Supply Chain Integration and Resilience Building in the Context of Natural Disasters

Abstract

This study clarifies how Supply Chain Integration (SCI) supports Supply Chain Resilience (SCRES) building in natural disaster contexts and posits a model of exact SCI practices and other possible practices in multiple SCRES building stages. Structural Contingency Theory (SCT) enables the recognition of SCI orientation and scope, and the structure of the SCRES building process, segmented in active and inactive stages. The study examines 13 natural disasters as environmental contingencies affecting one or more of 22 supply chains (SC) by drawing on semi-structured interviews and secondary data applying replication techniques. The findings provide a unique model that captures how SCI is utilised to support the SCRES building process, captures trust as relevant SC practice, unpacks the role of SCI in face of natural disasters, and inductively captures relevant attributes of SCI and additional practices important in building resilience.