Purpose

This study aims to show how to improve supply chain performance through the relationship between firms and their customers. In doing so, this study examines the impact of a firm’s relationship commitment and customer integration on supply chain performance. The aim is to detail a way to increase supply chain performance through the relationship between companies and their customers.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical analysis was based on a survey on 205 corporate-Egypt multi-industry businesses including manufacturing, retailing, wholesaling and shipping services firms. Data collection was through a questionnaire survey distributed to 1,264 senior managers with responsibilities in the field of supply chain, logistics, purchasing, marketing and operations and with a 16% response rate. A conceptual model was designed, and hypotheses were analysed with covariance-based structural equation modelling.

Findings

This study makes a significant contribution to the supply chain management (SCM) literature by examining the influence of firms’ relationship commitment on supply chain performance in the supply chain management context by means of the disaggregation of customer integration into two dimensions: integration with customer (IWC) and integration by customer (IBC). The findings indicate that firms’ relationship commitment does not relate directly to supply chain performance, but rather indirectly through integration both with and by customers.

Research limitations/implications

This paper outlines a conceptual model in which firms’ relationship commitment relates indirectly to supply chain performance. The model also sheds light on the fact that IWCs precedes IBCs in supply chains. This finding suggests that firms should focus on customer integration to improve supply chain performance.

Practical implications

This study offers a particularly refined understanding of the reasons behind and situations in which supply chain integration (SCI) enables firms to gain superior supply chain performance. In fact, firms focusing on customer integration may improve their supply chain performance, thus enhancing the value of the supply chain.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by considering a relational view of the SCI-Performance path. In particular, by disaggregating customer integration into IWCs and IBCs, this paper verifies customer integration acting as a mediator between relationship commitment and supply chain performance in supply chains.

中文翻译：

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关系承诺和客户整合对供应链绩效的影响

目的

本研究旨在展示如何通过公司与其客户之间的关系来提高供应链绩效。为此，本研究考察了公司的关系承诺和客户整合对供应链绩效的影响。目的是详细说明一种通过公司与其客户之间的关系来提高供应链绩效的方法。

设计/方法/方法

实证分析基于对 205 家企业-埃及多行业企业的调查，包括制造、零售、批发和航运服务公司。数据收集是通过向 1,264 名负责供应链、物流、采购、营销和运营领域的高级管理人员分发的问卷调查获得的，回复率为 16%。设计了一个概念模型，并使用基于协方差的结构方程建模分析了假设。

发现

本研究通过将客户整合分解为两个维度：与客户的整合（ IWC) 和客户集成 (IBC)。研究结果表明，公司的关系承诺与供应链绩效没有直接关系，而是通过与客户的整合和与客户的整合而间接相关。

研究限制/影响

本文概述了一个概念模型，其中公司的关系承诺与供应链绩效间接相关。该模型还揭示了 IWC 在供应链中先于 IBC 的事实。这一发现表明，公司应专注于客户整合以提高供应链绩效。

实际影响

本研究对供应链整合 (SCI) 使企业获得卓越供应链绩效的原因和情况提供了特别精细的理解。事实上，专注于客户整合的公司可能会提高他们的供应链绩效，从而提升供应链的价值。

原创性/价值

本研究通过考虑 SCI-Performance 路径的关系视图为文献做出贡献。特别是，通过将客户集成分解为 IWC 和 IBC，本文验证了客户集成在供应链中充当关系承诺和供应链绩效之间的中介。