Product co-development in an emerging market: The role of buyer-supplier compatibility and institutional environment

In emerging markets, supply chains increasingly serve as critical value chains through which ideas, practices and knowledge flow to and from suppliers and buyers. Drawing on buyer-supplier collaboration literature and organizational learning theory, we examine the antecedents and underlying mechanisms of product co-development. Due to emerging markets' unique institutional environments, we further investigate how government intervention and guanxi importance moderate supplier-buyer collaborative outcomes. Dyadic data from 323 supplier-buyer pairs in China largely support our theoretical framework. Partners' knowledge commonality has a curvilinear (inverted U-shaped) relationship to product co-development, whereas goal compatibility has a positive impact on product co-development. Mutual learning partially mediates the main effect. Furthermore, government intervention weakens the positive effect of mutual learning on product co-development whereas guanxi importance strengthens this relationship. This research provides fresh theoretical and managerial implications to supply chain collaboration in emerging markets.     

On boundary spanners and interfirm embeddedness: The role of guanxi institution in China

Based on social embeddedness theory and institutional theory, we construct a research model that depicts how boundary spanners’ personal relationships affect dyadic embeddedness at the organizational level, under the varying influence of guanxi institution across different regions in China. We empirically test our model by analyzing data collected from 225 retail gas stations within the distribution network of a major Chinese petroleum company. Our analysis shows that boundary spanners need to first establish relational ties, which, in turn, influence interfirm dyadic embeddedness. Additionally, the results indicate that the informal institutions, such as guanxi in China, exert an indirect effect on personal trust through personal closeness. The informal institutions also moderate the effects of personal level trust on organizational level trust, which is a key linkage between personal relationship and interfirm embeddedness.     

感知利益和感知风险对持续共享意愿的影响机制

以社会交换理论为基础,探讨了共享经济下多维度感知利益和多维度感知风险对消费者持续共享意愿影响机制的性别差异。研究表明:感知利益对消费者信任/持续共享意愿的正向影响显著,感知风险对消费者信任/持续共享意愿的负向影响显著,消费者信任在感知利益/感知风险与持续共享意愿之间发挥部分中介作用。同时,感知利益和感知风险对持续共享意愿的影响路径上表现出显著的性别差异。当前,我国共享平台企业应注重加强参与共享的利益宣传,通过完善制度机制提高消费者信任,减轻消费者的风险感知水平,同时应在运营和营销实践中关注性别差异,实行差异化运营管理和营销策略。     

Examining supply chain relationships: Do buyer and supplier perspectives on collaborative relationships differ?

Firms are building collaborative relationships with their supply chain partners in order to achieve efficiencies, flexibility, and sustainable competitive advantage. However, it is unclear if collaborative relationships provide benefits that compensate for the additional expense associated with such relationships. Further, it is unclear what factors promote successful collaborations. This research examines collaborative relationships in two separate studies using structural equation modeling: one study examines buyers’ perceptions and the second study examines suppliers’ perceptions. The two studies are then compared using invariance testing in order to determine economic and relational factors that drive satisfaction and performance from each party's perspective. Results show that collaborative activities, such as information sharing, joint relationship effort, and dedicated investments lead to trust and commitment. Trust and commitment, in turn, lead to improved satisfaction and performance. Results from the two independent studies exhibit similarities and differences; while the conceptual model is highly similar, certain paths vary in their significance and/or their importance across buyer and supplier firms such that buyers focus more on relationship outcomes while suppliers look to safeguard their transaction specific investments through information sharing and joint relationship effort. Managerial and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.     

The impact of innovation training on successful outcomes in public–private partnerships

Public–private partnerships (PPPs) are increasingly seen as a way of innovating the production and management of public services. However, the question of what drives innovation in partnerships has so far received only limited attention. Drawing on network governance and collaborative innovation literature, this article presents the findings from a survey among 260 Danish PPPs. The study shows that while innovation training has a significant effect on achieving innovation in PPPs, factors such as trust and institutional support only affect some innovation types. The findings demonstrate the importance of individual innovation skills and a differentiated understanding of innovation outcomes in PPPs.     

