Skip to main content
Log in

Digital Strategies for Engendering Resilient, Adaptive, and Entrepreneurial Agility: A Configurational Perspective

  • Published:
Information Systems Frontiers Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examines how different digital strategies influence agility in managing customer demand. We test the effects of digital strategies on three types of digitally-enabled demand management agility–adaptive, resilient, and entrepreneurial. Using a configurational perspective, we conceptualize digital strategies as the synergistic use of IT-driven and business-driven initiatives in selective or collective value chain domains. Configurations are used to outline three digital strategies: supply chain-oriented, marketing-oriented, and value chain-wide. Using data from a survey of 200 firms, we use configurational analysis to test the hypotheses. The results indicate that specialized–supply chain or marketing-oriented–digital strategies may be sufficient to create adaptive and resilient agility. However, a value chain-wide digital strategy is necessary to facilitate entrepreneurial agility. Results also indicate that a specialized digital strategy may suffice in less turbulent environments, but a value chain-wide digital strategy is required to manage demand management disruptions in highly turbulent environments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

The original survey data is accessible via open request. We also agree to submit our dataset when requested by the review team or the publisher.

Notes

  1. Process level spillover effects are a significant contributor to firm performance, enabling the benefits of alignment to cascade and remain for a long time (Tallon & Pinsonneault, 2011).

  2. As argued by other IS researchers, the configurational approach is more suitable to unravel the complex, asymmetric, and equifinality dynamics existing here (Park & Mithas, 2020; Park et al., 2020).

  3. Supply chain orientation is required for growth. For instance, in 2018, Adidas was hit by the Brexit phenomenon; while a demand growth rattled its operations, production was challenging due to a less responsive supply chain (Cosgrove, 2019). At times, firms may use a digital strategy with superior marketing orientation to manage changes in customer demand disruptions. For example, the launch of iPhone by Apple was a disruptive shock to its competitors who lacked the appropriate data and insights to assess the effects on the demand for their own phones. Lacking digital strategies engendering marketing orientation, these competitors struggled. The launch disrupted current and future consumer demand for products of Apple’s competitors, who had to adjust their demand plans quickly and effectively (Elmer-DeWitt, 2010).

  4. Association for Operations Management (APICS) framework.

  5. Note that an ideal configuration may not exist in the practical world, in its purity. Therefore, we assess the distance from the ideal to assess the impact of digital strategy on the three agility types.

  6. This item was retained because of its theoretical significance, and to avoid ad hoc use of data analysis to define construct composition.

  7. Each of the type of demand management agility–adaptive, resilient and entrepreneurial, was run through a factor analysis. One factor was extracted for each of the factor runs. Variance extracted for adaptive agility is 59% and all items have communalities greater than 0.5 (0.75, 0.76, 0.80, 0.77), resilient agility 70% (0.69, 0.74, 0.76, 0.64), and entrepreneurial agility 77% (0.83, 0.86, 0.87, 0.80). KMO test of sampling adequacy is found to be greater than 0.5 for three (0.75, 0.79, and 0.83 respectively), and Bartlett’s test for sphericity is significant at p < .001 for all three dimensions of agility.

  8. Prior research uses the agility construct as a unidimensional construct (e.g., Chakravarty et al., 2013; Lu & Ramamurthy, 2011; Overby et al., 2006; Roberts & Grover, 2012; Sambamurthy et al., 2003).

  9. Internal-oriented and external-oriented strategies are critical to enhancing coordination and collaboration across the supply chain (e.g., Rai et al., 2006; Roberts & Grover, 2012; Saraf et al., 2007). Similarly, previous research on marketing and supply chain IT competencies focuses on their effects on collaborative real-time information dissemination and acquisition across the marketing or supply chain functions, thereby improving outcomes such as operational integration, process alignment, supply chain integration (e.g., Jaworski & Kohli, 1993; Malhotra et al., 2005; Patnayakuni et al., 2006).

