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This paper examines the nexus between supply chain social capital (relational social capital and structural social capital), supply chain responsiveness (operations system responsiveness and supplier network responsiveness) and firm performance. Additionally, the study examines the mediating role of supply chain responsiveness on the relationship between supply chain social capital and firm performance.

The authors test their hypotheses on a sample of 120 firms operating in Ghana. The measurement model and hypothesized paths were assessed using partial least squares structural equation modelling.

The findings revealed that structural social capital had a significant direct effect on firm performance, but relational social capital did not. It was also revealed that both relational and structural social capital have significant effects on operations system responsiveness and supplier network responsiveness. Additionally, operations system responsiveness fully mediated the effect of relational social capital on firm performance and partially mediated the effect of structural social capital on firm performance. Supplier network responsiveness, on the other hand, partially mediated the effect of both relational and structural social capital on firm performance.

This study contributes to the limited literature on supply chain social capital by unearthing the mechanisms through which supply chain social capital enhances firm performance. Specifically, the study demonstrates the intervening role of operations system responsiveness and supplier network responsiveness in the supply chain social capital–firm performance link.

The study aims to examine the relationship between dimensions of supply chain integration (SCI), operational performance and firm performance of firms. The study proposes that internal integration serves as the basis for supplier integration and customer integration and all three dimensions directly enhance operational performance and firm performance. Additionally, operational performance is proposed to mediate the effect of dimensions of SCI on firm performance.

A research model grounded on the resource-based view and the extended resource-based view was developed to examine the proposed relationships between the dimensions of SCI, operational performance and firm performance. A survey of manufacturing and service firms in Ghana was conducted, with 120 usable responses received. The research model was analysed by using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Robustness tests were conducted by using logistic regression and the Kruskal Wallis test.

The findings showed that internal integration had positive and significant effects on customer integration and supplier integration. Internal integration had a positive and significant effect on firm performance whilst customer integration had positive and significant effects on operational performance and firm performance. Additionally, operational performance mediated the effect of customer integration on firm performance.

This is one of the few studies that examine the interrelationships between dimensions of SCI. Additionally, to the best of the researchers’ knowledge, this is the first study to empirically examine the mediating role of operational performance in the relationship between dimensions of SCI and firm performance.

This study examines green absorptive capacity as an important intervening variable that elucidates the relationship between green supply chain management (GSCM) practices (specifically, green purchasing, customer cooperation and investment recovery) and firm performance.

Drawing from the theoretical underpinnings of the natural-resource-based view theory and information processing theory, a research model is developed and tested using data obtained from 368 manufacturing firms in Ghana. Data analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling.

The results indicate that green purchasing, customer cooperation and investment recovery have a direct positive and significant effect on firm performance. Additionally, green purchasing and customer cooperation have a positive and significant effect on green absorptive capacity but investment recovery does not. Further, the results show that the paths from green purchasing and customer cooperation to firm performance are positively mediated by green absorptive capacity.

The study reveals to supply chain managers that green absorptive capacity is an important conduit through which firms can achieve enhanced firm performance from GSCM initiatives.

This study makes a contribution by integrating the absorptive capacity literature and green management literature and establishes green absorptive capacity as a mechanism through which GSCM practices enhance firm performance.

The study examines the intricate interplay between supplier relationship management (SRM), procurement performance, supply chain responsiveness (SCR) and competitive advantage. Additionally, the study examines the mediating role of procurement performance and SCR in the link between SRM and competitive advantage.

A research model grounded in the resource-based view and dynamic capabilities theory (DCT) was developed and tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Data were obtained from 122 firms in Ghana.

The study revealed that SRM has a positive and significant effect on procurement performance, SCR and competitive advantage. Additionally, SCR has a positive and significant effect on competitive advantage; however, procurement performance has a negative and insignificant effect on competitive advantage. It was also revealed that SCR partially mediates the relationship between SRM and competitive advantage but fully mediates the relationship between procurement performance and competitive advantage. Also, it was also revealed that procurement performance does not mediate the relationship between SRM and competitive advantage.

The study contributes to literature by highlighting the mediating role of SCR in influencing the effect of SRM and procurement performance on competitive advantage.

Practically, the study findings highlight the need for firms to seek, build and manage meaningful relationships with their suppliers in order to enhance their competency and capability to influence their competitive position in the marketplace.

To the best of the researchers' knowledge, no prior study has examined the effect of SRM on procurement performance and SCR. Additionally, no previous study has examined the mediating role of procurement performance and SCR on the link between SRM and competitive advantage.

The number of entrepreneurial start-ups operating in developing countries has grown tremendously in recent years. However, research suggests that most start-ups in developing countries fail shortly after becoming operational. The purpose of this paper explores how supply chain management (SCM) practices may enhance the performance of start-ups in developing countries.