Supply chain practice and information sharing

Effective supply chain practice and information sharing enhances the current supply chain management environment. The purpose of this study is to investigate the integration of information sharing and supply chain practice in supply chain management. Data from 125 North American manufacturing firms were collected. The results show that (1) effective information sharing significantly enhances effective supply chain practice; (2) supply chain dynamism has significant positive influence on effective information sharing as well as effective supply chain practice. Supply chain dynamism has more influence on information sharing than supply chain practice; (3) and effective supply chain practice becomes more important when the level of information sharing increases. The findings show that both effective information sharing and effective supply chain practice are critical in achieving good supply chain performance.     

Factors affecting peasant entrepreneurs’ intention in the Chinese context

In the extant literature, research attention has been largely given to explore the issue of Chinese peasant entrepreneurship based on strategic entrepreneurial perspective. The current study examines the intention of Chinese peasant entrepreneurs based on entrepreneurial behavior perspective and hypothesizes that self-efficacy positively moderates the relationship between the need for power and entrepreneurial intention and the relationship between institutional environment and entrepreneurial intention. An analysis of a sample of 298 Chinese peasants proved most of the hypotheses. Results show that the need for power has a positive influence on the entrepreneurial intentions of the selected low-social-status population. Results also reveal the positive effect of the institutional environment perceived by individuals on entrepreneurial intention. The finding indicates that the government can enhance the entrepreneurial intention of rural individuals by updating entrepreneurial policies, by training and education in entrepreneurial activities that target the rural masses, and by promoting a successful entrepreneurial model. Moreover, positive moderation of self-efficacy on the relationship between the need for power and entrepreneurial intention is proven, which indicates that the effects of these two factors on entrepreneurial intention mutually reinforce each other. The finding also indicates that moderation of self-efficacy on the relationship between the institutional environment and entrepreneurial intention is negative that shows that self-efficacy and institutional environment can substitute for each other.     

Green supply chain integration and financial performance: A social contagion and information sharing perspective

Although green supply chain integration (GSCI) has received wide attention, how it diffuses among supply chain members to affect the manufacturer's performance is still unclear. This study examines the relationships among GSCI, information sharing, and financial performance from a social contagion lens. By conceptualizing GSCI into three forms, two types of contagion mechanisms (i.e., cohesion and structural equivalence) were identified to investigate the underlying contagion effects between different forms of GSCI and the effects of various GSCI on information sharing and financial performance. Survey data were collected from 206 Chinese manufacturers and analyzed using structural equation modeling to test hypotheses. The results indicate that green supplier integration directly promotes green internal integration, green customer integration, and information sharing with suppliers. Green internal integration positively influences green customer integration and financial performance. Green customer integration enhances information sharing with customers. Both information sharing with suppliers and customers improve financial performance. This study contributes to the GSCI literature and provides novel managerial implications for manufacturers.     

Does the configuration of macro‐ and micro‐institutional environments affect the effectiveness of green supply chain integration?

Despite the importance of the general environment in affecting the effectiveness of green supply chain integration (GSCI), our understanding of the roles of different configurations of macro‐ and micro‐institutional environments remains limited. Based on institutional theory and resource mobilization theory, this study examined the moderating effects of the configurations of macro‐ and micro‐institutional environments on the GSCI performance link employing both a configuration and a contingency perspective. Our findings from a longitudinal survey of 206 Chinese manufacturing firms provide empirical evidence for the coexistence and nature of macro‐ and micro‐institutional environments and their moderating effect on the GSCI performance link. Specifically, the results revealed that Chinese manufacturers can be clustered into three groups with different macro‐ and micro‐institutional environments (i.e., cognizant, sensible, and conscious manufacturers). Furthermore, the configuration of macro‐ and micro‐institutional environments moderates the effect of green supplier integration on social performance, as well as the effects of green customer integration on financial, environmental, and social performance. This study contributes to both the GSCI literature and practices.     

Trustworthiness and ethical considerations: a review of personal connections in China

This study is to assess the significance of guanxi or personal connections in Chinese management, its contribution to trust in business dealings, and its relation to ethical judgement in Chinese management. The paper begins with a background to the term Guanxi where it argues that personal connections would be an adequate and preferable term for guanxi, since although the phenomenon in practice is specific to China it is not unique to China. Guanxi or personal connections in China should be seen as part of China’s traditional culture, but without attaching a mystical value to the concept. Understanding of the phenomenon and awareness of how to deal with Chinese business is fundamental to trust both domestically and in foreign business dealings. However it is through a grasp of ethical considerations and a deeper awareness of morality that personal connections can be soundly based and goes beyond the rule of law to meet China’s potential for socio-economic success.     

