Intervening effects of agility and adaptability: Supply chain for nanostores of high performance during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Researchers have contributed to the supply chain (SC) field in terms of agility and adaptability. However, it is not well known if the operations of nanostores in technology, innovation, infrastructure, and market impact agility, adaptability, and operational performance in nanostores and even less in emerging markets, where small distributors manage to a certain degree the practices of nanostores operations. A literature review was done to identify variables and their items to design a structured questionnaire that was pretested with supply chain experts. We conducted an empirical study on a sample of 472 nanostores from Honduras. Data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. The hypotheses of the research model were tested using the mediation effect by the Serial Multiple Mediator Model method proposed steps. We further checked the mediation significance using the Bootstrapping test. Results show that agility is a strong determinant (i.e., mediator or intervening effect) between SC and performance: nanostores are reacting in an accelerated way to the market. Adaptability is found not to mediate between supply chain and performance: nanostores do not reach adaptability due to technology limitations, changes in structures, innovation, and technification. To improve nanostore adaptability, technological inclusion, predictive programs, and a better understanding of the market must be increased.