Examining the Effects of Digital Supply Chain Practices on Supply Chain Viability and Operational Performance: A Practice-Based View

Despite the increasing attention to the adoption of digital supply chain (SC) practices to support operational performance improvement in an ever increasingly volatile marketplace, many firms are still not achieving the desired outcomes. In this study, we argue that the development of SC viability within a digital SC practices framework is a key enabler to achieving superior operational performance. To date, SC viability is largely ignored and under-researched in the digital SC practices domain. To address this gap, this study draws upon and extends the practice-based view (PBV) to develop and empirically test a digital SC practices model, which explores the effects of digital SC practices on SC viability and operational performance during the COVID-19 crisis. Survey data returned by manufacturers in China were analyzed to test the digital SC practices model. The findings reveal that both digital technology orientation (DTO) and digital SC platform have a significant positive effect on digital SC practices, which lead to SC viability and operational performance. More specifically, the results suggest that SC viability plays a partial mediating role in the digital SC practices–operational performance relationship, and DTO and digital SC platform play a moderating role in the SC viability–operational performance relationship. The findings provide managers with guidance and a framework to develop and implement Industry 4.0-ready digital SC practices to ensure a viable SC for long-term firm survival and operational success.