  10. Organizations are often constrained by limitations of inflexible legacy IT systems, rigid IT architectures, or complex nexus of disparate technology silos so much so that IT becomes a disabler for agility (Van Oosterhout et al., 2006). For example, tightly coupled linkages of IT competencies between supply chain partners can potentially impede supply chain flexibility (Malhotra et al., 2005; Grover & Malhotra, 1999). Organizations frequently fall into situations where inflexible links between IT and business initiatives can impede a firm’s ability to quickly respond to market dynamics (Benbya & McKelvey 2006; Tallon & Pinsonneault 2011).

  11. Previous research across other contexts has used the proposed configurational approach. This includes contexts such as supplier integration (Das et al., 2006), advanced manufacturing technologies (Dı́az et al., 2003), supply chain integration (Flynn et al., 2010), manufacturing strategies (Zhao et al., 2006), and manufacturing processes (Heim & Peng, 2010).

  12. The paper offers a unique lens to study ways to build digitally enabled agility beyond the variance theories, which assume that each element (i.e., predictor) has a distinct effect on the outcome. Although our understanding of IS strategy and business value of IT has been informed by variance theories, our use of configurational perspective offers a complementary understanding of the complexity involved in building organizational capabilities (e.g., Fiss, 2007; Meyer et al., 1993). Variance theories assume that each predictor element may have its own independent and linear effects. On the other hand, configurational theories do not assume the independent effects, and highlight complex nonlinearities in effects, helping combine the influence of multiple predictors. Each element by itself is not sufficient to be the cause of outcome; rather, it is a necessary condition for the cause to happen (Markus & Robey 1988). We extend similar arguments from previous research (e.g., Malhotra et al., 2005; Pavlou & El Sawy, 2006).

References

  • Ambulkar, S., Blackhurst, J., & Grawe, S. (2015). Firm’s resilience to supply chain disruptions: scale development and empirical examination. Journal of Operations Management, 33, 111–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen, B. R., & Boynton, A. C. (1991). Information architecture: In search of efficient flexibility. MIS Quarterly, 15(4), 435–446.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Asgekar, V. (2003). Technology: event management graduates with distinction. Supply Chain Management Review, 7, 15–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barua, A., & Mukhopadhyay, T. (2000). Information technology and business performance: past, present and future. In R. W. Zmud (Ed.), Framing the Domains of IT Management: Projecting the Future...Through the Past (pp. 65–84). Cincinnati, OH: Pinnaflex Educational Resources.

  • Benbya, H., & McKelvey, B. (2006). Using coevolutionary and complexity theories to improve IS alignment: A multilevel approach. Journal of Information Technology, 21, 284–298.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bharadwaj, S., Bharadwaj, A., & Bendoly, E. (2007). The performance effects of complementarities between information systems, marketing, manufacturing, and supply chain processes. Information Systems Research, 18(4), 437–453.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chakravarty, A., Grewal, R., & Sambamurthy, V. (2013). Information technology competencies, organisational agility, and firm performance: Enabling and facilitating roles. Information Systems Research, 24(4), 976–997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christopher, M., & Towill, D. (2001). An integrated model for the design of agile supply chains. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 31(4), 235–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cosgrove, E. (2019). Adidas' 'supply chain shortages' offer a cautionary tale. Supply Chain Dive. https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/adidas-supply-chain-shortages-data-agility/551765/

  • Crum, C., & Palmatier, G. E. (2004). Demand collaboration: What’s holding us back? Supply Chain Management Review, 8(1), 54–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Das, A., Narasimhan, R., & Talluri, S. (2006). Supplier integration-Finding an optimal configuration. Journal of Operations Management, 24(5), 563–582.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dess, G. G., & Beard, D. W. (1984). Dimensions of organisational task environments. Administrative Science Quarterly, 29, 52–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dı́az, M. S., Machuca, J. A. D., & Álvarez-Gil, M. J. (2003). A view of developing patterns of investment in AMT through empirical taxonomies: new evidence. Journal of Operations Management, 21(5), 577–606.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doty, D. H., Glick, W. H., & Huber, G. P. (1993). Fit, equifinality, and organisational effectiveness: A test of two configurational theories. The Academy of Management Journal, 36(6), 1196–1250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doz, Y., & Kosonen, M. (2008). The dynamics of strategic agility: Nokia’s rollercoaster experience. California Management Review, 50(3), 95–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eisenhardt, K. M., & Martin, J. A. (2000). Dynamic capabilities: What are they? Strategic Management Journal, 21(10–11), 1105–1121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elmer-DeWitt, P. (2010). What will be Steve Jobs' legacy? CNN. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/mobile/06/15/steve.jobs.legacy.dewitt/index.html

