Towards a relational framework for supply chain resilience

Abstract

Increases in disruptions coupled with enhanced competition have led firms to develop capabilities to sustain performance and enable them to gain competitive advantage. This has underscored the value of supply chain resilience. Supply chain is a network of multiple firms involved in an exchange relationship; hence, developing effective supply chain resilience requires stronger relationship and collaboration between the associated partners. This forms the foundation for investigating supply chain resilience using a relational view. With the help of theoretical lenses like resource-based view and relational view of firm coupled with dynamic capabilities theory, the study argues that a suitable combination of several relational resources such as trust, commitment, communication, cooperation, adaptation and interdependence will determine the effectiveness of supply chain resilience as a dynamic capability. Accordingly, the study aims to investigate the relationship between these relational resources and supply chain resilience. Further, these relationships might alter with varying levels of environmental uncertainty. To explore this, the moderating roles of environmental uncertainty on these relationships are also considered. Suitable outcomes like supply chain security culture and supply chain business continuity planning are also discussed. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Mandal, S. (2013) 'Towards a relational framework for supply chain resilience', Int.