The Effect of Asset Specificity, Information Sharing, and a Collaborative Environment on Supply Chain Management (SCM): An Integrated SCM Performance Formation Model

자산전용성과 협업환경하에서의 정보공유가 공급사슬에 미치는 영향 : 통합적 SCM 성과형성 모델

Purpose - The objective of this paper is to investigate the effect of asset specificity, the level of information sharing, the importance of information sharing, and an integrated collaborative environment on supply chain performance. Research design, data, and methodology - Data collection was implemented as follows: questionnaires were distributed to 250 companies that have business ties with Halla Climate Control Corporation. The empirical study to test our hypothesis was based on statistical analysis (using SPSS 18.0 and AMOS 18.0). The hypothesis of this paper is that the asset specificity variable has positive effects on the following variables: Level of information sharing, the importance of information sharing, and integrated collaborative environment. Moreover the variables, the level of information sharing, and the importance of information sharing are strongly influenced by the variable integrated collaborative environment, and these when combined, have an effect on the dependent variable, supply chain performance. We tested our hypothesized model utilizing path analysis with latent variables. Results - According to the results of our analysis, hypothesis H1, which tests whether there is a relationship between asset specificity and the integrated collaborative environment, is supported at the 0.01 level. Hypotheses H2 and H3 were also confirmed, and asset specificity had positive effects (+) on the level of information sharing variable. The importance of the information sharing variable was statistically significant at the 0.01 level. Hypotheses H4 and H5 posited that the integrated collaborative environment variable would have a positive effect on the level of information sharing; the importance of information sharing variable was strongly supported statistically, with a significant p-value below. Moreover, the level of information sharing (H6), and the importance of information sharing (H7) variables also had a statistically relevant influence on supply chain performance. As a result, existence of a collaborative system between companies would influence supply chain performance by strengthening real-time information access and information sharing. Thus, it is important to construct a collaborative environment where information sharing among companies and cooperation is possible. Conclusions - First, with rapid changes in the business environment, it becomes necessary for enterprises to acquire the right information in order to properly implement SCM. For successful SCM, firms should understand the importance of collaboration with supply chain partners and an internally built collaboration system, which in turn will better promote a partnership commitment with suppliers as well as collaborative integration with buyers. A collaborative system, as we suggest in this paper, facilitates the maintenance of a long-term relationship of trust, and can help reinforce information sharing. Second, it is necessary to increase information sharing over time via a collaborative system so that employees of the suppliers become aware of the system. The more proactive and positive attitudes are towards such a collaborative system by the managerial group, the higher the level of information sharing will be among the users. Successful SCM performance is achieved by information sharing through a collaborative environment rather than by investing only in setting up an information system.