The influences of interlocking director networks on supply chain resilience

Although research on supply chain resilience (SCR) has advanced considerably, governance-level antecedents remain underexplored. Drawing on social network theory and the dynamic capabilities view, this study investigates how interlocking director networks (IDNs), a form of informal inter-firm governance network, influence SCR. We argue that IDN centrality and structural holes provide information and resource advantages that can be translated into resilience outcomes. Using empirical data from Chinese A-share listed manufacturing firms, we find that firms occupying more central positions and spanning more structural holes within IDNs tend to exhibit stronger SCR. Information transparency and alleviated financing constraints mediate these relationships, while digital transformation and economic policy uncertainty strengthen the positive effects of IDN positions on SCR. This study advances SCR research by revealing how board-level governance networks shape resilience. Practically, the findings suggest that managers can strengthen SCR by translating network-derived information and resources into actionable supply chain responses.