Resilient interorganizational culture in multi-tier supply networks: the “what” and “how”

Abstract

Purpose Highlighted in multiple calls, research on interorganizational culture remains limited in the supply chain resilience (SCRES) literature, particularly at the supply network-level. Drawing from an in-depth case study of a US-based chemical multinational and 21 multi-tier suppliers facing the COVID-19 disruption, this paper explores interorganizational culture’s role in SCRES in a multi-tier supply network. Based on the case data, this work proposes an exploratory definition of resilient interorganizational culture, conceptualizing it as a network-wide cultural alignment framework that can strengthen SCRES through cultural propagation and transitivity mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach The case consists of 83 in-depth interviews over nine months, collecting data from a buyer and 21 suppliers in the chemical industry. Using balance theory, the analysis examines what and how interorganizational culture elements influence the SCRES elements of collaboration, flexibility, visibility and velocity in a disrupted multi-tier supply network. Findings The case study sheds light on the various cultural elements and supply network mechanisms between organizations that form a resilient interorganizational culture during a significant global disruption. These cultural elements encompass shared goals, expectations, understanding, processes and values. The findings of this study indicate that these cultural elements, along with the mechanisms of network-level cultural propagation and cultural transitivity in balanced and unbalanced triadic cultural relationships, affect different aspects of SCRES uniquely. The study underscores the significance of evaluating the interorganizational cultural alignments existing in supply networks to achieve SCRES. Originality/value This paper maps aligned and misaligned cultural elements and explores how they characterize a resilient interorganizational culture in a multi-tier supply network, drawing on the concepts of network-level cultural propagation and transitivity in balanced and unbalanced triadic relationships. It extends balance theory by introducing cultural transitivity as a mechanism linking triadic cultural structures to resilience outcomes. It complements balance theory by conceptualizing cultural propagation as the diffusion of cultural alignments and misalignments beyond triads, influencing resilience at the network-level. It contributes to network theory by articulating how cultural alignments and misalignments flow both directionally and transitively across interconnected supply chain actors. Grounded in a single case study, the work advances SCRES theory by offering exploratory insights into how cultural transitivity and propagation enable the SCRES elements of collaboration, flexibility, visibility and velocity.