Examining the impact of strategic supplier partnership, customer relationship and supply chain responsiveness on operational performance: the moderating effect of demand uncertainty

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of strategic supplier partnership and customer relationship on supply chain responsiveness and then to analyse the influence of supply chain responsiveness on operational performance in the manufacturing industry in India. In addition to that, this study also investigates the moderating effects of demand uncertainty on the relationship between strategic supplier partnership–supply chain responsiveness and customer relationship–supply chain responsiveness. Design/methodology/approach A structured self-administered questionnaire was developed to collect data from manufacturing companies in India. This study performed the structural equation modelling and moderated regression for testing the hypotheses after ensuring the validity and reliability of identified constructs. Findings Strategic supplier partnership and customer relationship positively influence supply chain responsiveness, and supply chain responsiveness also positively impacts operational performance. In addition to that, demand uncertainty negatively moderates the relationship between strategic supplier partnership and supply chain responsiveness. However, demand uncertainty does not significantly affect the relationship between customer relationship and supply chain responsiveness. Originality/value Strategic supplier partnership and customer relationship are firstly investigated as antecedents of supply chain responsiveness. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is one of the first to examine the moderating effect of demand uncertainty on the relationship between supply chain practices (strategic supplier partnership and customer relationship) and supply chain responsiveness.