Technical Journal, Vol. 20 No. 2, 2026.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31803/tg-20250315172439
Sustainable Supply Chain Management, Information Technology, and Firm Performance: The Mediating Power of Agility and Supply Chain Integration
Asiye Omidian
; Department of Economics, University of Missouri-Columbia, 615 Locust St, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
Athena Omidian
orcid.org/0009-0002-0284-6272
; Department of Marketing, Carl H. Lindner College of Business, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
*
Shahriar Mohajer
; Department of Research & Development, Supply Chain Unit, Kermanshah Branch, Alborz Paradise Export Development Company (APED.global), Kermanshah, Iran
Elnaz Zarei
; Department of Information Technology Management—Comprehensive Quality System, Yazd University of Science and Art, Iran
Azita Ramezani
; Applied Data Science, Cleveland State Cleveland State University Cleveland, 2121 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
This study investigates how sustainable supply chain management (SCM) practices and information technology (IT) drive firm performance in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with a focus on the mediating roles of supply chain agility (SCA) and sustainable supply chain integration (SSCI). Drawing on data from 219 managers and supply chain experts in Iranian SMEs, structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that both sustainable SCM practices and IT adoption significantly enhance firm performance directly and indirectly through SCA and SSCI. Sustainable SCM practices demonstrated a robust influence on SSCI (β = 0.35, p < 0.001), SCA (β = 0.49, p < 0.001), and firm performance (β = 0.44, p < 0.001), while IT similarly impacted SSCI (β = 0.34, p < 0.001), SCA (β = 0.39, p < 0.001), and performance (β = 0.21, p < 0.001). Critically, SCA and SSCI emerged as pivotal mediators, explaining 48% of the variance in firm performance. The findings underscore that agility and integration transform sustainable and technological investments into competitive outcomes, enabling SMEs to navigate dynamic markets. Practical insights highlight the need for firms to prioritize cross-departmental coordination, IT-driven customer insights, and adaptive decision-making frameworks.
Keywords
firm performance; information technology; supply chain agility; supply chain integration; supply chain management; sustainable
Hrčak ID:
346374
URI
Publication date:
15.6.2026.
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