The Relationship Between Supply Chain Integration and Organizational Performance: The Mediating Role of Supply Chain Resilience in Food Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Kerman Industrial Estates

Majid Shakoorian; Abbas Babaeinejad; Farbod Askarifar

Authors

Majid Shakoorian Department of Industrial Management, Ke.C., Islamic Azad University, Kerman, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3780-6182
Abbas Babaeinejad Department of Public Administration, Ke.C., Islamic Azad University, Kerman, Iran Corresponding author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3090-7589
Farbod Askarifar Department of Business Management, Ke.C., Islamic Azad University, Kerman, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3428-0037

Keywords:

Supply Chain Integration, Supply Chain Resilience, Organizational Performance, Small and Medium, Sized Enterprises, Food Industry, Kerman

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the relationship between supply chain integration and organizational performance and to determine the mediating role of supply chain resilience among small and medium-sized food enterprises operating in the industrial estates of Kerman. This applied, quantitative, cross-sectional correlational study was conducted among managers and organizational decision-makers working in food SMEs located in the industrial estates of Kerman, Iran. Using proportionate stratified sampling, 312 questionnaires were distributed, of which 278 valid questionnaires were retained for analysis. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire measuring supply chain integration through internal, supplier, and customer integration, supply chain resilience, and organizational performance. Preliminary analyses were performed in IBM SPSS Statistics, while the measurement and structural models were evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modeling in SmartPLS 4. Reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, multicollinearity, explanatory power, predictive relevance, direct effects, and mediation were assessed. Statistical significance was evaluated through bootstrapping with 5,000 resamples at p < .05. Supply chain integration had a significant positive effect on supply chain resilience (β = .672, p < .001) and organizational performance (β = .291, p < .001). Supply chain resilience also significantly predicted organizational performance (β = .493, p < .001). The indirect effect of supply chain integration on organizational performance through resilience was significant (β = .331, p < .001, 95% CI [.244, .427]), indicating complementary partial mediation. The total effect of supply chain integration on organizational performance was β = .622 (p < .001). The model explained 45.2% of the variance in supply chain resilience and 52.0% of the variance in organizational performance. Supply chain integration improves organizational performance both directly and indirectly by strengthening supply chain resilience, indicating that coordinated internal processes and closer relationships with suppliers and customers are important strategic mechanisms for improving the adaptability and performance of food SMEs.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ajike, E. O., Adeleke, A. A., Bamidele, A. G., Olubiyi, T. O., Adesuyi, O. O., Ilori, G. E., Ariguzo, V. A., & Binuyo, B. O. (2024). The Moderating Role of Supply Chain Agility on the Relationship Between Strategic Flexibility and Organizational Market Performance in Nigerian Pharmaceutical Industry. PaperASIA, 40(5b), 337-349. https://doi.org/10.59953/paperasia.v40i5b.259

Al-Zabidi, A., Rehman, A. U., & Alkahtani, M. (2021). An approach to assess sustainable supply chain agility for a manufacturing organization. Sustainability, 13(4), 1752. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041752

Alamsjah, F., & Yunus, E. N. (2022). Achieving Supply Chain 4.0 and the Importance of Agility, Ambidexterity, and Organizational Culture: A Case of Indonesia. Journal of Open Innovation Technology Market and Complexity, 8(2), 83. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc8020083

Aldhaheri, R. T., & Ahmad, S. Z. (2023). Factors Affecting Organisations' Supply Chain Agility and Competitive Capability. Business Process Management Journal, 29(2), 505-527. https://doi.org/10.1108/bpmj-11-2022-0579

Alkrait, Y., & Almaktoom, A. (2021). The relationship between supply chain agility and organizational performance in KSA. PalArch's Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology, 18(15), 266-271. https://archives.palarch.nl/index.php/jae/article/download/8333/7778/16318

Azad, B. (2020). Examining the Impact of Green Supply Chain Agility on Gaining Competitive Advantage and Organizational Agility in the Industry (Case Study: Active Industrial Units in Ardabil) Moqaddas Ardabili Institute of Higher Education, Department of Management].

Azizi, M., Hanoum, S., Purnomo, J., Shubbak, M., & Gandolfi, F. (2025). Fostering Supply Chain Agility through Transformational Leadership and Organizational Ambidexterity in the Indonesian Automotive Industry. Operations and Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 18(3), 511-523. https://doi.org/10.31387/oscm0620486

Bavarsad, B., Zare, H., & Fa'ali, R. (2019). The Effect of Information Technology Infrastructure Flexibility and Organizational Learning on Performance with the Mediating Role of Supply Chain Agility Performance in Manufacturing Companies of Khuzestan Province. Quarterly Journal of Innovation Management in Defense Organizations, 1(1), 69-96.

Dubey, R., Bryde, D. J., Foropon, C., Graham, G., Giannakis, M., & Mishra, D. B. (2020). Agility in humanitarian supply chain: an organizational information processing perspective and relational view. Annals of Operations Research, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-020-03824-0

Ghaedi, M., & Zeraati Foukaliei, P. (2025). Examining the Effect of Sustainable Supply Chain Practices on the Productivity of Small Economic Enterprises with the Mediating Role of Sustainable Supply Chain Dynamic Capabilities. National Conference on Futures Studies, Management, and Sustainable Development, Tehran, Iran.

