Impact of e-integration on ambidextrous innovation in supply chain: the mediation and suppression effect of supply chain strategy implementation

IT capability has become increasingly important for business to maintain an innovation-based competitive advantage in today’s turbulent economic environment. In light of the dynamic capability theory and related literature, the purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between supply chain e-integration, supply chain strategy implementation (i.e., lean strategy and agile strategy), and supply chain ambidextrous innovation, and supply chain ambidextrous innovation (i.e., exploratory innovation and exploitative innovation). A questionnaire survey was conducted in China mainland and quantitative data were gathered from 274 respondents. Supply chain e-integration enhances exploitative innovation but does not impact exploratory innovation significantly. Both lean and agile strategy implementation are positively associated with exploratory innovation. Whilst only lean strategy positively influences exploitative innovation. Supply chain e-integration positively impacts lean supply chain strategy but harms agile supply chain strategy. Furthermore, lean strategy implementation partially mediates the relationship between supply chain e-integration and exploitative innovation, whilst agile strategy plays a suppression role between e-integration and exploratory innovation. A new theoretical perspective on IT-based capabilities and supply chain ambidextrous innovation is provided by these findings. Practitioners can also apply these findings to improve innovation-based competition by addressing related inertia issues.