Nexus between technology enabled supply chain dynamic capabilities, integration, resilience, and sustainable performance: An empirical examination of healthcare organizations

Due to the twin impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and sustainability requirements, many healthcare organizations face disruptions and uncertainties, which put patient safety at risk and decrease the overall quality of health services. Drawing on the dynamic capability view, this study aims at exploring the relationship among supply chain dynamic capabilities (SCDCs), supply chain integration (SCI), supply chain resilience (SCR), sustainable competitive advantage (SCA), and sustainable supply chain performance (SSCP). The study collected 325 usable responses from healthcare supply chain organizations in the developing country of Pakistan, including hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturing firms, surgical and equipment manufacturing firms, etc. Structural equation modeling using Smart-PLS v.3.3.2 was adopted for the data analysis. The results indicate that SCDCs positively influence SCI, SCR, SCA, and SSCP. This study finds that SCA, SCI, and SCR mediate the relationship between SCDCs and SSCP. This study contributes by aligning the SC dynamic capabilities for supply chain visibilities (i.e., sensing, learning, and coordinating) in the healthcare context. It has examined the impacts of SCDC, SCI, and SCR collectively rather than addressing them piecemeal. Sensing, learning, and coordinating capabilities through frequent collaborative meetings offer healthcare firms SC integration, allowing them to respond to the changing environment quickly and resiliently, further improving their SCA and SSCP. Since disruptions are inevitable, healthcare organizations must turn uncertainties into opportunities and activate a dynamic and resilient strategy to absorb stress. SCA and SSCP improve when SCDCs/SCR and disruptions are properly balanced.

Automated summary

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and sustainability requirements, healthcare organizations are facing disruptions and uncertainties, posing risks to patient safety and decreasing overall health service quality. This study explores the relationship between supply chain dynamic capabilities, supply chain integration, supply chain resilience, sustainable competitive advantage, and sustainable supply chain performance. The findings suggest that dynamic capabilities positively influence integration, resilience, advantage, and performance. Furthermore, advantage, integration, and resilience mediate the relationship between dynamic capabilities and performance.