Nurturing supply chain relationships in tourism and hospitality: a social exchange and open innovation perspective

Abstract

This study enhances the empirical and conceptual understanding of relationships between hospitality and tourism businesses and their supply chain actors. The study sets out to learn: who are the main supply chain partners of businesses, business leaders' perceived significance of these relationships, how these relationships could be further nurtured and how they contribute to businesses' innovation. An online questionnaire that included open-ended questions was disseminated across hotels and restaurants operating in Vietnam, eliciting 408 usable responses. Qualitative content analysis and data structure revealed the significance of numerous dimensions. Key supply chain actors are primarily characterized by stable, trust-based, long-term partnerships. These attributes align with participants' perceptions of the importance of such relationships, with factors such as strength, transparency, and integrity playing central roles in their effectiveness. Extending these notions, openness mechanisms or value assessments are fundamental aspects for continuing to nurture the relationships. Finally, relationships contribute to innovation through value-driven sourcing based on enhanced product/service quality and stronger market presence, together with collaborative promotions. The multiplicity of dimensions helped develop a conceptual model that explains the interplay between hospitality and tourism businesses and supply chain interactions.