The study develops and empirically tests a research model which explores the effect of SCM practices on customer development and start-up performance. A survey of 300 start-ups operating in Ghana was conducted, with 72 usable responses obtained. The research model was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

The results confirmed the positive impact of SCM practices on customer development and start-up performance. Customer development was also found to positively impact start-up performance. Additionally, a partial mediation role of customer development on relationship between SCM practices and start-up performance was observed.

To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, this is the first study that empirically explores the effects of SCM practices on the performance of start-ups. This is also the first study that examines the effect of SCM practices on customer development to the best of the researchers’ knowledge.

The study examines how supply chain responsiveness (logistics process responsiveness, operations systems responsiveness and supplier network responsiveness) impacts the ability of firms to attract, satisfy and retain customers.

Using a quantitative approach, a total of 250 questionnaires were distributed to firms in the Kumasi metropolis in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, with 100 useable responses retrieved. The effect of supply chain responsiveness on customer development was analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling.

The findings showed that operations systems responsiveness and supplier network responsiveness drive the logistics systems responsiveness of firms as hypothesized. It was also revealed that operations systems responsiveness and logistics process responsiveness enhanced customer development, but supplier network responsiveness did not. Logistics process responsiveness additionally partially mediated the effect of operations systems responsiveness on customer development.

To the best of the researchers' knowledge, no previous studies have empirically examined interrelationships between the dimensions of supply chain responsiveness. Additionally, no previous study has examined the effect of supply chain responsiveness on customer development.

The study examines organizational security culture as the driver of supply chain security (SCS) practices (information management security, facility management security and human resource security). Additionally, the study examines the minimization of occurrence of supply chain disruption as the outcome of SCS practices.

A research model grounded on the contingency theory and the dynamic capabilities theory was developed and tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Data was obtained from 110 manufacturing and service firms in Ghana.

It was revealed that organizational security culture has a positive and a significant impact on information management security, facility management security and human resource security as hypothesized. In addition, facility management security significantly minimized supply chain disruption occurrence as hypothesized but information management security and human resource security did not.

To the best of the researchers' knowledge, this is the first study that examines organizational security culture as the driver of SCS practices. Additionally, the study is novel in examining the interplay between organizational security culture, SCS practices and supply chain disruption.

While there is a growing pool of literature on the drivers of adoption of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices, the literature has not properly explored the role of green capabilities as drivers of GSCM adoption. This study aims to examine four green capabilities (green supplier development, green marketing, green manufacturing and packaging and environmental participation) as the drivers of GSCM adoption.

The study develops and empirically tests a research model which explores the effect of green capabilities on GSCM adoption. A survey of 200 manufacturing and extractive firms operating in Ghana was conducted, with 94 usable responses obtained. The research model was analyzed by using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

The results revealed that green supplier development capabilities and environmental participation capabilities had positive and significant effects on GSCM adoption. Green marketing capabilities had a positive but weak effect on GSCM adoption. Green manufacturing and packaging capabilities, however, did not significantly impact GSCM adoption.

To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, this is the first study that empirically examines green capabilities as drivers of GSCM adoption.

This study provides new insights into antecedents and outcomes of reverse logistics practices by examining green customer salience as the driver of reverse logistics practices and examining environmental performance and green firm reputation as the outcomes of reverse logistics practices.

A research model examining the proposed relationships was developed and tested using data from beverage manufacturers in Ghana. The model was analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling.

This study confirmed that green customer salience drives reverse logistics practices. It was also revealed that reverse logistics directly enhances environmental performance, but not green firm reputation. Additionally, the effect of reverse logistics on green firm reputation was fully mediated through environmental performance.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no previous studies have empirically examined the relationship between green customer salience, reverse logistics, environmental performance and green firm reputation.

While the concept of supply chain resilience has received lots of scholarly and policy interest over the past few years, empirical research examining its sources and outcomes remains inadequate, particularly, in the context of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Grounded in the resource-based view and social capital frameworks, the study examines the relationship between social network relationship, supply chain resilience and customer oriented performance.

The study develops and empirically tests a research model that proposes social network relationships and customer-oriented performance as the antecedent and outcome respectively of supply chain resilience. Data was obtained from a survey of 110 SMEs in Ghana.

The findings of the study suggest that a firm's external and internal social networks can be leveraged to enhance its supply chain resilience and customer-oriented performance. Supply chain resilience was also found to enhance customer-oriented performance. Additionally, supply chain resilience was found to significantly mediate the effect of social network relationships on customer-oriented performance.

This is the first study that empirically explores and establishes the relationship between social network relationships, supply chain resilience and customer-oriented performance to the best of the authors’ knowledge.