Supply Management Capability, Strategic Orientation and Firm Performance

Lichtenstein, Scott and Samouel, Phillip and Day, Marc (2025) Supply Management Capability, Strategic Orientation and Firm Performance. Strategy & Leadership (SL-02-). pp. 1-48. ISSN 1087-8572 (In Press)

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Abstract

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. Using partial least squares Structural Equation Modeling, 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. 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, analysers or defenders). In contrast, strategically unstable businesses (reactors) lack a performance impact from supply management capability. 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. For practioners, 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. 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.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. Using partial least squares Structural Equation Modeling, 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. 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, analysers or defenders). In contrast, strategically unstable businesses (reactors) lack a performance impact from supply management capability. 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. For practioners, 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. 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.

Item Type:	Article
Dates:	Date Event 12 July 2025 Accepted
Uncontrolled Keywords:	strategy, configuration, supply management, capability, mediation, moderation
Subjects:	CAH17 - business and management > CAH17-01 - business and management > CAH17-01-02 - business studies
Divisions:	Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences > College of Business, Digital Transformation & Entrepreneurship
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	30 Jul 2025 10:18
Last Modified:	30 Jul 2025 10:18
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/16546