Customer Integration Research Articles

Research on the Impact of Supply Chain Integration on Supply Chain Resilience in NEV Manufacturing Enterprises

This paper explores the direct impact of different types of supply chain integration on supply chain resilience in new energy vehicle manufacturing enterprises. It also elucidates the mediating role of supply chain risk management and the moderating role of regulatory uncertainty, proposing nine research hypotheses. Finally, it employs SPSS 26.0 software to analyze the research hypotheses using collected 309 sample data. The research results indicate the following: (1) Internal integration, supplier integration, and customer integration all positively influence supply chain resilience, with supplier integration having the most significant impact. (2) Supply chain risk management mediates the relationship between internal integration, supplier integration, customer integration, and supply chain resilience. (3) Regulatory uncertainty significantly negatively moderates the impact of internal integration and customer integration on supply chain resilience, but it does not significantly negatively moderate the impact of supplier integration on supply chain resilience.

Custom integration of a magnetic-field monitoring system into a 32-channel MRI head coil.

Customizing a Siemens 32-channel coil for use in a Philips 3T MRI system with incorporated magnetic field probes for collecting high-quality MRI and magnetic-field monitoring data concurrently. The development process of the custom coil involved several (iterative) phases. Standard temporal SNR and B1 + data were collected with the 32-channel Siemens and for reference the 32-channel/8-channel Philips head coils before and afterthe custom coil was made compatible with the 3T Philips Achieva system, and magnetic field probes were installed into it along with ancillary electronics around it. Quality assurance tests were conducted in each of the build phases to ensure that the modifications did not affect MRI or field-monitoring data negatively. To test the finished custom coil, we collected high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) datasets on a spherical silicon oil phantom both with and without concurrent field monitoring and a 32-channel Philips coil without concurrent field monitoring, where the latter two served as reference scans to assess the improved performance of the custom coil with field monitoring. Similar HARDI-MRI data were also collected in vivo with the finished custom coil together with field monitoring data. The custom coil provided excellent temporal SNR especially at the edges where cortical gray matter is expected. When using concurrent field monitoring in HARDI acquisitions, the custom coil alleviated ghosting artifacts in phantom data and provided in vivo images with 1.4-mm isotropic resolution. The custom MRI coil with integrated magnetic-field monitoring probes provided improved imaging performance.

Pythia: Non-random DNA repair allows predictable CRISPR/Cas9 integration and gene editing.

CRISPR-based genome engineering holds enormous promise for basic science and therapeutic applications. Integrating and editing DNA sequences is still challenging in many cellular contexts, largely due to insufficient control of the repair process. We find that repair at the genome-cargo interface is predictable by deep-learning models and adheres to sequence context specific rules. Based on in silico predictions, we devised a strategy of triplet base-pair repeat repair arms that correspond to microhomologies at double-strand breaks (trimologies), which facilitated integration of large cargo (>2 kb) and protected the targeted locus and transgene from excessive damage. Successful integrations occurred in >30 loci in human cells and in in vivo models. Germline transmissible transgene integration in Xenopus , and endogenous tagging of tubulin in adult mice brains demonstrated integration during early embryonic cleavage and in non-dividing differentiated cells. Further, optimal repair arms for single- or double nucleotide edits were predictable, and facilitated small edits in vitro and in vivo using oligonucleotide templates. We provide a design-tool (Pythia, pythia-editing.org ) to optimize custom integration, tagging or editing strategies. Pythia will facilitate genomic integration and editing for experimental and therapeutic purposes for a wider range of target cell types and applications.

Moroccan automotive companies and the crucial importance of customer integration for their operational performance

Moroccan automotive companies and the crucial importance of customer integration for their operational performance

Exploring the Impacts of Green Supply Chain Integration and Ambidextrous Green Innovation on the Financial Performance of China’s Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Enterprises

This study focuses on the factors affecting the financial performance of pharmaceutical manufacturing enterprises. Based on dynamic capability theory and ambidextrous innovation theory, this study adopts the Resource–Behavior–Performance framework to investigate how green supply chain integration (GSCI) and ambidextrous green innovation affect financial performance. The proposed hypotheses were tested through structural equation modeling using data from 400 China’s pharmaceutical manufacturing enterprises. The results indicate that the various dimensions of GSCI and ambidextrous green innovation yield distinct outcomes. Among the three dimensions of GSCI, only green supplier integration and green customer integration significantly impact financial performance directly, unlike green internal integration. Among the two dimensions of ambidextrous green innovation, only exploitative green innovation significantly influences financial performance, acting as a mediator between the GSCI dimensions and financial performance, while exploratory green innovation does not. The main advantages of this study include considering the connotation and value of GSCI from a green dynamic capability perspective, as well as the effects of exploratory and exploitative green innovation as intermediary behaviors while simultaneously considering the performance effects of GSCI and ambidextrous green innovation. This study offers novel academic insights and practical guidelines for pharmaceutical manufacturing enterprises to integrate GSCI and ambidextrous green innovation, with the aim of achieving better financial performance in their sustainable development efforts.

