Information and communication technologies, strategy and supply chain management in manufacturing SMEs of Aguascalientes, México

Abstract

Proper supply chain management (SCM) has proven essential for the competitiveness of organizations, since it ensures the effectiveness of supplies, and the proper coordination with suppliers, intermediaries and market needs. The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in the SCM has proven to have a positive impact in companies that have implemented it, particularly in relation to procurement, since this enhances collaboration, improving the quality of information shared between suppliers and buyers (Lee and Whang, Sloan Manag Rev 38:93–102, 1997). This paper aims to analyze the relationship between ICT, strategies and SCM. In order to do this, a survey was conducted among managers in 288 manufacturing SMEs in Aguascalientes. Data was analyzed using structural equation, EQ software support, as well as through linear regression models with SPSS software support. The importance of this work is that in the analyzed region (Aguascalientes) there have been few studies about the manufacturing industry, especially in aspects related to factors that influence productivity and hence competitiveness. The study of the SCM and the strategies followed by this industry explains the economic growth of the region in recent years, its improvement in infrastructure, and a substantial increase in jobs; and, above all, it accounts for almost all exports. This study is therefore essential, particularly for SMEs which, in spite of being the most dynamic subsector in the industry, are still having the most challenging problems in terms of how they are organized, how they link with other sectors and in terms of general efficiency. The results show that, indeed, the strategies and ICT have an impact on the performance of the SCM. The use of ICT facilitates the handling of information resources (materials) and the avoidance of delays, which results not only in cost reductions but also in an increase in client compliance (Porter and Millar, Harv Bus Rev 63:149–160, 1985; Benjamin et al. Sloan Manag Rev 25:3–10, 1984); and thus it fosters the overall competitiveness of the organization.