Practical implications – This study helps firms understand (i) which type of partnership should be stablished based on the firm’s drivers to engage in supply chain partnership; and (ii) which partnership has a significant effect of which type of business performance of the firm. Originality/value – The originality of this study is to investigate the relationship between different drivers to engage in supply chain partnership and different types of partnerships and different functional performance of firm in a single model.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)629-653
    Number of pages25
    JournalInternational Journal of Productivity and Performance Management
    Volume67
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 23 Mar 2018

    Keywords

    • supply chain management
    • partnership
    • performance
    • drivers
    • high-tech
    • SME
    • SEM

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