Assessing the Nexus between Supplier and Customer Integration and Environmental Cost Performance: Insights into the Role of Digital Transformation

Since the beginning of the 21st century, environmental protection and digital supply chains have increasingly garnered attention. As firms transition to green practices, how to achieve competitive advantage by reducing environmental costs has become one of the key concerns for many business managers. This study aims to examine how supplier and customer integration affect a firm’s environmental cost performance while considering the moderating effect of digital transformation. Following a survey conducted by a professional research agency on 800 Chinese manufacturing firms specializing in green products, the research model was tested using structural equation modeling and hierarchical regression analysis. The results indicate a significant positive relationship between both supplier integration and customer integration with a firm’s environmental cost performance. Additionally, positive digital transformation reinforces the relationship between supplier integration and customer integration. However, there are limitations due to the study’s background, scope, and sample size. This study underscores the impact of supplier integration and customer integration on a firm’s environmental cost performance, as well as the crucial moderating role of digital transformation. It contributes to the growing literature on sustainable supply chain management and provides valuable insights for relevant practitioners.

Mediation of integrations in supply chain information management and supply chain performance: an empirical study from a developing economy

Purpose This study aims to investigate how the management of supply chain information impacts the performance of the supply chain. This relationship is explored by considering the mediating influence of internal and external integration, which is underpinned by the principles of resource-based theory. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected from 144 supply chain professionals across different manufacturing companies. The proposed hypotheses were subjected to quantitative analysis using partial least squares structural equation modeling, and the validity of the measurement model was assessed with the assistance of SmartPLS software. Findings This study identified that information management (IM) significantly and positively affects internal integration (II), customer integration (CI) and supply chain performance (SCP). Similarly, the results showed that II significantly and positively affects SCP. Likewise, CI positively and significantly affected SCP. At the same time, II found a positive yet significant mediating role in the relationship between IM and SCP. CI was found to play a positive but insignificant mediating role in the relationship between IM and SCP. Originality/value This research evaluated a second-order model and tested the SCP in conjunction with the resource-based view in the manufacturing industry. This research could be beneficial for researchers, manufacturers and policymakers to attain organizational objectives by implementing an efficient IM system for better integration and SCP.

Investigating the effects of green operations management on sustainability performance of manufacturing and service firms: The mediating role of green customer integration in Vietnam

While recent years have seen the conduct of works covering the connections between green operations, green supply chain integration, and corporate sustainability, a comparative study on manufacturing and service industries has not yet been carried out to examine these interrelations in developing countries. In Vietnam, insights from such endeavors are practically needed to inform management and policymaking given that senior managers and government legislators have paid insufficient attention to green supply chain management. In line with the resource-based view and dynamic capability, the present study demonstrates the mediating role green customer integration (GCI) plays in the relationship between the green operations and corporate sustainability of service and manufacturing firms. Partial least squares-structural equation models are used to illustrate the direct and positive effect of green operations on environmental performance in both service and manufacturing companies, and this effect is then partially mediated by GCI. With the other pillars of corporate sustainability (social and economic performance), the effect is fully mediated by GCI for manufacturing businesses. For service enterprises, GCI partially mediates the effect of green operations on social performance but does not occupy a significant role in the positive relationship between green operations and economic performance. Thus, firms that undertake green operations management should properly foster GCI to achieve the desired corporate sustainability results. In addition, the government should consider support or incentives that help firms offset related costs and promote sustainability.