  • Fink, L., & Neumann, S. (2009). Exploring the perceived business value of the flexibility enabled by information technology infrastructure. Information & Management, 46(2), 90–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fiss, P. C. (2007). A set-theoretic approach to organisational configurations. Academy of Management Review, 32(4), 1180–1198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flynn, B. B., Huo, B., & Zhao, X. (2010). The impact of supply chain integration on performance: A contingency and configuration approach. Journal of Operations Management, 28(1), 58–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gattiker, T. F., & Goodhue, D. L. (2005). What happens after ERP implementation: understanding the impact of interdependence and differentiation on plant-level outcomes. MIS Quarterly, 29, 559–585.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gligor, M. (2014). The role of demand management in achieving supply chain agility. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 19(5/6), 577–591.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodhue, D. L., Chen, D. Q., Boudreau, M. C., & Cochran, J. (2009). Addressing business agility challenges with enterprise systems. MIS Quarterly Executive, 8(2), 73–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grover, V., & Malhotra, M. K. (1999). A framework for examining the interface between operations and information systems: Implications for research in the new millennium. Decision Sciences, 30(4), 901–920.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gustafsson, E., Jonsson, P., & Holmström, J. (2019). Digital product fitting in retail supply chains: Maturity levels and potential outcomes. Supply Chain Management, 24(5), 574–589.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heim, G. R., & Peng, D. X. (2010). The impact of information technology use on plant structure, practices, and performance: An exploratory study. Journal of Operations Management, 28(2), 144–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaworski, B. J., & Kohli, A. K. (1993). Market orientation: antecedents and consequences. The Journal of Marketing, 57(3), 53–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kabadayi, S., Eyuboglu, N., & Thomas, G. P. (2007). The performance implications of designing multiple channels to fit with strategy and environment. Journal of Marketing, 71(4), 195–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, H. L. (2001). Ultimate enterprise value creation using demand-based management. Stanford Global Supply Chain Management Forum, 9, 89–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, J. N., Park, Y., Straub, D. W., & Koo, Y. (2019). Holistic archetypes of IT outsourcing strategy: a contingency fit and configurational approach. MIS Quarterly, 43(4), 1201–1225.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liang, H., Wang, N., Xue, Y., & Ge, S. (2017). Unravelling the alignment paradox: How does business—IT alignment shape organisational agility? Information Systems Research, 28(4), 863–879.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liao, R., & Fan, Z. (2020). Supply chains have been upended. Here's how to make them more resilient. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/supply-chains-resilient-covid-19/

  • Lowry, P. B., & Wilson, D. (2016). Creating agile organisations through IT: The influence of internal IT service perceptions on IT service quality and IT agility. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 25(3), 211–226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu, Y., & Ramamurthy, K. (2011). Understanding the link between information technology capability and organizational agility: an empirical examination. MIS Quarterly, 35(4), 931–954.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malhotra, A., Gosain, S., & Sawy, O. A. E. (2005). Absorptive capacity configurations in supply chains: Gearing for partner-enabled market knowledge creation. MIS Quarterly, 29(1), 145–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markus, M. L., & Robey, D. (1988). information technology and organizational change: causal structure in theory and research. Management Science, 34(5), 583–598.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mendelson, H. (2000). Organisational architecture and success in the information technology industry. Management Science, 46(4), 513–529.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, A. D., Tsui, A. S., & Hinings, C. R. (1993). Configurational approaches to organizational analysis. Academy of Management Journal, 36(6), 1175–1195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, D. (1990). Organisational configurations: Cohesion, change, and prediction. Human Relations, 43(8), 771–771.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra, A. N., & Agarwal, R. (2010). Technological frames, organisational capabilities, and it use: an empirical investigation of electronic procurement. Information Systems Research, 21(2), 249–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nazir, S., & Pinsonneault, A. (2012). IT and firm agility: An electronic integration perspective. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 13(3), 2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nazir, S., & Pinsonneault, A. (2021). Relating agility and electronic integration: The role of knowledge and process coordination mechanisms. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 30(2), 101654.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newman, I., & Newman, C. (2000). A discussion of low r-squares: Concerns and uses. Educational Research Quarterly, 24(2), 3.

