Examining agile virtual enterprise relationships: a post-crisis analysis

In this paper, we revisit Agile Virtual Enterprises (AVE). AVE can play an important role in the current environment of persistent supply chain disruption. We apply dynamic capability and relational theory to outline AVE characteristics, emphasizing agility, virtuality, meta-enablers, and brokerage. We apply qualitative case study and statistical evaluation methods to explore AVE characteristics and their relationships. Using U.S. and Europe-based alliance (AVE) experiences that were formed to address health and essential supply requirements during the COVID-19 crisis. We examine the interplay of AVE—agility and virtuality capabilities, and meta-enablers, resulting in an integrated framework of the AVE model. The proposed framework can be employed as a competitive strategy to protect the interests of network organizations to collaboratively deliver goods and services to society and markets during normal and non-normal situations. The study advances the understanding of AVE as competitive, social, and disruptive issues become more prominent in supply chains.