Building resilience or maintaining robustness: Insights from relational view and information processing perspective

Drawing upon the relational view and information processing perspective, we investigate how supply chain integration (SCI) comprising supplier integration and customer integration influence supply chain risk management (SCRM) practices embracing supply chain (SC) resilience and supply chain (SC) robustness, and subsequently influence supply chain (SC) performance. We further examine how big data analytics (BDA)-enabled agility moderates the impacts of SCI on SC resilience and SC robustness. Based on data collected from 121 match-paired surveys of manufacturing firms in China, we find that supplier integration positively impacts SC resilience, whereas customer integration positively impacts on SC robustness. BDA-enabled agility complements supplier integration while substitutes customer integration to improve SC resilience and SC robustness. Besides, our results reveal that SC resilience and SC robustness both improve SC performance, and SC robustness mediates the relationship between SC resilience and SC performance.

Customer perception, integration behavior, and loyalty of internet of things enterprises

As cloud computing, big data, and artificial intelligence technologies continue to develop and be commercially applied, the emerging industry of the Internet of Things (IoT) is continuously growing. To maintain a competitive edge, the establishment and sustenance of customer loyalty are crucial for the sustained development of IoT enterprises. Thus, this study aims to identify the key factors driving the establishment of customer loyalty in the IoT context. Utilizing an anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey, original data from 211 individual IoT users were collected, and structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the collected data. The results indicate that customer price perception, customer service perception, and customer integration behavior significantly and positively influence customer satisfaction, and through the mediating effect of customer satisfaction, significantly and positively affect customer loyalty. Additionally, customer integration behavior also directly positively influences customer loyalty. These findings expand and enrich existing research in the marketing field on customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing recommendations and valuable insights for customer management practices of IoT enterprises.

A reductionistic or holistic approach? The impacts of fit patterns of supplier and customer integration on company and supply chain performance

The increasing prevalence and complexity of supply chain integration raise a question on how to concurrently adopt different dimensions of integration rather than a singular dimension. While extant literature extensively examined the isolated impacts of supplier and customer integration on performance, the exploration of conceptualizing and evaluating the fit between supplier and customer integration remains an issue under active investigation. Drawing on the dynamic capability view, this study conceptualizes and operationalizes fit patterns (e.g., fit as moderation and matching) of supplier and customer integration to understand the synergistic effects of supplier and customer integration on both company and supply chain performance and establish dynamic capabilities containing fit sensing, seizing, and transformation. Using the survey data collected from 824 firms from China Mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, the study reveals distinct effects of two fit patterns on company and supply chain performance. Fit as moderation is positively related to both company and supply chain performance, while fit as matching is negatively related to company performance and is not significantly related to supply chain performance. This study offers profound insights into how to adopt supplier and customer integration concurrently in an efficient and effective manner and provides guidelines for practitioners.

Exploring the impact of supply chain integration and agility on commodity supply chain performance

The aim of this research was to explore the influence of supply chain integration (SCI) on commodity supply chain performance (SCP) with the mediating role of supply chain agility (SCA). The research methodology employed a correlational approach using structural equation modeling. 131 employees from active companies in the agricultural commodity supply chain (SC) sector in Iran participated in the study. Analysis of the data was carried out utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) employing SMARTPLS software. The results indicate that customer integration (CI), supplier integration (SI), and internal integration have a positive and significant impact on SCA and commodity SCP. Additionally, the influence of SCA on commodity SCP is positive and significant. SCA plays a positive and significant mediating role in the impact of CI, SI, and internal integration on commodity SCP. Therefore, it can be concluded that companies that possess CI, SI, and internal integration in their commodity SC process demonstrate more satisfactory performance in the commodity SC.

Revolutionizing Retail: Examining the Influence of Blockchain-Enabled IoT Capabilities on Sustainable Firm Performance

Blockchain has revolutionized the field of supply chain management, allowing firms to optimize their operations and achieve enhanced levels of efficiency and environmental responsibility. This study investigates the relationships between the functionalities of the blockchain-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) and many aspects of the supply chain, namely, supplier integration, internal integration, customer integration, and sustainable logistic capabilities. It also analyses the impact of these correlations on the supply chain performance and sustainability of firms. This study is grounded in an empirical inquiry carried out using a questionnaire survey of the retail industry in Pakistan. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze the data. The findings indicate a direct correlation between the use of BC-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities and the integration of the supply chain, as well as logistic capabilities. Furthermore, there is a strong and meaningful correlation between blockchain-enabled supply chain integration and sustainable logistic capabilities and firm performance. The research findings indicate that the combined impact of digital innovations results in higher levels of corporate performance and sustainability. By embracing digitization through blockchain technology, business organizations can attain supply chain excellence. This integration enhances the adoption of environmentally beneficial actions, minimizes waste, and decreases carbon emissions across supply chains, thus reinforcing the connection between sustainable firm performance and environmental sustainability. As a result, the enterprises may execute sustainably through improved logistical capabilities and effective integration. The results hold great theoretical and practical significance for improving supply chain management efficacy and accomplishing multiple SDGs, including SDG-8, SDG-9, SDG-11, and SDG-12.