  • O’Reilly, C. A., III., & Tushman, M. L. (2013). Organizational ambidexterity: Past, present, and future. Academy of Management Perspectives, 27(4), 324–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orton, J. D., & Weick, K. E. (1990). Loosely coupled systems: A reconceptualization. Academy of Management Review, 15(2), 203–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Overall, J. E. (1964). Note on the multivariate methods for profile analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 61(3), 195–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Overby, E., Bharadwaj, A., & Sambamurthy, V. (2006). Enterprise agility and the enabling role of information technology. European Journal of Information Systems, 15(2), 120–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, Y., El Sawy, O. A., & Fiss, P. (2017). The role of business intelligence and communication technologies in organisational agility: A configurational approach. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 18(9), 648–686.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, Y., & Mithas, S. (2020). Organised complexity of digital business strategy: a configurational perspective. MIS Quarterly, 44(1), 85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, Y., Pavlou, P. A., & Saraf, N. (2020). Configurations for achieving organisational ambidexterity with digitisation. Information Systems Research, 31(4), 1376–1397.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patnayakuni, R., Rai, A., & Seth, N. (2006). Relational antecedents of information flow integration for supply chain coordination. Journal of Management Information Systems, 23(1), 13–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pavlou, P. A., & El Sawy, O. A. (2006). From IT leveraging competence to competitive advantage in turbulent environments: The case of new product development. Information Systems Research, 17(3), 198–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pavlou, P. A., & El Sawy, O. A. (2010). The “third hand”: IT-enabled competitive advantage in turbulence through improvisational capabilities. Information Systems Research, 21(3), 443–471.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porter, M. E. (1981). The contributions of industrial organisation to strategic management. Academy of Management Review, 6(4), 609–620.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porter, M. E. (1985). Technology and competitive advantage. Journal of Business Strategy, 5(3), 60–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prajogo, D., & Olhager, J. (2012). Supply chain integration and performance: The effects of long-term relationships, information technology and sharing, and logistics integration. International Journal of Production Economics, 135(1), 514–522.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Preston, D. S., & Karahanna, E. (2009). Antecedents of IS strategic alignment: A nomological network. Information Systems Research, 20(2), 159–179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Queiroz, M., Tallon, P. P., Sharma, R., & Coltman, T. (2018). The role of IT application orchestration capability in improving agility and performance. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 27(1), 4–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rabinovich, E., Dresner, M. E., & Evers, P. T. (2003). Assessing the effects of operational processes and information systems on inventory performance. Journal of Operations Management, 21(1), 63–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radhakrishnan, A., Davis, J. S., Sridharan, S. V., Moore, D. W., & David, D. (2018). The impact of inter-organisational information systems-enabled external integration on capabilities of buyer–supplier dyads. European Management Journal, 36(4), 558–572.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rai, A., Patnayakuni, R., & Patnayakuni, N. (2006). Firm performance impacts of digitally enabled supply chain integration capabilities. Management Information Systems Quarterly, 30(2), 225–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raschke, R. L. (2010). Process-based view of agility: The value contribution of IT and the effects on process outcomes. International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, 11(4), 297–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ravichandran, T. (2018). Exploring the relationships between IT competence, innovation capacity and organizational agility. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 27(1), 22–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reich, B. H., & Benbasat, I. (2000). Factors that influence the social dimension of alignment between business and information technology objectives. MIS Quarterly, 24, 81–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, N., & Grover, V. (2012). Leveraging information technology infrastructure to facilitate a firm’s customer agility and competitive activity: an empirical investigation. Journal of Management Information Systems, 28(4), 231–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sabherwal, R., & Chan, Y. E. (2001). Alignment between business and IS strategies: A study of prospectors, analyzers, and defenders. Information Systems Research, 12(1), 11–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sambamurthy, V., Bharadwaj, A., & Grover, V. (2003). Shaping agility through digital options: reconceptualising the role of information technology in contemporary firms. Management Information Systems Quarterly, 27(2), 237–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanders, N. R. (2008). Pattern of information technology use: The impact on buyer-suppler coordination and performance. Journal of Operations Management, 26(3), 349–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saraf, N., Langdon, C. S., & Gosain, S. (2007). Is application capabilities and relational value in interfirm partnerships. Information Systems Research, 18(3), 320–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh, R. K., Acharya, P., & Modgil, S. (2020). A template-based approach to measure supply chain flexibility: A case study of Indian soap manufacturing firm. Measuring Business Excellence, 24(2), 161–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Subramani, M. (2004). How do suppliers benefit from information technology use in supply chain relationships? MIS Quarterly, 28, 45–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swafford, P. M., Ghosh, S., & Murthy, N. (2006). The antecedents of supply chain agility of a firm: Scale development and model testing. Journal of Operations Management, 24(2), 170–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tallon, P. P. (2008). Inside the adaptive enterprise: An information technology capabilities perspective on business process agility. Information Technology and Management, 9(1), 21–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tallon, P. P., & Pinsonneault, A. (2011). Competing perspectives on the link between strategic information technology alignment and organisational agility: Insights from a mediation model. MIS Quarterly, 35(2), 463–486.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tallon, P., Queiroz, M., Coltman, T. R., & Sharma, R. (2016). Business process and information technology alignment: Construct conceptualisation, empirical illustration, and directions for future research. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 17(9), 3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tallon, P. P., Queiroz, M., Coltman, T., & Sharma, R. (2019). Information technology and the search for organisational agility: A systematic review with future research possibilities. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 28(2), 218–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Um, J. (2017). Improving supply chain flexibility and agility through variety management. The International Journal of Logistics Management, 28(2), 464–487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Oosterhout, M., Waarts, E., & Van Hillegersberg, J. (2006). Change factors requiring agility and implications for IT. European Journal of Information Systems, 15(2), 132–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vera, D., & Crossan, M. (2005). Improvisation and innovative performance in teams. Organisation Science, 16(3), 203–224.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wade, M., & Hulland, J. (2004). Review: The resource-based view and information systems research: Review, extension, and suggestions for future research. MIS Quarterly, 28(1), 107–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weill, P., Subramani, M., & Broadbent, M. (2002). IT Infrastructure for strategic agility. Sloan Management Review, 44(1), 57–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu, M. M., Ting, S. C., & Chen, M. C. (2010). Evaluating the cross-efficiency of information sharing in supply chains. Expert Systems with Applications, 37(4), 2891–2897.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, X., Sum, C. C., Qi, Y., Zhang, H., & Lee, T. S. (2006). A taxonomy of manufacturing strategies in China. Journal of Operations Management, 24(5), 621–636.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

The first draft of the manuscript was written by the first author, Pankaj Setia, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. Pankaj Setia contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by the first author, Pankaj Setia. Kailing Deng, the corresponding author, contributed to the write-up and theorization in previous versions. Shreya Pandey contributed to the review and editing. Vallabh Sambamurthy supervised the first draft. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kailing Deng.

Ethics declarations

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

A IRB approval report was obtained prior to the initial data collection.

Consent for Publication

All listed authors have agreed to publish this manuscript.

Competing Interests

Not applicable.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 46.2 KB)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Setia, P., Deng, K., Pandey, S. et al. Digital Strategies for Engendering Resilient, Adaptive, and Entrepreneurial Agility: A Configurational Perspective. Inf Syst Front (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-023-10448-9

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-023-10448-9

Keywords

Navigation