Abstract:
Purpose – Exploring ways to acquire, sustain and improve competitive positions in supply chains through
information sharing, supply chain visibility, collaboration and agility have been essential for scholars and
practitioners. Basing on the relational view, resource based view and the extended resource based view, this
study assesses the critical role of information sharing in supply chains through emphasizing its effect on
supply chain visibility, collaboration, agility and supply chain performance. Particularly, the study proposes
that information sharing, supply chain visibility, collaboration and agility collectively have crucial direct and
indirect influences on supply chain performance which lead to superior gains, competitiveness and flexibility.
Design/methodology/approach – The study adopted a survey research design, a quantitative approach
and partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in making data analysis and
interpretations due to its suitability for predictive research models.
Findings – The results indicate information sharing positively and significantly influenced supply chain
visibility, collaboration, agility and performance. Supply chain visibility presented significant effects on
collaboration, agility and performance, while supply chain collaboration and agility had significant impact
on supply chain performance. The study findings connote that information sharing is key to enhancing
competitive gains and superior supply chain performance.
Originality/value – The study is among the few to probe on how information sharing as a variable
interacts with supply chain visibility, collaboration, agility and performance. Although, information
sharing has received a lot of attention in supply chains, this study is among the first to capture the study
variables in a single model and thus, exposes the vital need for information sharing in improving supply
chain performance seeing that it ensured significant and robust impacts on the study variables.
Keywords Information sharing, Supply chain visibility, Supply chain collaboration, Supply chain agility,
Supply chain performance, PLS-SEM