Exploring access-based consumption in last-mile logistics: a customer foresight study

PurposeDue to e-commerce growth, technological advancements and environmental concerns, developing a more nuanced service portfolio has become a critical issue for last-mile logistics service providers. Concurrently, consumers are adopting new modes of consumption. This paper aims to investigate the potential for last-mile logistics service providers to act as intermediaries in access-based consumption and to revitalise their service offerings through product-service systems – a pioneering strategy not executed in the market yet.Design/methodology/approachThis strategic customer foresight study uses a quantitative survey of 1,000 respondents and an online focus group comprising 10 early adopter consumers to investigate emerging last-mile service models. Potential service concepts were identified through the survey, and two distinct concepts were subsequently selected for evaluation and co-development within the focus group. The research was conducted in partnership with an SME logistics company in Finland.FindingsThe consumers expressed selective interest in access-based consumption related to the proposed offering of essential household goods. Young adults and consumers in early middle age living in the city centre emerged as the most potential user groups. Economic reasons and short-term needs were the primary motivations for adopting access-based consumption.Practical implicationsThe study showed that engaging consumers in a customer foresight process is viable for SMEs innovating their offerings and demonstrates how the process works in practice.Originality/valueDocumented cases of customer integration into foresight processes are rare in earlier research, and this paper extends the knowledge base through a multidisciplinary examination of future consumer behaviour in the last-mile logistics domain. The paper also expands the limited literature on the role of logistics in access-based consumption.

Does blockchain adoption engender environmental sustainability? The mediating role of customer integration

PurposeDue to the rapid increase in environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources, there has been a recent shift in global focus from economic concerns to environmental ones. The purpose of this research is to examine the relevant literature on the use of blockchain technology to promote environmental sustainability through customer integration.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed framework is based on the theoretical lens of systems theory (ST) and knowledge-based view (KBV) theory, and is developed by conducting a systematic literature review of 51 articles, (16) from 2022, (17) from 2021, (10) 2020, (5) 2019, (2) 2018 and (1) from 2017 on blockchain technology (BCT), environmental supply chain performance (ESCP) and customer integration.FindingsThree main propositions are formulated and demonstrated using the developed framework, which shows that BCT has the potential to revolutionize the supply chain from an environmental sustainability perspective through facilitating waste management, reduction of energy consumption and reduction of carbon emissions/pollution. The technology will not only enhance the environmental sustainability but also facilitate customer integration through resolving transparency issues, protecting data/enhancing security, database decentralization, promoting trust and immutability.Originality/valueThe effects of blockchain on supply chain performance has been studied in the past; however, no studies were found which shed light on how BCT can affect ESCP through the mediation of customer integration.

Adopting relationship trust and influence strategy to enhance green customer integration: a social exchange theory perspective

Purpose This study aims to explore how relationship trust and different types of influence strategy (i.e., non-coercive and coercive influence strategy) impact green customer integration (GCI), while investigating the moderating mechanisms of big data development and social capital. Design/methodology/approach Following hierarchical linear regression analysis, the authors examine hypothesized relationships by combining survey data from 206 Chinese manufacturers with secondary data. Findings The results show that relationship trust positively affects non-coercive influence strategy, while its impact on coercive influence strategy is insignificant. Non-coercive influence strategy has an inverted U-shaped impact on GCI. Furthermore, big data development flattens the inverted U-shaped relationship between non-coercive influence strategy and GCI. Conversely, social capital steepens the inverted U-shaped relationship between non-coercive influence strategy and GCI. Practical implications This study sheds light on managers on how to involve customers in GCI through friendly strategies that favor the involvement of customers and the willingness to develop environmentally friendly initiatives. Originality/value Although GCI has received widespread attention, how it can be enhanced remains unclear. These findings provide novel insights into the emerging GCI literature and complement social exchange theory.

