Changing institutional logics and implications for supply chains: Ethiopian rural water supply

Abstract

Purpose The institutional logic in developing countries is changing from aid toward trade, having implications for institutionally embedded supply chains (SCs) and their members. The purpose of this study is to investigate the transition from aid toward trade through a theoretical lens of institutional logics and the implications of changing logics for SC members and designs. Design/methodology/approach This is a large-scale qualitative study of the SCs of maintenance and repair operations (MRO) of water points. Empirical data were collected via 53 semi-structured interviews, observations, including photographs, and field notes from several echelons of MRO SCs in ten different Ethiopian districts. Findings In spite of the same underlying tenet of a unidirectional trajectory toward a business logic, the study shows that the co-existence or constellation of different institutional logics resulted in diverse practices that impacted SC design. Research limitations/implications The research was carried out in the MRO SC at a time of changing institutional logics, thereby being able to study their transition or constellation of logics. Practical implications The research has implications for policymakers and development practitioners: when designing and implementing rural water supply programs, the presence of co-existing logics and the lack of uniform SC designs should not be viewed as a hindrance. In fact, the study showed how constellations of logics can provide ways through which water points continue functioning and providing clean drinking water to the communities. Originality/value Few studies so far have focused on institutional logics and their implications for SC design.