An implementation strategy for collaboration in supply chain: an investigation and suggestions

Increasing inclination of firms towards supply chain collaboration as a means of developing or enhancing core competency has gained noticeable research attention. Successfully implementing collaboration is a major concern for both industries and academia. Building from the literature base, the study investigates effect of collaborative culture on all collaborative activities, and effect of preparedness that moderates the relationship of collaborative activities to supply chain performance. Using partial least squares, the study validates the notions empirically. Results indicate that collaborative culture strongly affects all activities, but preparedness moderates four activities - joint planning for increasing market share, operational resource sharing, collaborative culture, and market based information sharing. In addition, the study also finds operation related activities as important factors enhancing performance, and effective implementation of other activities is required.