The Effect of Technology Orientation on Integrative Supply Chain Strategy and Operational Performance

Integrative information technology has been widely adopted as a key component of supply chain integration strategy, following extensive recent research which has confirmed a positive association between supply chain integration and operational performance. However, although integrative information technology is often assumed to enhance supply chain integration and operational performance, the factors which encourage firms to invest in integrative information technology are less certain. To investigate this uncertainty, this study amplifies earlier work on the impact of integrative information technology on supply chain integration by introducing strategic orientation, especially technology orientation, as a potential antecedent of integrative information technology and supply chain integration. An instrument was devised to glean the perceived relationships between technology orientation, integrative information technology, supply chain integration, and operational performance, and was completed by 101 South Korean manufacturers. Structural equation modeling of their responses indicates that technology orientation has a significant impact on integrative supply chain strategy and operational performance. In addition, integrative information technology has a significant effect on supply chain integration which in turn affects operational performance positively. To improve the operational performance of manufacturing organizations in South Korea requires an increased technology orientation, which is an antecedent of integrative information technology and operational performance. Given the global importance of South Korean manufacturers, future studies could usefully investigate the incidence of these antecedents in other economies.

최근 다수의 선행연구들은 공급사슬통합과 운영성과와의 정의 상관관계를 확인하였으며, 이에 따라 통합정보기술은 공급사슬전략의중요한 요소라고 인식하여 왔다. 그러나 기업 내 통합정보기술에 대한 투자를 촉진시키는 요인에 대한 연구는 여전히 부족한 실정이다. 본 연구는 전략적 지향성 중 한 요소인 기술지향성이 통합정보기술, 공급사슬통합, 운영성과에 유의미한 영향을 주는 선행요인인지에 대해 실증분석을 실시하였다. 주요 방법론으로 우리나라 101개 제조업체의 응답을 바탕으로 구조방정식 모형을 구현하였다. 그 결과 기술지향성은 공급사슬전략과 운영성과에 정의 영향을 나타냈다. 또한, 통합정보기술은 공급사슬통합에 정의 영향을 나타냈고, 이어 공급사슬통합은 운영성과에 정의 영향을 나타냈다. 이러한 결과는 우리나라의 제조업체들이 운영성과를 높이기 위해서 통합정보기술과 공급사슬통합의 결정요인인 기술지향성을 향상시켜야 한다는 점을 보여준다.