A meta-analytical review of antecedents and outcomes of firm resilience

Abstract

Despite the existence of a large body of literature on the topic of supply chain (SC) resilience, comprehensive empirical reviews of the antecedents and outcomes of resilience are limited. The purpose of this study is to develop a theoretical framework and carry out a meta-analysis of extant empirical studies to investigate the relationship between resilience, its antecedents and firm performance. The impact of three clusters of SC capabilities (organisational capability, SC flexibility, SC integration) on firm resilience (proactive, reactive or dynamic) is examined, and that of the impact of firm resilience on performance. We find that the overall impact of resilience on firm performance is strongly significant. However, in terms of financial performance, the correlation magnitude shows a weaker to moderate effect. In addition, for non-financial performance, the resilience impact is stronger. Furthermore, the analysis helps clarify some of the existing inconsistencies in the literature regarding the relationship between SC capabilities, firm resilience and performance by highlighting the moderating role played by resilience operationalisation, industry affiliation and national culture. The study contributes to theory on resilience and assists practitioners in developing resilient strategies for organisations and SCs.