Monitoring effect of transparency: How does government environmental disclosure facilitate corporate environmentalism?

Environmental information transparency is a key policy instrument in environmental governance, which has been emphasized in most of the literature. Although a large body of research has focused on its role at the national or industrial level in the developed countries, few studies have extended it to emerging economies and tested its role in the subnational context. In this paper, we have empirically examined how government environmental disclosure shapes corporate environmentalism in the context of China. It is argued that the information transparency of government environmental disclosure can promote corporate environmentalism by providing supports for governments' decision‐making of environmental governance, the activeness of environmental nongovernment organizations, and the participation of general public in environmental issues. Especially, we have highlighted two kinds of influences on focal relationship: booster role of bureaucratic capability in the diffusion of environmental institutional pressure and receiver role of organization slack and industrial competition in the perception of environmental institutional pressure. Using a panel dataset of Chinese publicly listed firms from 2008 to 2015, a positive relationship between government's environmental information transparency and corporate environmentalism is found. In addition, our result has shown that this relationship will be stronger for regions where government bureaucracy capabilities are stronger. This study contributes to understanding of the process of firms' strategic choice facing environmental and institutional changes in emerging economies.     

Establishing the use of cloud computing in supply chain management

Despite having various benefits associated with greater information flow in the supply chain, empirical cloud computing research is scarce in the supply chain management domain. This paper explores the managerial perceptions on the use of cloud computing in supply chain management. Specifically, this paper seeks to address: how cloud computing impacts information sharing among supply chain partners, the impact of trust in cloud information sharing and the impact of cloud computing on supply chain performance. Using a multi-method research design we present a combined semi-structured interviews of four different companies in the United States and a survey to analyze and empirically assess our results. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the results of this study. Our analysis provides empirical support based on managerial perceptions regarding cloud computing, information sharing and supply chain performance. The data provide evidence on the impact of cloud computing in enhancing information sharing. This information sharing through cloud computing appears to positively impact supply chain performance. This paper also provides support on the important role of inter-organizational trust in facilitating the use of cloud computing for information sharing purposes.     

Do strategic factors affect adoption of profit sharing? Longitudinal evidence from Canada

Despite the growing interest in strategic human resource management and strategic compensation, the firm's strategic context has rarely been examined as a possible predictor of profit sharing adoption, especially in longitudinal research, nor have all three possible strategic alignments (internal, horizontal, and vertical) been included in the same study. Based on three panels of longitudinal data from Canadian establishments drawn from three consecutive time periods, this paper finds strong support for internal (within compensation strategy) alignment, as a high-wage compensation policy is a significant predictor of profit sharing adoption in all three time periods. At the same time, significant support for a diffusion or institutional perspective on profit sharing adoption is also noted. These findings highlight the importance of including both strategic factors (particularly those that may be associated with internal alignment) and institutional factors in studies seeking to understand profit sharing adoption.     

信任视角下协同创新网络组织合作伙伴选择与评价

创新协同网络组织通过优势互补协作创新,能加速科技成果的产出和转化。其产出和转化的绩效很大程度上决定于共享网络组织成员间知识共享和知识溢出。在这个过程中,网络组织合作伙伴之间的信任至关重要。基于信任的视角下,合作伙伴关系能缩减成本、增加收益,并加强彼此之间的长期伙伴关系。研究结果表明:声誉、兼容性、品牌影响力、结构保证、开放程度和学习心态是影响创新协同网络组织成员间信任的主要因素。在进行合作伙伴的选择时,则可以从组织环境、知识产出质量系统、业务结构和创新能力等几个方面进行评价。     