Impact of carbon pricing on the integrated green supply chain of the semiconductor industry

To better respond to the strategic goals of "carbon peaking" and "carbon neutrality,” businesses are collaborating with suppliers and customers to jointly promote green and environmentally friendly practices to increase economic benefits, enhance social reputation, and improve environmental competitiveness while achieving environmental performance. Currently, some theoretical achievements in the field of green supply chain integration have been made. Nevertheless, systematic retrospective research needs to be improved to help us fully understand the status of research in China and elsewhere. Therefore, this article analyzed the concept of green supply chain integration using eight years of data (from 2014 to 2021) from a small and medium-sized environmental company1 and divided the concept into four systems: the water cycle system (H2O), renewable energy system (CaCl2), carbon peak system (CO2), and carbon-neutral system (CO2). These four systems were analyzed with regard to internal green integration, green supplier integration, and green customer integration, and the Scheffé method was used to analyze the impact of these four systems on corporate ecological impact and financial and social sustainability. The study also verified that the intensity of sunlight on solar panels is significantly affected by environmental temperature (ET), carbon neutrality, and the electricity generated by solar panels. The impact of carbon pricing was also explored using the probability density function (PDF) method. The contribution of this research lies in the fact that it provides evidence that solar energy can help reduce the use of fossil fuels, reducing demand for the carbon quota market. This can help lower carbon prices, thereby encouraging more businesses and countries to participate in carbon neutrality and emission reduction actions. In addition, solar power systems can replace renewable energy sources, making the carbon quota market more diverse and stable. Carbon pricing options can be used to manage the risks and uncertainties related to carbon pricing policies, and policy-makers can use them to develop appropriate risk management strategies.

Curbing relationship conflict for achieving green customer integration: roles of organizational commitment and influence strategy

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how relationship conflict (RC) hinders green customer integration (GCI) and which strategy could be developed to alleviate the negative effect of RC.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use a sample of 206 Chinese firms to examine hypothesized relationships drawing on social exchange theory and buyer-supplier relationship perspective. Methods including exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis are used to assess reliability and validity. Hypotheses are tested using hierarchical regression analysis. Post hoc analysis is adopted to evaluate the robustness.FindingsThe results show that RC negatively relates to GCI. Normative commitment partially mediates the relationship between RC and GCI, while the mediating role of instrumental commitment is insignificant. In addition, coercive influence strategy positively moderates the RC-normative commitment and RC-GCI relationships.Research limitations/implicationsWhile this study clarifies the mechanism of how RC impedes GCI and how to address RC in buyer-supplier relationships, it could be more meaningful to extend the current research and figure out how to address RC in different supply chain relationships. Besides, it will make sense to conduct longitudinal studies and explore the dynamic nature of RC in supply chain relationships.Practical implicationsIn practice, firms find it challenging to achieve GCI owing to the ubiquitous existence of RC. The findings reveal that RC detriments GCI partially through normative commitment, and the use of coercive influence strategy mitigates the detriments of RC. Thus, the authors provide solutions for firms to address RC for achieving GCI.Originality/valueRC is unavoidable in organizational interactions. Prior studies have not revealed the processes through which RC relates to GCI. The authors bridge the gap by exploring the mediating role of organizational commitment and the moderating role of influence strategy, which offers a better understanding of how RC is associated with GCI, and add knowledge of addressing RC for achieving GCI.

How to promote ambidextrous innovation through integration with supply chain partners? The role of external knowledge acquisition and cooperative goal interdependence

ABSTRACT In today’s fiercely competitive environment, integration with supply chain partners and the acquisition of external knowledge have become increasingly important strategies for mitigating the resource tension between exploration and exploitation. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between supply chain external (suppliers and customers) integration and ambidextrous innovation, with a focus on the mediating effect of external knowledge acquisition and the moderating effect of cooperative goal interdependence based on Chinese firm-level data. The empirical results of this study reveal several important findings. First, supplier integration and customer integration have positive effects on ambidextrous innovation. Second, supplier integration and customer integration are more beneficial for ambidextrous innovation in firms holding higher cooperative goal interdependence with both suppliers and customers than in firms holding lower cooperative goal interdependence with both suppliers and customers. Finally, external knowledge acquisition partially mediates the effects of supplier integration and customer integration on ambidextrous innovation. These findings provide top managers with important insights into the role of supply chain external integration in the promotion of ambidextrous innovation. This research also contributes to the literature on ambidexterity theory and enriches the knowledge management literature within the supply chain management framework.

Influence of Customer Integration and Information Systems Integration on Organizational Performance of Clearing and Forwarding Firms in Kenya

Influence of Customer Integration and Information Systems Integration on Organizational Performance of Clearing and Forwarding Firms in Kenya