Supply management capability, strategic orientation and firm performance

Day, M., Lichtenstein, S. and Samouel, P. (2025) Supply management capability, strategic orientation and firm performance. Strategy & Leadership. ISSN 1758-9568 doi: 10.1108/SL-02-2025-0018

Abstract/Summary

Purpose – This study investigates the performance impact of how supply management capabilities interacts with firm-level strategic configurations. The research addresses the significant gap in empirical understanding of whether and how different firm-level strategies moderate the relationship between procurement capabilities and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach – Using partial least squares structural equation modelling (SEM), mediation and moderation effects were tested for the key variables include supply management capability measured as four routine bundles, strategic orientation using the Miles and Snow typology and two performance outcomes (operational and financial) on a sample of 518 usable responses from UK-based supply management professionals. Findings – The findings reveal that supply management capability positively affects financial performance but only indirectly through operational performance and only for firms with stable strategic orientations (prospectors, analyzers or defenders). In contrast, strategically unstable businesses (reactors) lack a performance impact from supply management capability. Research limitations/implications – Theoretically, this research advances understanding of the operational performance value of specific bundles of supply management capabilities by highlighting the necessity of strategic coherence for capability-driven performance gains. Practical implications – For practitioners, these findings suggest that managers should prioritize building supply management capabilities only when their firms have a clear and stable strategy, as such investments yield no performance benefit in strategically incoherent contexts. Social implications – The study opens avenues for future research on the dynamics of supply management during periods of strategic transition and the development of more granular capability measures. Originality/value – The research addresses the significant gap in empirical understanding of whether and how different firm-level strategies moderate the relationship between procurement capabilities and firm performance. Keywords Strategy, Configuration, Supply management, Capability, Mediation, Moderation Paper type Research paper

Item Type	Article
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/127051
Identification Number/DOI	10.1108/SL-02-2025-0018
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Henley Business School > International Business and Strategy
Publisher	Emerald
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