Integrative approach to supply chain collaboration in distribution networks: impact on firm performance

The study relies on previous research by Cao and Zhang (2011) and van Dijk (2016) and aims to provide theoretical insights and empirical findings on the impact of supply chain collaboration on the performance of firms and collaborative advantage as an intermediate variable in the context of the supply chain of a Russian distributor and its suppliers. The research is based on a case study of a large Russian distribution network, and it is considered to be explanatory and deductive, concerning the latent constructs in the conceptual supply chain framework. The obtained results indicate that supply chain collaboration improves collaborative advantage most significantly through decision synchronization, incentive alignment and information sharing, which in turn has a direct positive influence on operational and firm performance; moreover, a mediating effect of collaborative advantage on the relationship between supply chain collaboration and operational performance was established.