Purpose

Drawing on social exchange theory, social capital theory, and perspectives of political influence in organizations, this study develops and tests a model in which managerial political skill is associated with internal, supplier and customer supply chain integration through two mediating mechanisms: facilitating a supply chain orientation and mitigating self-serving politics.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from three independent samples, one for each achieved state of integration (i.e. internal, customer and supplier) (n_internal = 225; n_customer = 225; n_supplier = 225; N = 675). Hypotheses were tested with structural equation modeling and indirect effects analysis. The potential impact of unmeasured endogenous factors was mitigated through appropriate survey design, statistical control, marker variable analysis and instrument variable usage.

Findings

Managerial political skill exhibited a positive, direct relationship with achieved internal and supplier integration. Supply chain orientation partially mediated the relationship for achieving integration with both customers and suppliers. Self-serving organizational politics was not associated with achieving internal, customer or supplier integration.

Research limitations/implications

By demonstrating the importance of political influence in achieving supply chain integration, the findings support the role of managerial social capital in the underlying social exchange processes that drive integration.

Originality/value

Despite the fundamental role of informal, social dynamics in supply chain integration, past research has largely focused on either the technical prowess of middle managers or the political skill of executives in supporting integration. The present study explicates the critical role of middle management political skill in actually achieving supply chain integration.

中文翻译：

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管理政治技能与实现供应链整合：供应链导向与组织政治的中介作用

目的

本研究借鉴社会交换理论、社会资本理论和组织中政治影响的观点，开发并测试了一个模型，其中管理政治技能通过两种中介机制与内部、供应商和客户供应链整合相关联：促进供应链定向和减轻自私的政治。

设计/方法/方法

从三个独立样本中收集数据，每个实现的集成状态（即内部、客户和供应商）一个（n_内部= 225；n_客户= 225；n_供应商= 225；N = 675）。假设通过结构方程模型和间接影响分析进行检验。通过适当的调查设计、统计控制、标记变量分析和工具变量的使用，减轻了未测量的内生因素的潜在影响。

发现

管理政治技能与实现的内部和供应商整合表现出积极、直接的关系。供应链导向部分地调节了与客户和供应商实现整合的关系。自私的组织政治与实现内部、客户或供应商整合无关。

研究限制/影响

通过证明政治影响在实现供应链整合中的重要性，研究结果支持管理社会资本在推动整合的潜在社会交换过程中的作用。

原创性/价值

尽管非正式的社会动态在供应链整合中发挥着基本作用，但过去的研究主要集中在中层管理人员的技术实力或高管支持整合的政治技能上。本研究阐明了中层管理人员政治技能在实际实现供应链整合中的关键作用。