ABSTRACT
PurposeThis research aims to ascertain the various operational maturity challenges faced by the online food ordering and delivery enterprises (OFODE), their nature and their interactive relationships. In particular, this paper aims to (a) identify the most relevant operational maturity challenges faced by the OFODE during the COVID-19 lockdown in Oman, (b) explore and establish any likely structural relationship among these challenges and (c) put them into logical clusters. Design/methodology/approachExperts helped to reduce the 18 initially identified maturity challenges to 13 most pressing ones. Mutual relationships, dominance of interactions and their classifications were explored using fuzzy interpretive structural modeling (FISM) and fuzzy MICMAC analysis. FindingsThe study of situation-specific operational maturity challenges convinced the authors to propose a distinct FISM model that depicts the relationship among these challenges. Keeping commissions and fees reasonable emerges as the challenge which all other challenges seemingly culminate into. One of the most important situation-specific challenges (i.e. customer confidence about infection free delivery) emerges as a linkage challenge which aggravates as well as is aggravated by certain challenges. Research limitations/implicationsBesides enriching literature, the proposed model has implications for practitioners particularly when the similar lethal waves are experienced anywhere. The number of respondents, subjective approach, specific context as well as the geographical area coverage are the key limitations. Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first known scientific effort which attempts to model the operational maturity challenges faced by the OFODE during COVID-19 lockdown period. The authors used the FISM modeling approach to forge these interrelated challenges into a structural model.
ABSTRACT
Purpose This study investigates the impact of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices on environmental performance in firms operating in the discretionary sector in the G20 countries. The sample covers 749 firms for the period 2010-2020. Design/methodology/approach This study combines qualitative and quantitative data to examine the impact of the implementation of GSCM on accounting performance measured by the operating margin (OM) and return on assets (ROA). The authors also moderate the effects of Six Sigma and quality management (QM) and ISO 9000 and control for firm variables and COVID 19. Findings Using a panel data regression and structural equation modeling (SEM), results indicate that discretionary firms with internal solid GSCM practices combined with external environmental monitoring of suppliers are likely to outperform their peers in environmental issues. Using hierarchical regression, results indicate that both ISO 9000 and S&QM have moderating effects at some level of performance. Furthermore, environmental performance is positively correlated with accounting performance. This study contributes to the literature by addressing the impact of GSCM and the importance of reinforcing green and social regulations to protect the planet. Originality/value The paper is one of the first to measure GSCM triple components and account for COVID-19 in the context of discretionary companies and G20 countries. It highlights the impact of green initiatives to cope with major disruptions and decrease pollution and environmental disasters.
ABSTRACT
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has brought challenges of unprecedent proportions to the world in many aspects. For supply chain the key problem has been to minimize losses in short and long terms. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the impact of covid-19 in the supply chain and international logistics perspectives and evaluate the impacts comparing with the standard supply chain operation model. The research method applied consists in a bibliographic research with qualitative and inductive approaches applied in a single case study. The results demonstrated different impacts on the macroprocesses of the standard model, however it is important to understand the changes on the degree of impact over time due to the initial contagion increase and the in the following months. The conclusion was that an emergency plan built by the company mitigated the impacts and avoided the supply disruption of imported materials. This work stands out for being unique inside the perspective of a covid-19 in vitro diagnostic company. © IEOM Society International.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This study aims to investigate the impact of I4.0 technologies and their interoperability on supply chains (SCs) performance and how the integration of such technologies and their interoperability can create pathways for SCs resilience post-COVID-19. This is of paramount importance in the context of COVID-19 as the investigation around I4.0 technologies may provide relevant insights on how SCs may better respond to unexpected situations like the current pandemic with the use of digital technologies. Design/methodology/approach: A survey research method was designed based on some constructs extracted from the literature regarding the main disruptive technologies, interoperability, elements of supply chains processes (SCPs) performance such as integration, collaboration, transparency, efficiency, responsiveness and profitability. The data were collected from March to July 2020 from different regions of the world when the peak of the first wave of the pandemic had occurred. The survey resulted in 115 valid responses. The study used a combination of descriptive, correlation and multiple regression methods to analyse the data. Findings: The study indicates that disruptive technologies significantly impact SCPs performance (integration, collaboration, responsiveness and transparency) and their resilience. The findings did not support the notion that these technologies improve the efficiency of SCs, a significant contrast to the existing literature. Our findings also refute the existing understanding that interoperability moderates the impact of disruptive technologies on SCPs performance and enhancing the resilience of SCs. However, the findings show that the integration of I4.0 technologies and their interoperability has a positive impact on SCPs profitability. Research limitations/implications: The findings strongly advocate that this integration plays an important role in improving SC performance, and a future pathway of SC resiliency post-COVID-19. Considering that the I4.0 trend will impact SCs in the coming years, this study brings a relevant contribution to researchers and practitioners. Originality/value: This study makes a unique contribution by investigating a novel causal relationship between the main elements (I4.0 technologies, interoperability, processes performance and strategic outcomes) related to the SC in this new context. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.
ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has adversely impacted the globally interconnected economy and brought the tourism sector to a temporary standstill. As such, this study aimed to investigate the spillover effect of industrial sectors by emphasizing the tourism sector. The study data was gathered from China and The United States (US) between 2019 and 2020 (pandemic period) using the Multivariate Generalised Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedastic-Dynamic Conditional Correlation (MGARCH-DCC) and Wavelet Coherence Transform (CWT) techniques to analyse the investment holding period. Country-wise, the sectoral return volatility in China was significantly higher than the US counterpart. Additionally, the intra-sector correlation analyses demonstrated that Chinese sectors successfully mitigated the intra-sector correction in the last quarter of 2019. A short-term holding period was also suggested for investors in China while a long-term counterpart was recommended for investors in the US. Regarding the Chinese and US industrial sectors in the first quarter of 2020, it was mutually concluded that both country stocks reflected high volatility. The tourism sector was also negatively affected throughout the pandemic period (between 2019 and 2020). Essentially, this study offered practical contributions to investors, mutual fund holders, and brokers. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
ABSTRACT
Purpose This research investigates the impact of the strategic sourcing process on the supply chain response to COVID-19. The paper presents practitioners' perspectives (experts in supply chain management, especially involved in the procurement field) on the strategic sourcing process's impact on the supply chain response. Design/methodology/approach The study follows a survey-based approach for data collection. It uses a descriptive survey methodology where questions related to the impact of the strategic sourcing process on the supply chain response in the face of the coronavirus pandemic were explored by practitioners. Findings In total, 130 valid responses were obtained. The results showed that the majority of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that strategic sourcing positively impacts the supply chain response amid the COVID-19 effects. Also, for the five phases of the strategic sourcing process, the majority of respondents considered them as a high and very high impact on the supply chain response. Research limitations/implications This paper provides timely insights for practitioners and academics, especially those involved in the supply chain management area, showing how the strategic sourcing process plays an important role in making supply chains more responsive amid disruption situations. Practical implications Findings of this paper clearly shows the impact of the phases of the strategic sourcing process on the responsiveness of the supply chains amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This can encourage supply chain leadership to devote more time to strategic sourcing initiatives to generate improvements on the supply chain performance. Originality/value This paper is unique since it brings an unexplored relation in respect to strategic sourcing amid disruption situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, from a practitioner's perspective. It also significantly contributes to developing new directions for the supply chain management domain to deal with large-scale disruptions, such as the coronavirus pandemic.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This study aims to contribute to the extant literature on logistics by investigating the interrelationship between the financial performance of listed logistics firms and the COVID-19 and compare the logistics firms’ financial performance of G-20 countries during the pandemic period. Design/methodology/approach: To conduct the confirmatory analysis by testing the hypotheses formulated for this study, data have been collected from Bloomberg of all logistics firms from G-20 countries. This paper gathered the first quarter from 2010 until the last quarter of 2020 as the research sample to examine the pandemic impact on financial performance. Findings: The results show that the financial performance of logistic firms was significantly higher during 2020. Overall, the country-wise findings corroborated with the main results and the financial performance of 14 countries’ logistic firms out of 20 ones analysed has been significantly elevated, during the pandemic period. However, this paper has found out a negative financial performance of the logistics firms during the COVID-19 period in six countries (Germany, Korea, Russia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and the UK), which support the second proposition. Research limitations/implications: The study’s results were important as they highlighted the role of logistics firms in offering insights to academics, practitioners, policymakers and logistic firms’ stakeholders. For future research, this paper suggests including some other variables that might influence firm performance and that have not been considered in this study, which is a limitation, and going more deeply into the logistics sector by comparing the financial performance of the sub-sectors. Practical implications: As the importance of logistics services during the pandemic period is relevant, this study may provide significant insights because the logistics firms play a crucial role by anticipating to ensure the supply of essential items such as food, medicine, then supporting for the continuity of supply chains. The view of finance impacts during the pandemic may provide insightful perspectives for logistics companies, allowing them to understand those impacts and better prepare for likely disruption events such COVID-19 pandemic. Originality/value: This paper is novel considering that it is unique in evaluating logistics firms’ financial performance from a global perspective, considering the context of this historical pandemic. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.