Hefu Liu

The impact of IT capabilities on firm performance: The mediating roles of absorptive capacity and supply chain agility

Researchers and practitioners regard information technology (IT) as a competitive tool. However, current knowledge on IT capability mechanisms that affect firm performance remains unclear. Based on the dynamic capabilities perspective and the view of a hierarchy of capabilities, this article proposes a model to examine how IT capabilities (i.e., flexible IT infrastructure and IT assimilation) affect firm performance through absorptive capacity and supply chain agility in the supply chain context. Survey data show that absorptive capacity and supply chain agility fully mediate the influences of IT capabilities on firm performance. In addition to the direct effects, absorptive capacity also has indirect effects on firm performance by shaping supply chain agility. We conclude with implications and suggestions for future research.

How do mediated and non-mediated power affect electronic supply chain management system adoption? The mediating effects of trust and institutional pressures

Electronic Supply Chain Management systems (eSCMS), as instances of information technologies spanning organizational boundaries, have the potential to provide operational and strategic benefits. However, the high uncertainty of adoption consequences impedes firms from adopting eSCMS. Research on how to facilitate eSCMS adoption is of significance. This study investigates how institutional and socio-political factors in a dyadic trading partner relationship affect the dependent firms eSCMS adoption intention. In contrast to prior research, we examine the confluence of institutional pressures, the focal firms trust and the dominant firms power. In particular, we differentiate power of different sources, and examine the mediating effects of the focal firms trust and perceived institutional pressures on the relationship between different types of power exercised by the dominant firm and the focal firms eSCMS adoption. Data collected from executives in China largely support our research hypotheses. Theoretical contribution and managerial implications of this research are discussed.

Effects of supply chain integration and market orientation on firm performance: Evidence from China

Purpose – The present paper aims to investigate the impact of two different dimensions of supply chain integration on two aspects of firm performance in the emerging economy of China. In addition, the moderating effects of market orientation on the relationship between supply chain integration and firm performance are explored.Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained from a survey administered to 246 firms in the manufacturing and services industry in China. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses.Findings – Operational coordination is positively associated with operational performance and business performance. Information sharing affects only operational performance; it has no impact on business performance. Furthermore, the results provide empirical support for the moderating effects of market orientation on the association of supply chain integration and firm performance.Originality/value – The current paper contributes knowledge on the value‐realizing mechanism of supp...

The Impact of Leadership Style on Knowledge Sharing Intentions in China

Knowledge management (KM) is a dominant theme in the behavior of contemporary organizations. While KM has been extensively studied in developed economies, it is much less well understood in developing economies—notably, those that are characterized by different social and cultural traditions to the mainstream of Western societies; this is the case in China. In this article, we develop and test a theoretical model that explains the impact of leadership style and interpersonal trust on the intention of information and knowledge workers in China to share their knowledge with their peers. All the hypotheses are supported, showing that both initiating structure and consideration have a significant effect on employees’ intention to share knowledge through trust building: 28.2% of the variance in employees’ intention to share knowledge is explained. We discuss the theoretical contributions of the article, identify future research opportunities and highlight the implications for practicing managers.

Enhancing the flow experience of consumers in China through interpersonal interaction in social commerce

Although research on flow experience has recently received much attention, few studies have been published on the perceived interpersonal interaction factors of consumers and their influence in social commerce. In addition, few studies have focused on the impact of interpersonal interaction factors on flow experience. Drawing on the stimulus-organism-response framework, this study examines the impact of interpersonal interaction factors (perceived expertise, similarity, and familiarity) on the formation of flow experience and its subsequent effects on purchase intention in the context of social commerce. We investigate whether the impact of the three interpersonal interaction factors on flow experience differs between young and old users. We conduct a survey and collect 349 responses from users of a social shopping site in China. Our results indicate that interpersonal interaction factors positively relate to flow experience and subsequently influence purchase intention. We also find differences between young and old users in this area. Personal interaction factors influence flow experience and purchase intention.Flow experience mediates the impacts of interaction factors on purchase intention.Young and old users react differently to the effect of interaction factors.

