Supply Chain Agility and Innovation : Evidence from the Service Industry

This book critically examines the concept of 'supply chain agility' (SCA) in a novel context, shedding light on its implications for executives and professionals. While much literature has explored SCA in manufacturing, this book pioneers a comprehensive exploration of its application in the service sector, an often-overlooked domain in operations management, supply chain management, and innovation literature. The analysis, based on data from 245 service firms in Australia, employs a unique approach, revealing a positive relationship between firm innovativeness and SCA, with SCA in turn positively impacting firm performance. By bridging gaps in previous research, this book offers conceptual, methodological, and empirical contributions, emphasizing the critical role of innovation in achieving SCA, particularly in uncertain contexts. It provides valuable insights for firms navigating the service economy, offering a holistic examination of the benefits of SCA and empirically validating its role in managing market changes cost-effectively for a competitive advantage. The findings encourage a re-evaluation of firm performance, urging business professionals and managers to adopt a comprehensive perspective. The insights presented serve as a valuable tool for measurement, estimation, assessment, and benchmarking—key drivers for improving and predicting performance in dynamic supply chain environments. Overall, this book is a timely and essential resource for those seeking to understand and enhance supply chain agility in the evolving landscape of the service industry.