The impact of supply chain digitalization on firms’ performance: An empirical test of how resource specificity explains the digitalization paradox
Journal article
Wu, Y., Wang, J., Xia, S., He, Q. and Zhang, Q. 2025. The impact of supply chain digitalization on firms’ performance: An empirical test of how resource specificity explains the digitalization paradox. Journal of Business Logistics. 46 (3), pp. 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbl.70023
| Authors | Wu, Y., Wang, J., Xia, S., He, Q. and Zhang, Q. |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Digitalization is a key driver of supply chain innovation. Existing literature has predominantly focused on the potential positive impacts of supply chain digitalization (SCD) on supply chain performance. However, the paradoxical effects of SCD on overall corporate performance have received limited attention. This study addresses this gap by employing paradox theory to analyze the paradoxical relationship between old specific resources and new specific resources brought by SCD. Econometric methods, panel data from 1,440 Chinese listed companies, as well as a text mining approach are used to evaluate the impacts of SCD. This study finds that SCD generates dual effects on enterprises due to resource specificity. Aligning with the majority of existing research, this study confirms the positive impacts of SCD on supply chain capabilities. However, SCD also leads to resource redundancy within firms. The dynamic analysis further reveals that the overall impact of SCD on firm performance is initially non-significant but becomes positive over time. The distinctiveness of this study lies in its all-encompassing approach to the effects of SCD by offering a paradoxical perspective. This study adds insights to supply chain literature and provides new explanations to the “digitalization paradox”. This study also has important practical implications for enterprises. |
| Keywords | Supply chain digitization; Resource specificity; Resource redundancy; Paradoxical tension; Digitalization paradox |
| Year | 2025 |
| Journal | Journal of Business Logistics |
| Journal citation | 46 (3), pp. 1-29 |
| Publisher | Wiley |
| ISSN | 2158-1592 |
| Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1111/jbl.70023 |
| Web address (URL) | https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jbl.70023 |
| Accepted author manuscript | License File Access Level Restricted |
| Publisher's version | License File Access Level Open |
| Output status | Published |
| Publication dates | Jul 2025 |
| Online | 02 Jun 2025 |
| Publication process dates | |
| Accepted | 05 May 2025 |
| Deposited | 03 Jun 2025 |
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