The role of social media in supporting knowledge integration: A social capital analysis

Internet of things (IoT) is a current trend that reveals the next generation Internet-based information architecture, the convergence of social networks and IoT solutions is helpful to optimize relationships among objects. In order for IoT to take off in the IT sector, providers and other stakeholders must integrate knowledge successfully. In this study, we investigate the role of social media in supporting knowledge integration from a social capital perspective. Specifically, we propose that social media have the potential to facilitate the formation of employees’ social capital indicated by social networking, trust and shared language. These mediating variables will in turn positively affect knowledge integration. This research frame is validated with survey data collected from 262 Chinese working professionals. The results provide general empirical support for our hypotheses. In analogy with social media for human beings, the future direction of socialization among objects can be inspired by this study.

The moderating role of information technology capability in the relationship between supply chain collaboration and organizational responsiveness: Evidence from China

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a model to test the relationship between supply chain collaboration (SCC) and organizational responsiveness. Three types of information technology (IT) capability are considered as moderators in this relationship. Design/methodology/approach The study conducted a questionnaire survey of 208 firms from various industries in China. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses. Findings SCC positively affects organizational responsiveness. Both outside-in and spanning IT capability positively moderates this relationship, whereas inside-out IT capability has a negative moderating effect on this relationship. Originality/value This research extends the knowledge regarding the value creation process of SCC from an organizational learning perspective. The study explores the moderating roles of three types of IT capability in this process and further clarifies the relationship between SCC and organizational responsiveness.

Influence of Power and Trust on the Intention to Adopt Electronic Supply Chain Management in China

Electronic supply chain management (eSCM) has become a popular Web-based seamless supply chain process. Given that Chinese firms are important parts of global supply chains, it is imperative to investigate factors that would affect eSCM adoption in China. In this study, we examine the impact of three power sources – non-mediated, coercive-mediated and reward-mediated power – on the three dimensions of trust – competence, goodwill and contractual – and their influence in turn on a firm’s eSCM adoption intention in China. We collected data through a survey of 131 manufacturing and service firms in China. Our results show that non-mediated power is positively associated with competence and goodwill trust but negatively related to contractual trust. Coercive-mediated power only negatively affects competence and goodwill trust. Reward-mediated power does not affect any type of trust significantly. The results also provide empirical support for the positive effects of competence and contractual trust on the intention to adopt eSCM. This paper contributes knowledge about the power–trust relationship in China from a supply chain perspective and presents a multi-dimensional explanation of the relationships between power, trust and intention to adopt eSCM.

Conflict and creativity in inter-organizational teams: The moderating role of shared leadership

This paper aims to examine the effects of task and relationship conflicts on team creativity, and the moderating role of shared leadership in inter-organizational teams. An inter-organizational team normally comprises employees from collaborated organizations brought together to conduct an initiative, such as product development. Practitioners and researchers have witnessed the prevalence of conflict in inter-organizational teams. Despite significant scholarly investigation into the importance of conflict in creativity, a deep theoretical understanding of conflict framework remains elusive.,A questionnaire survey was conducted in China to collect data. Consequently, 54 teams, which comprised 54 team managers and 276 team members, were deemed useful for the study.,By testing our hypotheses on 54 inter-organizational teams, we found that relationship conflict has a negative relationship with team creativity, whereas task conflict has an inverted U-shaped (curvilinear) relationship with team creativity. Furthermore, when shared leadership is stronger, the negative relationship with team creativity is weaker for relationship conflict, whereas the inverted U-shaped relationship with team creativity is stronger for task conflict.,The main limitation is cross-sectional, which cannot establish causality in relationships. Despite this potential weakness, the present research provides insights into conflict, leadership and inter-organizational collaboration literature.,The findings of this study offer some guidance on how managers can intervene in the conflict situations of inter-organizational teams.,Managers are struggling to identify ways to effectively manage team conflict when a team of diverse individuals across organizational boundaries are brought together to solve a problem. The findings of this study offer some guidance on how managers can intervene in the conflict situations of inter-organizational teams.,This paper provides understandings about how relationship and task conflicts affect team creativity in inter-organizational teams.

Choice decision of e-learning system: Implications from construal level theory

Abstract This study investigates user acceptance of a new e-learning system when users can choose between the old and the new systems. Drawing upon construal level theory and technology acceptance model, this study proposes that users’ construal level of an e-learning system interacts with their perceptions of the system (i.e., PEoU and PU) and affects their adoption intention. Data collected from 131 participants in a laboratory experiment show that a higher construal level strengthened the effect of PEoU but mitigated the effect of PU on participants’ attitude toward using the system, thus affecting adoption intention. Theoretical contributions and implications are discussed.