Entrepreneurial Leadership, Supply Chain Innovation, and Adaptability: A Cross-national Investigation

This study investigates the effects of entrepreneurial leadership on supply chain innovation and supply chain adaptability. Based on theoretical foundations of the upper echelon theory and the dynamic capability theory, it also assesses the mediating role played by supply chain innovation in the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and supply chain adaptability. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was performed on survey data collected from 139 firms in Sudan, Japan, and China. The results reveal that entrepreneurial leadership had positive effects on supply chain innovation and supply chain adaptability despite varying business environments. The results also provided interesting findings regarding the moderating role of supply chain innovation as a mediator of the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and supply chain adaptability. The findings of the study stress the importance of entrepreneurial leadership for firms’ adaptability across nations. Although the number of countries included in this study was limited, these countries exhibit different cultural and structural settings. These findings suggest the possibility of the generalizability of the results. The findings also imply that firms should place greater emphasis on improving their supply chain processes and upgrading relevant technologies in order to facilitate the development of adaptable supply chains.