Antecedents of horizontal logistics collaboration in agri-food supply chains

Ismail Badraoui*, Ivo van der Lans, Youssef Boulaksil, Jack G.A.J. van der Vorst

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the impact of agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) characteristics on the antecedents of horizontal logistics collaboration (HLC). Specifically, the study compares the relationship between collaboration activities and outcomes for companies in and outside AFSCs. Design/methodology/approach: First, a survey was used to collect data from different industries. Second, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were applied to compare the measurement and structural models from different industry categories. Findings: The results support the premise that collaboration improves trust and commitment in the relationship, which in turn enhance satisfaction. The results also show the existence of a minor influence of AFSCs characteristics on HLC antecedents, in the form of an indirect impact of dedicated investments on commitment. Practical implications: The factors having a significant influence on the collaboration outcomes and their respective effects are generally similar across food and nonfood supply chains, providing opportunities for interdisciplinary and collaboration experiences. Originality/value: This research contributes to the body of knowledge on interfirm collaboration by considering the specificities of HLC. It also highlights the importance of conducting contingency research on collaborative experiences, as firms from different industry contexts operate under distinct operational conditions.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)239-260
JournalInternational Journal of Logistics Management
Volume33
Issue number1
Early online date10 Sept 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2022

Keywords

  • Agri-food supply chains
  • Collaboration enablers
  • Context effect
  • Horizontal logistics collaboration
  • Multi-group comparison

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