Smart supply chains: How do resilience and dynamic capabilities drive corporate performance?

Purpose – This study investigates the impact of smart supply chain construction (SSCC) on corporate performance (CP) in European firms from 2015 to 2023. It examines how resilience and dynamic capabilities contribute to enhancing CP through improved operational efficiency and adaptability. Design/methodology/approach – A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining Difference-in-Differences (DID), necessity condition analysis (NCA) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The analysis draws on a comprehensive dataset of publicly listed European companies, identifying causal relationships and critical configurations influencing CP. Findings – The findings reveal that SSCC significantly enhances CP by strengthening operational resilience, fostering dynamic capabilities, and optimizing resource allocation. Key drivers include proactive and reactive resilience capabilities, R&D investments and robust resource utilization. Configurations involving smart technologies and effective resource management emerged as essential enablers of superior performance. Originality/value – This study uses a rarely applied multi-method empirical framework to examine SSCC’s transformative potential and integrates the resource based view (RBV) and dynamic capabilities theory. It highlights the interplay of resilience, innovation and resource management in boosting CP while addressing critical gaps in smart supply chain research. It provides empirical insights and actionable strategies for businesses and policymakers to enhance resilience and corporate performance in dynamic markets.