Purpose This study investigates how digital transformation strategy (DTS) influences sustainable supply chain performance (SSCP) through digital circular supply chains (DCSC) in manufacturing SMEs in an emerging market economy such as Vietnam. It also investigates whether environmental dynamism (ED) moderates the relationships between DTS and DCSC, and between DCSC and SSCP. Design/methodology/approach Primary data were captured using a tailored questionnaire, a quantitative methodology was employed. The model incorporated moderated mediation and tested using survey data from 468 managers/directors in Vietnam’s manufacturing SME. It employs partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique to evaluate the proposed hypotheses. Findings The results show that DTS positively affects SSCP both directly and indirectly. DCSC has a significant positive impact on SSCP and partially mediates the relationship between DTS and SSCP. Furthermore, ED moderated the relationships between DTS and DCSC as well as between DCSC and SSCP. Originality/value This study yields novel insights into how DTS drives SSCP through DCSC in manufacturing SMEs operating in emerging economies. It extends the literature by identifying ED as a critical boundary condition shaping the effectiveness of digital transformation. The findings yield valuable implications for managers seeking to leverage digital strategies and circular technologies to enhance SSCP.
Purpose Outcome-based contracts (OBCs) are emerging business models that can enhance returns from investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation. This study identifies the barriers to OBC adoption to explain how organizations can overcome the digital paradox – the under-realization of value from digital technology investments. Design/methodology/approach The study integrates the Grey Systems Theory with the DEMATEL (Grey-DEMATEL) to address uncertainty in expert judgments and to identify, rank and analyse the causal interrelationships among barriers to OBC adoption. Findings The results show that digitally-enabled OBCs (eOBCs) represent an incomplete contracting phenomenon, with barriers spanning technology, strategy, governance and performance measurement. The study identifies joint ownership as a critical mechanism for overcoming these barriers by facilitating asset evolution, improving performance measurability, reducing monitoring costs and safeguarding legitimacy and competencies. It further demonstrates that ownership should be viewed as dynamic, with ex post ownership determined by the party whose investments best sustain long-term value creation. Research limitations/implications The study advances understanding of the digital paradox by integrating transaction cost economics, generalized property rights theory and digital servitisation. Future research could examine industry contexts, investment risks and cross-country differences in digital asset formation. Practical implications The findings underscore the importance of collaborative technology provider–user relationships, continuous value chain reconfiguration and adaptive ownership allocation to maximize value from digital technology investments. Originality/value This study provides a novel theoretical framework explaining how digitally transformed OBCs can unlock business value from digital technologies and mitigate the digital paradox.
Purpose The recent turbulent global manufacturing environment has resulted in supply chain disruptions and geopolitical conflict crippling the flow of goods, increasing prices and threatening the viability of many offshore manufacturers. As a result, many US manufacturing firms have been taking action to restructure their supply chains. In this study, we use a sample of 189 US firms that made reshoring announcements from 2007 to 2021. We jointly examine the two most consequential sourcing decisions a firm will have to make: the location decision (in terms of reshoring) and the governance modes (make in-house versus buy from a supplier). These decisions are important because they are complex, time-intensive, and will have short- and long-term business implications for organizations. We use Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) and Resource Orchestration Theory (ROT) to illustrate how firm and competitive factors impact the reshoring timeline. Approximately 43.4% of the firms in the sample switched their governance modes, delaying reshoring implementation by 1.43 years. Design/methodology/approach Using 189 news articles and press releases published from 2007 to 2021 we explore the relationships among competitive factors and firm factors, governance mode switches, and the reshoring timeline using a regression-based survival analysis model. Findings We find that 43.4%of firms that reshore manufacturing also switch their governance mode. When controlling firm characteristics, governance mode switches are associated with approximately 58.6%longer reshoring duration requiring an average of 1.43 additional years to becoming operational compared to firms that maintained the same governance mode. Research limitations/implications The study’s findings rely on a specific sample of US manufacturing firms found using secondary sources, limiting our sample size. Our sample may be less generalizable to firms in different geographical contexts. Originality/value This research provides novel empirical insights into the interplay between reshoring, governance mode decisions, and operational reshoring lead times. By bridging TCE and ROT, we contribute by empirically testing the relationships between governance mode and reshoring timelines. Using these insights, we offer actionable strategies and policy recommendations for firms and governments navigating reshoring initiatives.
Purpose Big data analytics (BDA) can transform operations and supply chain management (OSCM), yet firms often struggle to convert analytics investments into consistent value. This review examines how BDA capabilities shape OSCM outcomes and identifies the conditions under which value is realized or constrained. Design/methodology/approach The study combines bibliometric mapping of 508 Scopus-indexed publications from 2015 to 2026 with qualitative synthesis of 145 studies. Keyword co-occurrence and co-citation analyses are triangulated with thematic coding to identify the field’s intellectual structure, dominant themes and blind spots. Findings Six knowledge clusters structure the field: analytics capability, supply chain visibility, Industry 4.0 transformation, resilience, sustainability and governance. BDA can enhance decision-making, operational performance, resilience and sustainability, but value depends on data-resource orchestration, governance maturity, analytical capability and organizational readiness. Persistent constraints include poor data quality, fragmented systems, cybersecurity exposure, weak absorptive capacity and resistance to change. The review develops a contingent capability framework explaining how BDA creates, limits or fails to create OSCM value. Practical implications Managers should strengthen data governance, analytical capabilities and decision-process alignment before scaling advanced analytics. The proposed framework supports assessment of BDA readiness, analytics maturity and governance risk. Originality/value By framing BDA value creation as a contingent capability pathway rather than a direct technology–performance relationship, this review explains why similar analytics investments produce uneven returns and advances a more critical theoretical foundation for future BDA–OSCM research.
