Mechanisms to boost supply chain responsivenessthe nexus between information technologies and supply chain strategies

Abstract

To shed light on the mechanisms that can be used to enhance supply chain responsiveness, this doctoral thesis aims to identify and understand the role that Industry 4.0 information technologies play in the development of the lean and agile supply chain strategies and examine the implications of the relationships between them for firm performance. Accordingly, this study has first synthesized and classified the research on the integration of information technologies and lean and agile supply chain strategies through two systematic literature reviews. In the second part of this doctoral thesis, some of the previously identified gaps have been addressed through the development of survey-based studies. The hypotheses are tested through structural equation analysis using a database of Spanish manufacturing companies. This doctoral thesis raises managerial and academic implications by moving knowledge of the supply chain management field a step forward and guiding manufacturing companies as to the most appropriate processes to achieve superior supply chain responsiveness.