Abstract
Purpose of the paper
Motivated by the global impact of COVID-19 on the supply chains of exporting companies and the lack of understanding of supply chain resilience from an SME prospective in the supply chain management literature, this paper set out to explore how New Zealand SME exporters achieve resilience during the pandemic. Specifically, this research aims to understand the effect COVID-19 has on the supply chains of SME exporters,
1. How do SME exporters achieve resilience during COVID-19?
2. How does this impact on the efficacy of SCR strategies from an SME exporter perspective?
The Theoretical Background
The thrust of supply chain resilience (SCR) in the supply chain literature has been demonstrated by Bode, Wagner, Petersen, and Ellram (2011), Gölgeci and Kuivalainen (2020), and Soni, Jain, and Kumar (2014). However, it is surprising to note that studies on this topic from an international business (IB) perspective are scant. A Google Scholar search using the key word of “supply chain resilience” returns over 7,000 results. Searching the same key word in the Journal of Supply Chain Management returns 11 results while searching in the seven journals which list international business as a key theme or the main focus, including Industrial Marketing Management, International Business Review, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of International Management, Journal of Management Studies, Journal of World Business, and Management International Review, returns a total of six results – four from Industrial Marketing Management, and two from Journal of Management Studies - only one of which is directly related to SCR. This indicates the need for SCR research from an IB perspective in management studies. Furthermore, the general supply chain literature appears focused on large organizations, rather than small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) (Kamalahmadi & Parast, 2016), questioning whether insights on supply chain resilience from the extant marketing and supply chain literature can be directly applied to SME exporters.
Methodology
The study adopted a qualitative, multiple case-studies approach was undertaken to explore the nuanced experiences of SME exporters, from New Zealand during COVID. This method identified contrasting strategies for the management of international supply chain disruptions. A combination of home manufacturers and companies which outsourced their manufacturing were selected so that differences between manufacturing/sourcing strategies could be explored
Key Findings
We found that to manage the disruptions in their supply chains, SME exporters engage in bridging, buffering, or a mix of these two supply chain resilience strategies. Guided by Resource Dependence Theory and Information Processing Theory, two theoretical frameworks were developed. They illustrate how the choice of supply chain resilience strategy is largely conditional on their perceived control over the supply chain and the factors that contribute to the perception of control.
Keywords
Case studies, global supply chain disruption, SME exporters, strategy, supply chain resilience
Motivated by the global impact of COVID-19 on the supply chains of exporting companies and the lack of understanding of supply chain resilience from an SME prospective in the supply chain management literature, this paper set out to explore how New Zealand SME exporters achieve resilience during the pandemic. Specifically, this research aims to understand the effect COVID-19 has on the supply chains of SME exporters,
1. How do SME exporters achieve resilience during COVID-19?
2. How does this impact on the efficacy of SCR strategies from an SME exporter perspective?
The Theoretical Background
The thrust of supply chain resilience (SCR) in the supply chain literature has been demonstrated by Bode, Wagner, Petersen, and Ellram (2011), Gölgeci and Kuivalainen (2020), and Soni, Jain, and Kumar (2014). However, it is surprising to note that studies on this topic from an international business (IB) perspective are scant. A Google Scholar search using the key word of “supply chain resilience” returns over 7,000 results. Searching the same key word in the Journal of Supply Chain Management returns 11 results while searching in the seven journals which list international business as a key theme or the main focus, including Industrial Marketing Management, International Business Review, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of International Management, Journal of Management Studies, Journal of World Business, and Management International Review, returns a total of six results – four from Industrial Marketing Management, and two from Journal of Management Studies - only one of which is directly related to SCR. This indicates the need for SCR research from an IB perspective in management studies. Furthermore, the general supply chain literature appears focused on large organizations, rather than small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) (Kamalahmadi & Parast, 2016), questioning whether insights on supply chain resilience from the extant marketing and supply chain literature can be directly applied to SME exporters.
Methodology
The study adopted a qualitative, multiple case-studies approach was undertaken to explore the nuanced experiences of SME exporters, from New Zealand during COVID. This method identified contrasting strategies for the management of international supply chain disruptions. A combination of home manufacturers and companies which outsourced their manufacturing were selected so that differences between manufacturing/sourcing strategies could be explored
Key Findings
We found that to manage the disruptions in their supply chains, SME exporters engage in bridging, buffering, or a mix of these two supply chain resilience strategies. Guided by Resource Dependence Theory and Information Processing Theory, two theoretical frameworks were developed. They illustrate how the choice of supply chain resilience strategy is largely conditional on their perceived control over the supply chain and the factors that contribute to the perception of control.
Keywords
Case studies, global supply chain disruption, SME exporters, strategy, supply chain resilience
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Strategic Management (STR) Division of the Academy of Management (AOM) Oceania |
Subtitle of host publication | in Collaboration with UNSW Business School, Sydney, Australia |
Publication status | Accepted/In press - 7 Feb 2021 |