Title: Achieving supply chain agility through innovation capability building

Authors: Faisal Iddris; Gabriel Baffour Awuah; Desalegn Abraha Gebrekidans

Addresses: Centre for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Learning Research (CIEL), School of Business, Engineering and Science, Halmstad University, P.O. Box 823, S-301 18 Halmstad, Sweden ' Centre for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Learning Research (CIEL), School of Business, Engineering and Science, Halmstad University, P.O. Box 823, S-301 18 Halmstad, Sweden ' School of Technology and Society, University of Skövde, P.O. Box 408, Sweden

Abstract: Few studies have examined the innovation capability perspective in the context of supply chain, and in particular toward achieving supply chain agility. The purpose of this study was to deepened our understanding of how a focal firm, in conjunction with customers, suppliers, and other supply chain members build innovation capability, leading to supply chain agility. Using qualitative case study approach, this paper explores how focal firms together with supply chain members build innovation capability, leading to supply chain agility. The study reveals that supply chain members play a critical role in influencing how a focal firms build their innovation capability to swiftly respond to increasing change in customers' existing and potential need through agile supply chains. Drawing inspiration from theories of resource-based view of the firm and dynamic capability, this study contributes to growing streams of literature on innovation capability by explaining how supply chains build innovation capability, leading to supply chain agility. Building innovation capability in conjunction with supply chain members is crucial for achieving supply chain agility (e.g. improved customer service, new product introduction, product customisation and international delivery capacity).

Keywords: supply chain agility; learning; innovation capability; collaboration; cloud computing; trust; agile supply chains; resource-based view; RBV; customer service; new product introduction; NPI; product customisation; international delivery capacity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSCOR.2016.078181

International Journal of Supply Chain and Operations Resilience, 2016 Vol.2 No.2, pp.114 - 143

Received: 17 Aug 2015
Accepted: 26 Dec 2015
Published online: 07 Aug 2016 *

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