Unleashing the potential of digital technologies in emergency supply chain: the moderating effect of crisis leadership
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-05-2022-0307 |
| Published date | 24 June 2022 |
| Date | 24 June 2022 |
| Pages | 112-132 |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information systems,Data management systems,Knowledge management,Knowledge sharing,Management science & operations,Supply chain management,Supply chain information systems,Logistics,Quality management/systems |
| Author | Rameshwar Dubey |
Unleashing the potential of digital
technologies in emergency supply
chain: the moderating effect of
crisis leadership
Rameshwar Dubey
Department of Entrepreneurship, Strategy, Technology, Innovation, Management,
Montpellier Business School, Montpellier, France and
Liverpool Business School, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
Abstract
Purpose –The stakeholders are now demanding more visibility and role clarity in the emergency supply
chain to improve collaborative efforts. Using a contingent resource-based view (C-RBV), the author studies
crisis leadership as a complementary organizational resource for the successful adoption of digital technologies
(DTs) in the emergency supply chain. The author further examined the relationships between DTs on
information visibility and collaboration under the moderating effects of crisis leadership.
Design/methodology/approach –The author gathered data from 117 NGOs in India using a multi-
informant questionnaire. The author further tested the research hypotheses using variance-based structural
equation modeling (PLS-SEM).
Findings –DTs under the interaction effect of crisis leadership have a significant influence on the information
visibility and the collaboration in the humanitarian context. The findings of the study extend the C-RBVs to
create a better understanding of applications of DTs in alleviating human suffering due to crises.
Practical implications –The author provides some direction to the managers engaged in the humanitarian
supply chain, contemplating using emerging technologies to enhance information visibility and collaboration.
Originality/value –The current study offers some useful implications for theory. The study findings suggest
that the DTs under the moderating effect of the crisis leadership significantly improve the information
visibility and the collaboration among the emergency supply chain relief workers. These findings contribute to
the C-RBV literature by expanding the scope of the theory. To date, the C-RBV is yet to be explored in
humanitarian or emergency settings. Further, the study empirically tests the moderating role of crisis
leadership which is touted to be the game-changer, particularly in crises or emergencies.
Keywords Digital technologies, Crisis leadership, Emergency supply chain, PLS-SEM, Information visibility,
Collaboration, Humanitarian supply chain
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Digital transformation has changed the ways disaster relief efforts were carried out in the
past (Dubey et al., 2019,2021;AlHinai, 2020;Queiroz and Fosso Wamba, 2021;Fosso Wamba,
2020), but there is a limited conceptual study that how the organizations leverage these digital
technologies (DTs) in the highly chaotic environment (Khan et al., 2018). In this study, the
author argues DTs based on Warner and Wager (2019, p. 328), “as a combination of
information, computing, communication, and connectivity technologies”.Prasanna and
Haavisto (2018) argue that in an extremely chaotic environment, the collaboration among
emergency relief supply chain workers holds a great promise in terms of resolving issues that
may hinder emergency supply chain workers’ability to respond efficiently and effectively to
tackle the crises. In the past due to the lack of information visibility, disaster relief efforts have
often failed (Yates and Paquette, 2011;Fosso Wamba et al., 2019). There exists a rich body of
the literature on the positive influence of information visibility on supply chain performance
(Wang and Wei, 2007). The role of information visibility and supply chain flexibility has
IMDS
123,1
112
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/0263-5577.htm
Received 15 May 2022
Revised 28 May 2022
Accepted 5 June 2022
Industrial Management & Data
Systems
Vol. 123 No. 1, 2023
pp. 112-132
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0263-5577
DOI 10.1108/IMDS-05-2022-0307
played a significant role in technology-mediated integration (Wang and Wei, 2007;Williams
et al., 2013;Ganesh and Kalpana, 2022). However, research focusing on the criticality of
information visibility for supporting collaborative task performance in highly fragile
environments, such as disasters caused by pandemics, floods, earthquakes and geopolitical
crises is scant (Fosso Wamba et al., 2021). Hence, the author argues that the organizations
dealing with the emergency relief supply chains are still not clear about the relationship
between DTs, information visibility and collaboration. The collaboration among the
emergency relief workers is often hindered due to differences in power, financial reasons,
conflicting goals, or poor alignment in terms of the use of IT (Dubey et al., 2020,2021). The
author notes this as a clear research gap in the literature. To address this research gap, the
author posited the first research question.
RQ1. What are the distinct and combined effects of digital technologies on information
visibility and collaboration?
Despite increasing awareness of DTs, emergency relief agencies remain skeptical about the
potential application. Schaedler et al. (2021, p. 1) argue, “Of all actors involved in managing an
organizational crisis, strategic leaders play a particularly central role”.Tourish (2020) further
argues the role of leadership during the COVID-19 is a point of differentiation. Salem et al.
(2019) found in one of the studies, that the intergroup leadership role during disaster relief
operations plays a significant role in tackling complexity resulting from the hastily formed
groups often belonging to different cultures and speaking different languages and practicing
different religions. Organizational researchers have recognized the activities of the leaders or
top executives in shaping organizational strategies (Hambrick and Mason, 1984). Hence, the
role of leaders is especially critical in terms of resource allocations and deployment decisions
that are necessary for organizational change (Dubey et al., 2021). The author argues that the
leadership perspective offers illuminating insights into operations and supply chain
management literature, where resource allocations and deployment decisions may create
different outcomes in dynamic and uncertain environments (see, Dubey et al., 2015;Salem
et al., 2019;Dubey et al., 2021). During a time of crisis, the common citizen is in a state of
confusion and helplessness due to the chaotic environment (Deitchman, 2013). With time the
severity of the crisis often increases due to a lack of information visibility (Littlefield and
Quennette, 2007;James et al., 2011). Those who are accountable and vested with authority are
responsible for mobilizing the resources necessary to support the disaster relief efforts. As the
event progresses through various stages, those in the authority must demonstrate crisis
leadership to restore the normalcy and reduce the panic among the common citizens
(Littlefield and Quennette, 2007;James et al., 2011;Mutch, 2015). Crisis leadership includes the
following traits, “initiating a crisis response; mitigating the harm; serving as a spokesperson;
expressing sympathy to victims; framing meaning; remaining accessible and open; facilitating
the flow of information; acting decisively; coordinating actions among the various response
groups and agencies; reconnecting with stakeholders; maintaining decision vigilance;
prioritizing activities and resources; communicating core values; paying symbolic attention to
the crisis; maintaining appropriate flexibility, and facilitating renewal via public commitments”
(Littlefield and Quennette, 2007, p. 30, c.f. Seeger et al., 2003, p. 250). Hence, the author
suggests that in the context of the emergency supply chain, “crisis leadership theory”may
offer useful insights to explain collaboration among members in the emergency supply chain.
As a result, the role of crisis leadership in the use of DT for enhancing information visibility
and collaboration among emergency supply chain workers. Liang et al. (2007) argue that the
role of top managers is critical for the adoption of technology in the organization. However,
despite rich literature focusing on the role of leadership in the adoption of technology, the role
of crisis leadership in the adoption of DTs to tackle emergencies is limited. To address this
research gap, the author posited a second research question.
The potential
of digital
technologies
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