企业间知识转移的影响因素和作用结果

采用元分析技术,对中国企业间知识转移的影响因素和作用结果的研究进展进行了系统、定量的阶段性总结,并与西方背景下的研究结论进行跨文化比较。研究发现,企业规模、知识吸收能力、网络密度、网络中心性、信任水平、关系强度共享愿景和价值观与企业间知识转移之间显著正相关,知识模糊性和文化距离与企业间知识转移之间存在显著负相关,企业间知识转移与企业创新能力和绩效水平之间显著正相关。在中西方背景下,知识模糊性、企业规模、信任水平、关系强度、文化距离、创新能力和绩效水平与企业间知识转移之间的关系强度存在较大差异,而吸收能力、网络密度、网络中心性、共享愿景和价值观与企业间知识转移之间的关系强度差异不大。     

Placing the Effect? Gleaning Insights into the Relationship between Citizens’ Use of E-Government and Trust in Government

The effects of e-government on citizens’ trust in government are unclear. This study intends to address this lack of clarity by proposing a novel conceptual framework that can be used to explicate the processes tying e-government use to trust in government. This framework is centred upon citizens’ propensity to trust, perceptions of public sector performance, and trust in government. Citizens’ use of e-government is then argued to strengthen relationships in this framework. The validity of this framework is tested using data collected in 2012 from citizens of Seoul, South Korea. In general, the results offer partial support for the proposed framework. However, the strength of e-government’s influence decreases with more frequent use of information coming from government websites. Implications for effective practice are discussed.     

浅谈大数据时代政府部门间信息资源共享策略

科技的进步使得互联网用户数据大幅增加,大数据时代无声降临。解决大数据环境下的政府信息共享问题是我国政府建设的重大突破口。通过将信息资源共享技术集成到政府部门的管理中,有利于政府部门之间的信息交流,对于提高政务效率具有重要意义。论文就大数据时代政府部门之间信息资源共享的问题提出了相应的策略。     

面向SCM的物联网动态服务架构及协同应用

基于供应链集成化业务场景、持续分析了供应链以及增强上下游快速响应能力的需求,为了实现集成化供应链平台的业务协同合作与信息共享,并构建业务需求驱动的物联网关键技术融合体系,采用以动态服务为中心的物联网多层体系结构,通过物联网应用中间件技术以及多层关键技术融合与集成应用,实现由业务驱动的海量数据的采集、传输、处理与整合,采用面向服务的体系结构SOA技术及Web服务技术,支撑分布式SCM应用软件借助中间件技术实现物联网在异构环境下动态的服务架构及其协同应用。     

Enhancing hospital supply chain performance: A relational view and empirical test

Improving hospital supply chain performance has become increasingly important as healthcare organizations strive to improve operational efficiency and to reduce cost. In this study, we propose a research model based on a relational view, delineating the factors that influence hospital supply chain performance: trust, knowledge exchange, IT integration between the hospital and its suppliers, and hospital–supplier integration. Testing results of the research model based on data from a sample of 117 supply chain executives from U.S. hospitals show positive direct effects: (1) from trust and from IT integration to knowledge exchange respectively; (2) from knowledge exchange and from IT integration to hospital–supplier integration respectively; and (3) from hospital–supplier integration to hospital supply chain performance. The results also show the following indirect effects: (1) the influences of knowledge exchange and IT integration on hospital supply chain performance are partially and fully mediated by hospital–supplier integration, respectively and (2) the influences of trust and IT integration on hospital–supplier integration are fully and partially mediated by knowledge exchange, respectively. In addition, the results show the following moderating effects: (1) hospital system membership moderates the relationships between IT integration and knowledge exchange and between trust and knowledge exchange; (2) hospital environmental uncertainty moderates the relationship between trust and knowledge exchange; and (3) trust moderates the relationship between knowledge exchange and hospital–supplier integration. Implications of the study findings and directions for future research are discussed.     

The Influence of Institutional and Task Environment Relationships on Organizational Performance: The Canadian Construction Industry

This study compared the influence of organizations' relationships to the institutional versus task environment on organizational performance in the Canadian construction industry. This industry is characterized by both intense institutional regulation and strong market competition. Regulatory stringency and resource stringency were proposed as key determinants of the relative importance of institutional versus task environment relations in predicting organizational profitability and productivity. Results favoured the contribution of task environment relations to organizational success in support of an economic or strategic perspective on organizations. However, under highly stringent conditions, institutional relations were shown to be associated significantly with performance, suggesting that future research needs to consider both institutional and task environment effects on organizational performance and success.