SMEs Capabilities on Resilience, Reconfiguration and Flexibility in the Supply Chain

This research delves into the underexplored terrain of establishing straightforward, predictable antecedents and moderating factors in supply chain resilience (SCRes) and reconfiguration (SCRec), particularly in well-defined systems. Central to this study is the exploration of the interplay among five key capabilities and their influence on SCRes and SCRec within the context of Chinese small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector. A comprehensive analysis of data from 284 managers (middle level and above) utilizing partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and necessary condition analysis (NCA) reveals that the four capabilities “to acquire”, “to exploit”, “to make alliances”, and “to transform” have a positive and significant impact on SCR, subsequently influencing SCRec (the fifth capability examined, “to assimilate”, did not have a significant impact). The study further uncovers the mediating role of SCRes and the moderating role of supply chain flexibility (SCF) in these dynamics. This research contributes to the SCRes and SCRec literature by highlighting the importance of key capabilities in developing dynamic system capabilities for manufacturing SMEs, enabling them to adapt more effectively to volatile business environments