Supply Chain Management: The Impact of Shared Meaning, Inter-Organization Coordination, and Leadership

This study aims to investigate how shared meaning within a supply chain impacts inter-organizational cooperation and its subsequent influence on firm performance. The proposed research model is empirically tested using survey data collected from 305 manufacturers worldwide. The study’s findings suggest that shared meaning directly improves firm performance and indirectly enhances inter-organizational cooperation. These results theoretically contribute to supply chain management (SCM) research, expanding the practical understanding of how shared meaning enhances SCM performance by effectively engaging external supply chain partners in information sharing and cooperative coordination. The findings also highlight the importance of lead firms within supply chains.