Understanding influence of supply chain competencies when developing Triple-A

Abstract

Purpose To be successful in the rapidly changing global business environment, supply chains (SCs) must be agile, adaptable and aligned (Lee, 2004), a practice known as Triple-A. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the dimensions of Triple-A SCs and their concurrent impact on all three Triple-A components.Design/methodology/approach The relationship among these factors is analyzed through Smart PLS-structured equation modeling (PLS-SEM) for which data have been collected from 243 SC professionals working in manufacturing organizations.Findings The findings of this study reveal that the relationship between visibility and adaptability are directly significant but that the negative relationship between velocity and alignment is insignificant; however, indirectly these relationships have a positive impact using the mediating effect of agility over visibility and adaptability, velocity and alignment. However, the relationship of flexibility over SC Triple-A is positively significant, visibility over agility and alignment is positively significant and velocity over agility and adaptability is also positively significant, and each impact agility over adaptability and adaptability over alignment which is significant.Originality/value There is a shortage of empirical studies to date that empirically provide evidence of possible relationships among Triple-A and its key dimensions when attempting to obtain Triple-A. This is the first authenticated Triple-A SC conceptual framework that provides direction to better understand the dimension and significance of Triple-A.