Hosseini Balaei, S. (2015). Investigating the effect of organizational agility strategies and supply chain agility on organizational performance (Case study: Roshd Food Company) https://elmnet.ir/doc/10784125-26494

Ismail, I., & Surjasa, D. (2024). Analysis Smart Supply Chain (Ssc) and Supply Chain Resilience in Supporting Smart Technology and Its Impact on Operational Performance on a Geothermal Company. International Journal of Business Studies, 8(3). https://doi.org/10.32924/ijbs.v8i3.349

Kang, P., & Bhawna, B. (2025). Enhancing Supply Chain Resilience through Supervised Machine Learning: Supplier Performance Analysis and Risk Profiling for a Multi-Class Classification Problem. Business Process Management Journal, 31(2), 345-368. https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-03-2024-0174

Kumar, R., & Raj, A. (2024). Big Data Adoption and Performance: Mediating Mechanisms of Innovation, Supply Chain Integration and Resilience. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal. https://doi.org/10.1108/scm-03-2024-0186

Lin, B., & Zhu, Y. (2025). Supply chain configuration and total factor productivity of renewable energy. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 209, 115140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2024.115140

Malekifar, S., Taghizadeh, S. K., Rahman, S. A., & Khan, S. U. R. (2014). Organizational Culture, IT Competence, and Supply Chain Agility in Small and Medium‐Size Enterprises. Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 33(6), 69-75. https://doi.org/10.1002/joe.21574

Mukherjee, S., Baral, M. M., Nagariya, R., Chittipaka, V., & Pal, S. K. (2024). Artificial intelligence-based supply chain resilience for improving firm performance in emerging markets. Journal of Global Operations and Strategic Sourcing, 17(3), 516-540. https://doi.org/10.1108/JGOSS-06-2022-0049

Negi, P. (2025). Supply Chain Resilience, Organizational Effectiveness, and Firm Performance: A Systematic Review and Future Research Agenda. Sage Open, 15(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251393994

Onukwulu, E. C. (2025). Advances in Automation and AI for Enhancing Supply Chain Productivity in Oil and Gas. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science. https://doi.org/10.51584/ijrias.2024.912057

Patel, B., Samuel, C., & Sharma, S. K. (2017). Evaluation of Agility in Supply Chains: A Case Study of an Indian Manufacturing Organization. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 28(2), 212-231. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMTM-09-2016-0125

Rahman, M. K., Piprani, A. Z., Mohiuddin, S., Nazir, S., & Shah, A. A. (2026). Unraveling the Impact of Organizational Ambidexterity: The Role of Integration and Agility in Enhancing Performance Amidst Supply Chain Disruptions. Global Business and Organizational Excellence. https://doi.org/10.1002/joe.70028

Rehman, A. U., Al-Zabidi, A., AlKahtani, M., Umer, U., & Usmani, Y. S. (2020). Assessment of supply chain agility to foster sustainability: fuzzy-DSS for a Saudi manufacturing organization. Processes, 8(5), 577. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8050577

Safdari, M., & Rostamzadeh, R. (2018). Examining the Impact of Green Supply Chain Management on Organizational Agility (Case Study: Iran Khodro Tabriz). Value Chain Management Journal, 1(4). https://journals.iau.ir/article_652343.html?lang=en

Sharma, M., Antony, R., Sharma, A., & Daim, T. (2024). Can Smart Supply Chain Bring Agility and Resilience for Enhanced Sustainable Business Performance? The International Journal of Logistics Management, 36(2), 501-555. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijlm-09-2023-0381

Tobing, A. E. N., & Santosa, W. (2025). The Effect of Absorptive Capacity on Supply Chain Innovation Performance Through Supply Chain Resilience in Manufacturing Companies: Empirical Study From Bogor Region, Indonesia. Golden Ratio of Data in Summary, 5(1), 119-131. https://doi.org/10.52970/grdis.v5i1.927

Tortorella, G. L., Prashar, A., Antony, J., Fogliatto, F. s., Gonzalez, v., & Godinho Filho, M. (2024). Industry 4.0 adoption for healthcare supply chain performance during COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil and India: the mediating role of resilience abilities development. Oper Manag Res, 17, 389-405. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12063-023-00366-z

Vishlaghi, M., Zarei, A., & Feiz, D. (2021). Designing Strategic Agility Model for Sustainable Manufacturing Boom Based on Grounded Theory(Case Study: Automotive Industry). Journal of Improvement Management, 15(2), 127-153. https://doi.org/10.22034/jmi.2021.238717.2292

Yoon, T., 고애란, & Jin, B. (2014). The Role of Market Orientation and Organizational Innovativeness in Enhancing the Supply Chain Agility of Korean Apparel Firms. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 38(5), 718-732. https://doi.org/10.5850/jksct.2014.38.5.718

Zainurrafiqi, Z., & Gazali, G. (2024). Supply Chain Digitalization, Green Supply Chain, Supply Chain Resilience Toward Competitiveness and Msmes Performance. Jurnal Aplikasi Manajemen, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.21776/ub.jam.2024.022.01.14